Arsenal will face Ruud van Nistelrooy’s PSV Eindhoven in the Europa League group stages while Manchester United have been drawn with Spanish side Real Sociedad, Moldovan champions Sheriff and Cypriot minnows Omonia.
Former United striker Van Nistelrooy was involved in several high-tempered clashes with Arsenal during his playing career, notably with defender Martin Keown in 2003 when the rivalry between the Premier League sides was at its peak.
Dutch side PSV were knocked out by Rangers in the Champions League play-offs while Norwegian champions Bodo/Glimt and Switzerland’s FC Zurich complete Group A, as Mikel Arteta’s side received a favourable draw on their return to European competition.
Bodo/Glimt defeated Jose Mourinho’s Roma in the Europa Conference League group stages last season and were later knocked out by the Italian side in the quarter-finals, but pleasingly for the Gunners they avoided any long trips that could disrupt their Premier League campaign.
Sociedad finished sixth in La Liga last season to qualify for the Europa League and represent United’s stiffest challenge in Group E. The squad carries plenty of talent including homegrown captain Asier Illarramendi, who spent three years away from the club at Real Madrid, and Spain international Mikel Oyarzabal. But Swedish striker Alexander Isak is on the verge of completing a big-money transfer to Newcastle United.
Sheriff have dominated Moldovan football over recent years and grabbed headlines around the world last year when they beat Real Madrid – the eventual European champions – at the Bernabeu. Uefa has prohibited matches being played in Sheriff’s region, Transnistria, due to reasons relating to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, so Sheriff must find an alternative venue to host their home games.
Omonia are based in the Cypriot capital Nicosia and have a rich domestic history with 21 league titles and 15 cups. They met Manchester City in the first round of the 2008-09 Europa League, losing both legs 2-1. The club were managed by former United defender Henning Berg until his sacking in February, when he was replaced by ex-Celtic manager Neil Lennon.
The road to this year’s final in Budapest will begin on Thursday 8 September with the group stages set to be completed in early November in order to make way for the Qatar World Cup.
Arsenal return to European competition after a one-year absence, in which the Gunners narrowly missed out on qualification to the Champions League. Arsenal had fourth place in their grasp but were beaten to the final qualification spot by rivals Tottenham, who received a favourable draw yesterday.
Winners of the competition in 2017, United are back in the Europa League having also failed to qualify for the Champions League last season. New United manager Erik Ten Hag will likely use the Europa League group stages to give chances to players on the fringes of the first team, given the packed fixture list ahead of the World Cup, which starts in mid-November.
Full Europa League group stage draw
Group A
Arsenal
PSV Eindhoven
Bodo/Glimt
FC Zurich
Group B
Dynamo Kyiv
Rennes
Fenerbahce
AEK Larnaca
Group C
Roma
Ludogorets
Real Betis
HJK Helsinki
Group D
Braga
Malmo
Union Berlin
Union Saint-Gilloise
Group E
Manchester United
Real Sociedad
Sheriff
Omonia
Group F
Lazio
Feyenoord
FC Midtjylland
Sturm Graz
Group G
Olympiacos
Qarabag
Freiburg
Nantes
Group H
Red Star Belgrade
Monaco
Ferencvaros
Trabzonspor
