UEFA Europa League 2021/22

[Lineker]

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St Johnstone have secured a date with either Galatasaray or PSV Eindhoven in the UEFA Europa League third qualifying round after the draw was made at the House of European Football in Nyon.

The first draw under the new format of the competition set the loser of the tie between Galatasaray and PSV on course for an encounter with the Scottish Cup holders. The Perth-based team are one of only three confirmed names in the round, along with Czech side Jablonec (who will meet either Celtic or Midtjylland) and Anorthosis Famagusta (who will be up against Rapid Wien or Sparta Praha).

Champions path
Dinamo Zagreb (CRO) / Omonoia (CYP) vs Legia Warszawa (POL) / Flora Tallinn (EST)
Mura (SVN) / Ludogorets (BUL) vs Ferencváros (HUN) / Žalgiris Vilnius (LTU)
Kairat Almaty (KAZ) / Crvena zvezda (SRB) vs Alashkert (ARM) / Sheriff Tiraspol (MDA)
Lincoln Red Imps (GIB) / CFR Cluj (ROU) vs Slovan Bratislava (SVK) / Young Boys (SUI)
Olympiacos (GRE) / Neftçi (AZE) vs Malmö (SWE) / HJK Helsinki (FIN)

Main path
Jablonec (CZE) vs Celtic (SCO) / Midtjylland (DEN)
Rapid Wien (AUT) / Sparta Praha (CZE) vs Anorthosis Famagusta (CYP)
PSV Eindhoven (NED) / Galatasaray (TUR) vs St Johnstone (SCO)

When are the games?
Ties take place on 5 and 12 August. Winners will progress to the UEFA Europa League play-off round. The defeated teams will transfer to the appropriate path of the UEFA Europa Conference League play-off round.

Which teams were involved in the draw?
The round features 16 teams, some of which will be confirmed after the UEFA Champions League second qualifying round ends on 27/28 July.

Champions path

The ten teams eliminated from the UEFA Champions League second qualifying round champions path joined the UEFA Europa League third qualifying round champions path.

Main path

The three sides eliminated from the UEFA Champions League second qualifying round league path joined three teams entering in the UEFA Europa League third qualifying round main path.

How the draw worked

• No teams were seeded for the third qualifying round of the champions path. An open draw was held to determine pairings, with the first team drawn playing the first leg at home.
• The clubs that qualified directly for the third qualifying round of the main path were seeded above the clubs eliminated from the second qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League league path.
• For the main path draw, the balls containing the names of the seeded teams were placed in one bowl and the balls containing the unseeded sides were put into another bowl. One ball was taken from each bowl and placed in a large empty bowl in the middle, where they were shuffled. The first team drawn plays the first leg at home.
• Clubs from the same association could not be drawn against each other. As decided by the UEFA Executive Committee, teams from Azerbaijan and Armenia could not be drawn against each other.

Special COVID rules
Please be aware of the special rules applicable to the qualifying phase and play-offs of the competition due to COVID-19, which can be found here.

With regard to travelling fans being admitted to matches, more information can be found here.

 

[Lineker]

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The UEFA Europa League play-off draw took place at the House of European Football in Nyon, Switzerland on Monday 2 August.

The teams were drawn into ten ties, with the winners advancing to the group stage. The ties will be finalised on 10 and 12 August with the completion of the third qualifying round for UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League.

Europa League play-off draw
Randers (DEN) vs Galatasaray (TUR) / St Johnstone (SCO)
Rapid Wien (AUT) / Anorthosis Famagusta (CYP) vs Zorya Luhansk (UKR)
Jablonec (CZE) / Celtic (SCO) vs AZ Alkmaar (NED)
Fenerbahçe (TUR) vs Neftçi (AZE) / HJK Helsinki (FIN)
Mura (SVN) / Žalgiris Vilnius (LTU) vs Sturm Graz (AUT)

Omonoia (CYP) / Flora Tallinn (EST) vs Royal Antwerp (BEL)
Olympiacos (GRE) / Ludogorets (BUL) vs Lincoln Red Imps (GIB) / Slovan Bratislava (SVK)
Malmö (SWE) / Rangers (SCO) vs Kairat Almaty (KAZ) / Alashkert (ARM)
Ferencváros (HUN) / Slavia Praha (CZE) vs GNK Dinamo (CRO) / Legia Warszawa (POL)
Crvena zvezda (SRB) / Sheriff Tiraspol (MDA) vs CFR Cluj (ROU) / Young Boys (SUI)

Ties take place on 19 and 26 August, with extra time and a penalty shoot-out if required after the second leg. The ten winners advance to the UEFA Europa League group stage (draw on 27 August), where 12 of the 32 teams are already known.

 

[Baddar]

Just had a video of Galatasaray-St Johnstone pop up on my fb feed from last week. Didn't know they'd managed a 1-1 draw!

[The Kraig]

2 hours ago, Baddar said:

Just had a video of Galatasaray-St Johnstone pop up on my fb feed from last week. Didn't know they'd managed a 1-1 draw!

Keeping the co-efficient alive! Celtic and Rangers have been an embarrassment in Europe already this season.

Also, we just went no restrictions in Scotland on Monday, so Perth will be PACKED.

