With the League Cup and FA Cup already in his trophy cabinet, Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag will have his sights firmly set on the Europa League this season.
The draw for the new Swiss-style group stage matches takes place at 12 noon UK time today, and UEFA have now confirmed which teams will be in each pot for the draw.
United will face one team from each pot at home and one different team from each pot away, making a total of eight group stage matches, each against different opponents.
They can’t face teams from their home country, ruling out a clash against Spurs, nor more than two teams from any one country.
Pot One: United will play one of these seven clubs at home and one away:
AS Roma, FC Porto, Ajax, Lazio, Rangers, Eintracht Frankfurt, Slavia Prague.
Spurs are also in Pot 1.
Pot Two: United will play one of these nine clubs at home and one away:
Real Sociedad, AZ Alkmaar, Braga, Olympiacos, Lyon, PAOK, Fenerbahce, Maccabi Tel Aviv, Ferencvaros.
Pot Three: United will play one of these nine clubs at home and one away:
Qarabag, Galatasaray, Viktoria Plzen, Bodo/Glimt, Union SG, Dinamo Kyiv, Ludogorets, Midtjylland, Malmo.
Pot Four: United will play one of these nine clubs at home and one away:
Athletic Club, Hoffenheim, OGC Nice, Anderlecht, Twente, Besiktas, FCSB, FK Rigas, Elfsborg.
Some standout possibilities from the draw would include Erik ten Hag’s former club Ajax, Chris Smalling at Roma, José Mourinho’s Fenerbahce – who could be about to sign Sofyan Amrabat, bogey team Real Sociedad and Athletic Bilbao, with former United star Ander Herrera.
Another interesting twist would be if United were drawn against fellow Ineos club, OGC Nice.
Because of the complications of the Swiss system, UEFA explains that “The draw is executed partly manually, with balls physically drawn from a bowl, and partly digitally, through a designated automated software.”
This season’s group matchdays are: 25/26 September 2024, 3 October 2024, 24 October 2024, 7 November 2024, 28 November 2024, 12 December 2024, 23 January 2025 and 30 January 2025.
Kick-off times will be 17:45 or 20:00 UK time.
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