Liverpool handed favourable draw in Europa League group stage

Friday, 1 September 2023 16:47

By Reuters

Liverpool will take on LASK, Union Saint-Gilloise and Toulouse in the Europa League group stage while debutants Brighton & Hove Albion will face Ajax Amsterdam and Olympique de Marseille.

Liverpool, who have lifted the trophy on three occasions, will be hot favourites to qualify top from Group E.

Along with former champions Ajax and three-time finalists Marseille, Brighton's third opponents in a strong Group B are Greek champions AEK Athens.

Europa Conference League champions West Ham United were drawn with Olympiacos, Freiburg and TSC Backa Topola in Group A.

Last season's runners-up AS Roma meet Slavia Prague, Sheriff Tiraspol and Servette in Group G, while 1988 winners Bayer Leverkusen of Germany face Qarabag, Molde FK and BK Hacken in Group H.

The group stage begins from September 21.

The winners of each group advance directly to the round of 16 that will take place from February onwards.

Group runners-up will progress to the knockout stage playoff round, where they will meet one of eight teams that have finished third in their groups in the top-tier Champions League.

Third-placed teams in the Europa League groups will drop to the third-tier Europa Conference League where they will play the group runners-up from that competition in the knockout round playoffs.

The Europa League final will take place at Dublin's Aviva Stadium on May 22 next year.

More from Sports News

Ireland beat India for first time in international cricket

Abhishek Sharma's 19-ball fifty went in vain as world champions India were surprisingly beaten by Ireland for the first time in international cricket, slumping to a 34-run defeat in the first Twenty20 in Belfast on Friday.
Usyk vacates titles before 'last dance'

Oleksandr Usyk said on Friday he had vacated his WBC, WBA and IBF heavyweight championships to pursue a final fight.
England roar back in second test against New Zealand

England roared back into contention on the second day of the third and deciding test against New Zealand with Ben Duckett's rapid century helping his side to 223-2 after three wickets for returning captain Ben Stokes helped to dismiss the visitors for 438 at a sizzling Trent Bridge.
Williams to face Australia's Joint in Wimbledon comeback

American great Serena Williams will face Australian 20-year-old Maya Joint in the first round of her eagerly awaited return to Wimbledon, a potentially tricky tie for the seven-time champion playing at the tournament for the first time since 2022.
Australia reach World Cup knockouts, Turkey beat USA

Australia booked their spot in the knockout rounds of the World Cup on Thursday after a cagey draw against Paraguay, who are set to qualify as a third-placed finisher, while Turkey beat USA 3-2, scoring the winner with virtually the last kick of the match.