Thank you for joining me. Until we meet again.
Jacob Steinberg witnessed West Ham defeat Freiburg.
Derek McInnes praises Rangers for beating Betis “in their own back door”, which I am a huge fan of.
Kemar Roofe: “It was chaos. Full of emotions, hard work. We came here to get the three points and we managed to do it.
“The Europa League is special. Hopefully we will get to the final again.
“The last 10 minutes felt like an hour. They are a very good team and we had to chase it.
“Now we can look forward to the League Cup final on Sunday.”
Ed Aarons is enjoying the party.
Conference League full-time scores
Group A
Lille 3-0 Ki Klaksvik
Slovan Bratislava 1-2 Olimpija Ljubljana
Group B
Maccabi Tel-Aviv 3-1 Gent
Zorya Luhansk 4-0 Breidablik
Group C
Dinamo Zagreb 3-0 Ballkani
Viktoria Plzeň 3-0 Astana
Group D
Club Brugge 3-1 Bodo/Glimt
Lugano 0-2 Besiktas
There is a party at the Amex. They a very happy about not needing to be in the playoff round next year.
Europa League full-time scores
Group A
Olympiakos 5-2 Backa Topola
West Ham 2-0 Freiburg
Group B
Ajax 3-1 AEK Athens
Brighton 1-0 Marseille
Group C
Aris Limassol 1-3 Sparta Prague
Real Betis 2-3 Rangers
Group D
Raków Częstochowa 0-4 Atalanta
Sporting Lisbon 3-0 Sturm Graz
FULL TIME! Real Betis 2-3 Rangers
What a night for Rangers! Some drinks will be taken on in Seville tonight.
Updated
Full-time: Brighton 1-0 Marseille
Top spot for the Seagulls.
Updated
While running the clock down, Matondo decides to shoot from 20 yards. No idea why.
Rangers wait around 45 seconds to take a throw. It’s good stuff.
Rangers doing their best to eat up time.
Full-time: West Ham 2-0 Freiburg
The Hammers top the group.
Updated
Five minutes added on in Seville …
De Zerbi jumps into the crowd to celebrate. It is good stuff down at the Amex.
Updated
GOAL! Brighton 1-0 Marseille (Joao Pedro, 88)
A vicious strike from the Brazilian puts Brighton top of the group.
Updated
I think Rangers might need a more sophisticated plan for the final five minutes. Maybe add someone into central midfield and use Roofe to stretch Betis, who will leave space.
Rangers have dropped quite deep and are just looking to clear the ball upfield whenever it comes near their defence.
Rangers are doing their best to sneakily waste some time. Still eight minutes – plus injury time – to go …
Rangers are currently top of the group and Real Betis are heading out …
GOAL! Real Betis 2-3 Rangers (Roofe, 78)
Rangers have a corner on the left. Barisic sends an outswinger into the box. It reaches Goldson at the back post, who pulls it back to Matondo and Roofe is the one to bundle the ball home.
Updated
Dunk lines up a free-kick from 35 yards but it hits the wall. All the buildup for nothing.
Rangers need to win if they are to progress in the Europa League. This could be a fun final 15 minutes or so.
Sterling is on the deck after getting an accidental elbow to the face. He is a nasty blow and the medics are taking their time.
Doan takes aim for the far post but Fabianski gets down well to palm the shot away and the rebound is whacked over.
NO GOAL! An Isco corner is flicked across goal at the front post, Butland saves it and the ball rebounds out to Perez who bundles it in via his hand. The assistant calls an offside but then VAR has a good long look and eventually rules it out for handball. The right decision in the end …
Everything Betis do seems to go through Isco. After a troubled year or so, it is good to see him bak in form.
Brighton have sent Evan Ferguson on …
This is my first viewing of Ross McCausland for Rangers. He looks like a lively player on the wing. No fear and plenty of running in him.
Freiburg enjoy a little spell of possession in and around the West Ham box but they do not trouble Fabianski thanks to a couple of blocks.
Lammers is bundled over on the edge of the box by Isco. He seems to go down looking for a penalty but only gets a free-kick. Could he stay on his feet?
Little known fact: I have had a chat with Connor Goldson in Andalucia this year, so he must be thinking a lot about that while in Seville tonight. There was an owl show going on in the background.
A Real Betis free-kick is swung into the box. Roca should nudge it in from six yards but he barely makes contact and Butland blocks. The ball rebounds onto Davies’ hand but the referee and VAR do not think it is a penalty.
