This is great! Alexis Mac Allister’s brother, Kevin, finding out that his Belgian side, Union SG, have been drawn against Liverpool.
— Royale Union Saint-Gilloise (@UnionStGilloise) September 1, 2023
Updated
Brighton face Ajax and Marseille in Europa League
Europa League debutants Brighton were drawn to take on former Champions League winners Ajax and Marseille in Friday’s group stage draw. Roberto De Zerbi’s men secured a first season in continental football with a sixth-place finish in last season’s Premier League table, and their reward is matches against four-time European champions Ajax and the 1993 European Cup winners Marseille.
The Seagulls’ other group opponents are reigning Greek champions AEK Athens, with the first round of group stage games to be played on Thursday, 21 September.
Liverpool were placed alongside LASK of Austria, Belgian club Union St Gilloise and Toulouse from France. The third Premier League representatives in Friday’s draw were West Ham by virtue of their victory in last season’s Europa Conference League final.
The Hammers go up against 47-time Greek champions Olympiacos, German club Freiburg and European debutants TSC Backa Topola from Serbia. Rangers, who dropped into the Europa League after suffering a Champions League play-off defeat to PSV Eindhoven earlier this week, will take on Real Betis from Spain Sparta Prague of the Czech Republic and Cypriot champions Aris Limassol.
Aston Villa have been drawn to face AZ Alkmaar, Legia Warsaw and Zrinjski in Group E of the Europa Conference League.
Aberdeen, the only other British club in the group stage of European football’s third-tier competition, have been drawn in Group G alongside Eintracht Frankfurt, PAOK Athens and Helsinki.
Villa’s Group E opponents Zrinjski are the first team from Bosnia and Herzegovina to reach the group stages of a Uefa club competition. PA Media
