The Europa League group stage draw has given tougher tasks for Arsenal and Wolves than Manchester United.
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Manchester United will be traveling, with trips to Kazakhstan (Astana) and Serbia (Partizan Belgrade) joining a jaunt to the Netherlands to face AZ Alkmaar.
Last season’s runners-up, Arsenal, will have a tricky group which includes Eintracht Frankfurt. The Bundesliga side lost a lot of firepower in the offseason but nonetheless can win through multiple styles of play. Standard Liege is also a challenge, while Vitoria is far from a Pot 4. Gooners will like their travel schedule, however.
Wolves return to Europe stays tough, as Nuno Espirito Santo’s tough defeat of Torino is met by visitis to Besiktas, Braga, and Slovan Bratislava. But why did UEFA pair a Portuguese side up with another Portuguese side (We see you, Torino).
Outside of the Premier League:
-- As Celtic and Rangers prepare for an Old Firm Derby this weekend, they’ll know that they could hardly have asked for more difficult quests for the UEL glory.
-- Americans: Timmy Chandler of Eintracht Frankfurt (Group F), Matt Polster of Rangers (Group G), Romain Gall of Malmo (Group C), Chris Gloster of PSV Eindhoven (Group G).
Group A: Sevilla, APOEL Nicosia, Qarabag, F91 Dudelange
Group B: Dynamo Kiev, Copenhagen, Malmo, Lugano
Group C: Basel, Krasnodar, Getafe, Trabzonspor
Group D: Sporting Lisbon, PSV Eindhoven, Rosenborg, LASK
Group E: Lazio, Celtic, Rennes, CFR Cluj
Group F: Arsenal, Eintracht Frankfurt, Standard Liege, Vitoria SC
Group G: Porto, Young Boys, Feyenoord, Rangers
Group H: CSKA Moscow, Ludogorets Razgrad, Espanyol, Ferencvaros
Group I: Wolfsburg, Gent, Saint-Etienne, Olexandriya
Group J: Roma, Borussia Monchengladbach, Istanbul Basaksehir, Wolfsberg
Group K: Besiktas, Braga, Wolves, Slovan Bratislava,
Group L: Manchester United, Astana, Partizan Belgrade, AZ Alkmaar