Bowen ignites a West Ham attack and slips the ball to Kudus, who cuts inside onto his left but his shot drifts just wide.
Alvarez off, Fornals on for West Ham.
A good save from Pau Lopez prevents Gilmour opening the scoring for Brighton after the Scot takes aim from 25 yards.
Updated
Paqueta is showing off some tricks and flicks but then gives the ball away. Rohl picks it up and drives for the box but his shot is well head by Fabianski.
West Ham have started in lively fashion. Emerson gets beyond the Freiburg defence and tries to lift the ball over the goalkeeper but the goalkeeper blocks the shot.
Second half
The whistles are blowing across Europe.
Always good to see a local lad do well, regardless of the club.
Conference League half-time scores
Conference League
Group A
Lille 1-0 Ki Klaksvik
Slovan Bratislava 1-1 Olimpija Ljubljana
Group B
Maccabi Tel-Aviv 2-0 Gent
Zorya Luhansk 3-0 Breidablik
Group C
Dinamo Zagreb 0-0 Ballkani
Viktoria Plzeň 0-0 Astana
Group D
Club Brugge 1-0 Bodo/Glimt
Lugano 0-1 Besiktas
Andy Hunter was there for Liverpool’s defeat in Belgium.
Europa League half-time scores
Group A
Olympiakos 3-0 Backa Topola
West Ham 2-0 Freiburg
Group B
Ajax 2-1 AEK Athens
Brighton 0-0 Marseille
Group C
Aris Limassol 0-3 Sparta Prague
Real Betis 2-2 Rangers
Group D
Raków Częstochowa 0-2 Atalanta
Sporting Lisbon 1-0 Sturm Graz
GOAL! West Ham 2-0 Freiburg (Alvarez, 42)
The Hammers are heading for top spot after the Mexican doubles the lead.
Updated
Brighton’s Joao Pedro moves the ball quickly between his feet to make space for a shot but he cannot put any power into it and Pau Lopez drops on the ball.
More chaos in the Betis box. A Cifunetes cross goes into the box and ricochets in the direction of Dessers, who goes down under pressure but the referee is not interested.
So close to a third for Rangers. McCausland drives 30 yards with the ball at his feet before slipping a pass through the defence for Sima. The forward’s shot goes just wide but the flag is up regardless.
GOAL! Real Betis 2-2 Rangers (Perez, 37)
Isco shows some tricky feet on the edge of the box to buy Perez time to earn space inside the box, from where he curls the ball beyond Butland.
Kári Tulinius emails: “In the Europa Conference, two teams are bowing out who not only made their debuts in a European group stage this season, but were the first teams from their nations to reach that far. KÍ from the Faroe Islands had a brilliant campaign, even beating Olimpija Ljubljana. Breiðablik from Iceland are still waiting for their first win, and given that they’re 3-0 down already to Zorya Luhansk, that might not happen this year.”
William Carvalho and Isco are playing for Real Betis. Could next summer be the time they finally get their moves to the Premier League? No.
Freiburg have their most dangerous attack of the match as a cross is whipped across the box but it Doan cannot reach it and Fabianski is allowed to collect.
If the scores stay the same in Group C, it would see Rangers top the group and Betis go out.
Emerson s on the deck and gets a free-kick despite Sildialli winning the ball for Freiburg.
Peter Oh emails: “Good to see Rangers getting their just Dessers in Seville.”
A beautiful tarta de queso of a strike.
NO GOAL! The ball goes over the top for Bowen to latch onto. He runs through one-on-one and slots beyond the goalkeeper but he is half a yard off and VAR chalks it off.
GOAL! Real Betis 1-2 Rangers (Dessers)
It is a thrilling encounter in Group C. Rangers are back in the lead after Dessers puts the ball through the goalkeeper’s legs.
Updated
Joao Pedro goes for the bicycle kick from eight yards out but he pings his effort straight at the defender and Marseille scramble the ball away.
West Ham are on top and Bowen is the latest to have a shot at goal but it is always rising over the bar.
Updated
Real Betis 1-1 Rangers: it’s been a lively start in Seville where Sima opened the scoring for the visitors but Miranda equalised soon after.
A chance down the other end for Brighton as Mitoma cuts in from the left but his shot is straight at Pau Lopez, who gobbles up the ball.
Marseille swing a corner into the six-yard box but Van Hecke is waiting to head it clear. The ball comes straight back at Brighton, with Clauss taking aim from 19 yards – the shot takes a deflection off Gross and bounces down off the underside of the bar and out.
