Europa League

Brighton Shares Europa League Group with Ajax, Marseille, and AEK Athens: A Historic FirstBrighton & Hove Albion is making its European football debut, a milestone 122 years in the making, as they’ve been slotted into Group B of the 2023-24 Europa League alongside Ajax, Marseille, and AEK Athens.The Seagulls clinched a historic sixth-place finish in the Premier League last season, paving their way to European competitions for the first time since the club’s inception in 1901.Meanwhile, in other parts of the football galaxy, Liverpool is matched with LASK, Union St-Gilloise, and Toulouse in Group E. Not to be left out, West Ham is taking the pitch against Olympiacos, Freiburg, and TSC Backa Topola in Group A. Over in Group C, Rangers find themselves rubbing shoulders with Real Betis, Sparta Prague, and Aris Limassol.Aston Villa will have to sit tight, crossing their cleats, until 13:00 BST to discover their opponents in the Europa Conference League draw.The Complete Europa League Group Stage Draw:Group A: West Ham, Olympiacos, Freiburg, TSC Backa TopolaGroup B: Ajax, Marseille, Brighton, AEK AthensGroup C: Rangers, Real Betis, Sparta Prague, Aris LimassolGroup D: Atalanta, Sporting Lisbon, Sturm Graz, RakowGroup E: Liverpool, LASK, Union St-Gilloise, ToulouseGroup F: Villarreal, Rennes, Maccabi Haifa, PanathinaikosGroup G: Roma, Slavia Prague, Sheriff Tiraspol, ServetteGroup H: Bayer Leverkusen, Qarabag, Molde, BK HackenBrighton’s Europa League Debut Features Former European HeavyweightsBrighton’s sensational Premier League run last season has granted them the unique privilege of facing off against two erstwhile European champions, Ajax and Marseille. Ajax boasts four Champions League titles and laid claim to the Europa League’s antecedent, the UEFA Cup, in 1992. Marseille clinched their lone Champions League trophy in 1993. Greek champs AEK Athens complete the group.Liverpool, in a surprising twist of fate, find themselves in the Europa League for the first time since the 2016-17 season. They’ll lock horns with Austria’s LASK, who finished third last season, as well as Belgium’s Union St-Gilloise and the victors of the French Cup, Toulouse.Adding a dash of sibling rivalry to the mix, Alexis Mac Allister, recently transferred to Liverpool from Brighton for a cool £35 million, might get a chance to face off against his brother Kevin, a defender for Union St-Gilloise.West Ham, last year’s Conference League champs, are up against Olympiacos, who bagged a third-place finish in the Greek League last season. Also joining them are Freiburg, who secured fifth place in the Bundesliga, and Serbia’s TSC Backa Topola, last season’s runners-up in their national league.And let’s not forget Rangers. Fresh off a bitter defeat to PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League play-offs, they’ll be jetting off to Spain to challenge Real Betis and will also square off against Sparta Prague from the Czech Republic and Cyprus’ reigning champions Aris Limassol.All in all, the draw promises an eclectic mix of football styles, traditions, and some good old-fashioned underdog stories. Brighton fans, get ready to dust off those passports; you’ve got some serious traveling and cheering to do!

BK Hacken clinches Europa Conference League spot, dashing Aberdeen’s hopes in a thrilling clash of goals and missed opportunities.