Crystal Palace have learned their opponents for the league phase of this season’s Europa League.
The Eagles are preparing to compete in Europe’s secondary club competition for the first time after winning the tertiary Conference League last season.
That triumph came after Palace had initially qualified for the 2025/26 Europa League by winning the previous season’s FA Cup, though they were controversially demoted by UEFA after breaching their rules on multi-club ownership, with Nottingham Forest promoted in their place.
However, there are no such issues this term as Palace enter the league phase under new manager Pierre Sage, who was appointed in June to succeed Oliver Glasner following the latter’s exit at the end of his contract and subsequent hiring by Forest.
The draw for the league phase of the Europa League was conducted in Monaco on Friday, with Palace placed in the third of four pots based on their UEFA club coefficient ranking and knowing they would therefore face two of the top teams from Pot 1.
Those turned out to be Real Sociedad and Lyon, with the Eagles hosting the former and travelling to face the latter in France.
John Textor previously having a stake in Palace and being the majority owner of Lyon as both clubs initially qualified for last season’s Europa League was the issue that caused Palace’s demotion.
Palace were also drawn at home to Czech club Sparta Prague and Polish side Lech Poznan, as well as Bundesliga outfit Hoffenheim.
In addition to going to Lyon, Sage’s men also have trips coming to Red Bull Salzburg in Austria, plus Turkish giants Besiktas and Polish club Jagiellonia Bialystok, who beat Rangers during qualifying.
Alongside Palace, Bournemouth and Sunderland are also in the Europa League this season after finishing sixth and seventh respectively in the Premier League last term.
European debutants Bournemouth’s league phase fixtures include a home clash with Ruben Amorim’s AC Milan, with Czech side Viktoria Plzen, Austria’s Sturm Graz and Israeli club Hapoel Be'er Sheva also visiting the Vitality Stadium.
Marco Rose’s Cherries will go away to Real Sociedad and Sparta Prague, plus LaLiga side Celta Vigo and Norwegian outfit Lillestrom.
Sunderland, meanwhile, will be at home to AZ Alkmaar of the Netherlands, Croatia’s Dinamo Zagreb, Jagiellonia Bialystok and Levski Sofia of Bulgaria, while they travel to Milan, Lech Poznan, Belgian outfit Anderlecht and Torreense, a second-division club from Portugal who qualified for the Europa League by stunning Sporting in the Portuguese Cup final last term.
Celtic are also in the Europa League after their shocking collapse against LASK in the Champions League play-off round earlier this week, with home games to come against Marseille, Ferencvaros, Celta Vigo and Besiktas.
They will be away to Benfica, Union Saint-Gilloise, Omonia Nicosia and Torreense.
The draw for the league phase of the Conference League was also made on Friday, with Brighton the sole Premier League representatives after finishing eighth last term and beating Norwegian side Tromso 4-0 on aggregate in the play-off round.
Fabian Hurzeler’s Seagulls will play host to Monaco as well as Craiova of Romania and Zalgiris of Lithuania, while they will be away to Panathinaikos, Getafe and Jablonec.
Hearts also qualified for the league phase, drawing home games against Monaco, Borac and Nordsjaelland, plus away trips to Pafos, Mohamed Salah’s Trabzonspor and FC Thun.