[Lineker]

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Rangers have confirmed a Covid-19 outbreak has hit the club as they prepare for two key matches this week.

The Scottish champions say positive results were recorded, with those deemed close contacts also self-isolating.

The numbers affected - and whether they are players - has not been disclosed.

Steven Gerrard's side face Alashkert away in the second leg of their Europa League play-off on Thursday, followed by Sunday's Old Firm derby with Celtic.

A statement from the Ibrox club added: "We have followed best practice in our procedures and protocols.

"From the outset of the pandemic, Rangers has worked closely with the Scottish Government and Scottish football to ensure the health of our staff is protected at all times. We will continue to do so."

Rangers hold a 1-0 lead over Armenians Alashkert as they bid to reach the Europa League group phase for the fourth season running.

They then welcome rejuvenated Celtic to Ibrox for the opening Old Firm derby of the Scottish Premiership season.

 

[Lineker]

 

[Lineker]

Decent game this. Leicester finally deciding to give it a go!

[Baddar]

Just the four goals for Daka...

[Lineker]

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West Ham are urgently seeking clarification from Uefa after their supporters were banned from attending their team’s Europa League away tie against Rapid Vienna next week.

The east London club have been left “surprised and disappointed” after Uefa punished them for the crowd trouble that marred their 2-2 draw at Genk on 4 November. European football’s governing body accused West Ham’s supporters of crowd disturbances and throwing objects during the match in Belgium.

The charge has been upheld and West Ham, who are top of Group H, are not happy with the lack of notice from Uefa. They have sold out their allocation of 1,700 tickets for the trip to Vienna on 25 November, but supporters who have already made travel arrangements will now be banned from attending the game.

West Ham, who have also been fined just under £25,500 (€30,000) for the disturbances and another £3,817 (€4,500) for the throwing of objects, said: “The club are urgently seeking clarification from Uefa, particularly given the extremely short notice of the sanction, which will impact our supporters who have already bought tickets and made arrangements to travel to Austria for our match at Rapid Vienna in just over a week.

“We are surprised to receive these sanctions and disappointed for the fans who have behaved impeccably and supported the team throughout and will now be unable to travel to the next away Europa League fixture. The club has requested the full written reasons from Uefa regarding these sanctions and have asked them to expedite our request given that further delay could impact supporters once again.

“The club fully appreciates that supporters will have booked return travel and accommodation in Austria and are stressing this in our dialogue with Uefa. We will update supporters as soon as we are able to with further information.”

Uefa said: “The Uefa Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body (CEDB) has announced today the following decision for the group stage match KRC Genk vs West Ham United FC (2:2), played on 4 November in Belgium.

“Charges against West Ham United FC: Crowd disturbances, Art. 16(2)(h) of the Uefa Disciplinary Regulations (DR), throwing of objects, Art. 16(2)(b) DR. Decision: The CEDB has decided to fine West Ham United FC €30,000 and ban the sale of tickets to its away supporters for the next one (1) Uefa competition match, for crowd disturbances, (and) to fine West Ham United FC €4,500 for throwing of objects.”

West Ham are in a commanding position in their group with two matches left. They will secure their place in the last 16 if they earn a point in Vienna.

 

[Benjamin]

Lol, Dortmund are trailing 1-4, Barcelona down 0-1, both at home. So much for the “big” European teams dominating the UEL. 

[Baddar]

About to watch Rangers-Dortmund. This should be a cracker.

[Baddar]

The BT commentary may well be very biased in favour of Rangers (Ally McCoist and Alex Rae) but they were done by VAR just then. No way did Morelos foul Can. It should be game over. 

They've still got a 2 goal advantage though with 20 to go.

[Baddar]

Last 16 draw;

Rangers v Red Star Belgrade 

Braga v Monaco

Porto v Lyon

Atalanta v Bayer Leverkusen

Sevilla v West Ham Utd

Barcelona v Galatasaray 

RB Leipzig v Spartak Moscow

Real Betis v Eintracht Frankfurt

[Benjamin]

Oh man, the Sevilla / West Ham draw is tasty. Going all in on Rangers, though.

[gunnar hendershow]

1 hour ago, Benjamin said:

Oh man, the Sevilla / West Ham draw is tasty. Going all in on Rangers, though.

Yeah, given the form of both this year you have some sense it could've been the final.

[Szumi]

This goal by Payet is just incredible.

 

[Lineker]

Looking good for West Ham and Rangers. Barcelona, not so much.

[Colly]

This Barca game is ace. Does anyone know what happened with thst weird VAR stoppage? I'm watching with Dutch commentary (in Amshterdam!), but it looked like the system failed, they had a 5 minute confused stoppage then just carried on. Was a really lame handball appeal which would have been enormously harsh on Frankfurt.

[Bobfoc]

The semi-finals are looking interesting. Other than Leipzig, they're all teams that you wouldn't have expected to get this far.

[The Kraig]

This has been a fiercely competitive tournament so far, really chuffed for my Rangers supporting pals (and West Ham, my mum's a Hammer). I was secretly supporting Atalanta and they got dumped by Leipzig, so now I'm just gonna enjoy what will be some big stakes semis. I think we'll see West Ham and Leipzig in the final.