GOAL! West Ham 1-0 Freiburg (Kudus, 14)
The former Ajax man does the business for the Hammers. They are one step closer to topping the group.
Updated
Buonanotte lurks in space down the right and receives the pass from Adingra before pinging in a cross to Joao Pedro but he cannot control his volley and the ball flies high and wide.
Doan tries to dart between two defenders but is tackled in the box. It looks lie the ball comes of Alvarez but the referee awards a goal-kick to West Ham rather than a corner.
Paqueta takes aim from just inside the box and whacks the ball off the bar. So close for West Ham.
Updated
“Has a club ever finished 3rd in their Champions League group and gone on to win the UEFA Europa League?” asks Kurt Perleberg.
I/Wikipedia think …
Galatasaray (2000)
Feyenoord (2002)
CSKA Moscow (2005)
Shakhtar Donetsk (2009)
Atlético Madrid (2010)
Chelsea (2013)
Sevilla (2016)
Sevilla (2023)
The Amex is covered in smoke to liven up the atmosphere. No pyro, no party when Marseille are in town. The Marseille kit is very jazzy, in case anyone wants to buy me one for Christmas.
If you like your choreographed support then Freiburg are providing the goods in east London. There is a man leading the chants and clapping.
Freiburg earn an early corner but is headed over the bar at the front post. West Ham need a draw here to top the group but I suspect they will be aiming to finish with a win.
Kick off
Peep! Peep! Peep! Here we go.
Thanks Niall. I am very much a proper football man as I sit here wedged between my Christmas tree and a doll house.
No goal! Rennes’ last-gasp leveller is disallowed – apparently because the free-kick taker got to the rebound first! It finishes Rennes 2-3 Villarreal. And on that bombshell, time to hand you over to proper football man, Will Unwin, for all the 8pm action …
Updated
In the Women’s Champions League, Paris FC have held on to stun Real Madrid 2-1, while Bayern and Ajax have drawn 1-1. You can follow Chelsea v Häcken here:
Late drama in Rennes! The hosts have equalised in the 12th minute of stoppage time! If it stays that way, the Ligue 1 side will top Group F.
Updated
Conference League results
Group E
Legia Warsaw 1-0 AZ Alkmaar
Zrinjski Mostar 1-1 Aston Villa
Group F
Ferencvaros 1-1 Fiorentina
Genk 2-0 Cukaricki
Group G
Aberdeen 2-0 Eintracht Frankfurt
PAOK 4-2 HJK Helsinki
Group H
Fenerbahce 4-0 Trnava
Ludogorets 1-0 Nordsjælland
Brighton v Marseille teams
Like West Ham and Rangers, Brighton have a showdown for top spot in their Europa League group at 8pm (GMT).
Brighton (4-3-3): Steele; Igor, Dunk (c), van Hecke, Hinshelwood; Groß, Gilmour, Adingra; Buonanotte, João Pedro, Mitoma.
Subs: Verbruggen, Milner, Dahoud, Lallana, Baleba, Ferguson, Veltman, McGill, Hinchy, Chouchane, Kavanagh, Duffus.
Marseille (4-3-3): Pau López; Meite, Mbemba (c), Balerdi, Renan Lodi; Clauss, Ounahi, Veretout; Harit, Aubameyang, Vitinha.
Subs: Ngapandouetnbu, Gigot, Kondogbia, Sarr, Mughe, Ndiaye, Nadir, Blanco, Soglo, Murillo.
Europa League results
Group E
Lask 1-2 Toulouse
Union SG 2-1 Liverpool
Group F
Panathinaikos 1-2 Maccabi Haifa
Rennes 2-3 Villarreal (L)
Group G
Roma 3-0 Sheriff Tiraspol
Slavia Prague 4-0 Servette
Group H
Bayer Leverkusen 5-1 Molde
Qarabag 2-1 Häcken
Updated
Full time! Zrinjski 1-1 Aston Villa
Villa settle for a draw, which is enough to top their Conference League group and sees them avoid an extra playoff game in the spring.
Full time: Union SG 2-1 Liverpool
Time’s up, and Jürgen Klopp’s young line-up head home with a defeat, although not a particularly damaging one.
Elliott’s cross evades Nuñez but Liverpool win a corner after Jones pressures the keeper. Kelleher is coming up for it – and almost connects before Jones’ snap shot is blocked. Union break, but can’t get a shot away before the keeper gets back.
Full time! Aberdeen 2-0 Eintracht Frankfurt
The Dons sign off from Europe in some style, earning their first Conference League group stage win thanks to goals from Duk and Ester Sokler. Next up for them – Sunday’s League Cup final against Rangers.
