The stage for this season’s UEFA Europa League group stage is now set after the draw whch was conducted Friday for the European second-tier club competition. Also conducted simultaneously is the draw for the new third-tier European competition – the Europa Conference League.
Leicester will face Napoli, Spartak Moscow and Legia Warsaw in Group C of the 2021-22 Europa League, while West Ham drew Dinamo Zagreb, Genk and Rapid Vienna in Group H.
Scotland champions Rangers will face Lyon, Sparta Prague and Brondby in Group A, while another Scottish outfit in Celtic are in Group G with Bayer Leverkusen, Real Betis and Ferencvaros.
In the the Europa Conference League, Tottenham will play Rennes, Vitesse and NS Mura of Slovenia in Group G.
The first round of matches for the group stage will be played on 16th September, with the final round of fixtures scheduled for 9th December.
This year’s Europa League final will take place in the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan in Seville on 18th May 2022, while the inaugural Europa Conference League final will take place at the Air Albania Stadium in Tirana on 25th May 2022.
Leicester finished fifth last season to qualify for the Europa League for the second successive year, while West Ham secured a top-six finish to grab their place in the group stage for the first time.
The Foxes reached the last 32 of the Europa League last season before losing 2-0 on aggregate to Slavia Prague, who eliminated Rangers in the next round.
Steven Gerrard’s side were beaten by Malmo in the Champions League third qualifying round earlier this month to drop into the Europa League qualifying play-off, where they edged Armenian side Alashkert to clinch a group stage place in European football’s second tier event for the fourth consecutive season.
Celtic have also reached the group stage for the fourth year in a row after surviving a second-leg scare to beat AZ Alkmaar 3-2 on aggregate.
Tottenham overturned a first-leg deficit against Pacos de Ferreira to reach the group stage of UEFA’s new third-tier European competition after finishing seventh in the Premier League last season.
| Europa League | Group | Europa Conference League |
| Lyon, Rangers, Sparta Prague, Brondby | Group A | LASK, Maccabi Tel-Aviv, Alashkert, HJK Helsinki |
| Monaco, PSV Eindhoven, Real Sociedad, Sturm Graz | Group B | Gent, Partizan, Flora Tallinn, Anorthosis Famagusta |
| Napoli, Leicester, Spartak Moscow, Legia Warsaw | Group C | Roma, Zorya Luhansk, CSKA Sofia, Bodo/Glimt |
| Olympiakos, Eintracht Frankfurt, Fenerbahce, Royal Antwerp | Group D | AZ Alkmaar, CFR Cluj, Jablonec, Randers |
| Lazio, Lokomotiv Moscow, Marseille, Galatasaray. | Group E | Slavia Prague, Feyenoord, Union Berlin, Maccabi Haifa |
| Braga, Red Star Belgrade, Ludogorets, Midtjylland | Group F | FC Copenhagen, PAOK, Slovan Bratislava, Lincoln Red Imps |
| Bayer Leverkusen, Celtic, Real Betis, Ferencvaros | Group G | Tottenham, Rennes, Vitesse, NS Mura |
| Dinamo Zagreb, Genk, West Ham, Rapid Vienna | Group H | Basel, Qarabag, Kairat Almaty, Omonoia |
PHOTO/COURTESY