Updated
Five minutes of stoppage time for Liverpool to find a leveller that hasn’t really looked like coming …
Kelleher produces another strong save to deny substitute Dennis Eckert, with Bradley doing well to head away the rebound under pressure. Union SG still lead, but Toulouse lead again against Lask, so the Belgians are bound for the Conference League.
GOAL! Zrinjski 1-1 Aston Villa (Malekinusic 87')
This is a belter of a finish from Matija Malekinusic, who finds the top corner from 20 yards out to equalise!
A quick exchange of goals between Rennes and Villarreal – the hosts level through Ludovic Blas, but Alex Baena immediately restores Villarreal’s lead.
The Spanish side will top Group F with a win; in the Conference League, Fiorentina are on course to top Group F after levelling at Ferencvaros. Luca Ranieri (no relation) got the goal.
Douglas Luiz scores directly from a corner for Aston Villa – but it’s ruled out for a push on the keeper, who is perhaps a touch fortunate.
The same could be said for Filip Marschall at the other end – the young Villa keeper’s clearance deflects off Calum Chambers towards his own net – but Hrvanovic’s attempted volley flies over! He would have been better off leaving it alone.
Gravenberch slaloms past a pair of defenders and shoots – but Moris is able to parry away. Bradley then tries, but narrowly fails, to play McConnell in down the right.
A couple more Liverpool youngsters get some game time; James McConnell is on for Gordon, while Calum Scanlon replaces Chambers. It remains 2-1 to Union SG.
GOAL! Aberdeen 2-0 Frankfurt (Sokler 74')
They may already be out, but it’s a famous night for Aberdeen – they double their lead over Eintracht through Ester Sokler!
Betis v Rangers teams
Real Betis (4-3-3): Rui Silva; Bellerín, Pezzella, Roca, Miranda; William Carvalho, Isco, Guardado (c); Diao, Iglesias, Pérez.
Subs: Ezzalzouli, Luiz Henrique, Willian José, Sanchez, Abner Vinicius, Ruibal, Vieites, Fernández, García.
Rangers (4-2-3-1): Butland; Tavernier, Davies, Goldson, Barisic; Lundstram, Cifuentes; Lammers, Sima, McCausland; Dessers.
Subs: Souttar, Matondo, Sterling, Roofe, McCrorie, Kieran Wright, Devine, Lyall, McKinnon.
Updated
Darwin Nuñez is on for Liverpool, replacing Ben Doak, but Union SG continue to look the more likely to score –this time, Nilsson sends a free header wide.
West Ham v Freiburg teams
West Ham (4-3-3): Fabianski; Coufal, Mavropanos, Aguerd, Emerson; Soucek, Alvarez, Ward-Prowse; Kudus, Bowen, Paquetá.
Subs: Areola, Johnson, Cresswell, Zouma, Fornals, Cornet, Ings, Ogbonna, Benrahma, Kehrer, Coventry, Mubama.
Freiburg (4-4-2): Atubolu; Sildialli, Ginter, Gulde, Makengo; Doan, Eggestein, Hofler, Grifo; Sallai, Gregoritsch.
Subs: Weisshaupt, Holer, Kubler, Adamu, Muller, Rohl, Rudlin, Baur, Jantunen.
Updated
Aberdeen still lead Eintracht Frankfurt 1-0 in the Conference League, while Fenerbahce are now 4-0 up on Trnava.
In the Europa League, Lask have levelled at home to Toulouse, while Villarreal lead Rennes 2-1 through Ilias Akhomach and are on course to top Group F.
No goal! Puertas thinks he has a second for Union SG, collecting Amani’s pass and firing into the bottom corner – but after a long wait, the referee is called to the monitor, and disallows the goal for a fairly obvious Amani handball in the build-up.
GOAL! Zrinjski 0-1 Aston Villa (Zaniolo 63')
Unai Emery throws John McGinn on and he makes an immediate impact, crossing for Nicolò Zaniolo to volley home from close range.
Liverpool have looked a little more solid in the second half, but Union keep pushing forward and Gomez does well to nick the ball away from Amani in the area.
Chelsea are playing Häcken at Stamford Bridge in the Women’s Champions League, kicking off at 8pm. Join Sarah Rendell for that one.
How are Villa getting on? Well, every time I glance at their game, they are deep in the opposing half – but are having to be patient. Alex Moreno gets space to whip in a cross towards Duran, but the Zrinjski keeper claims it.
Bad news for Union SG from elsewhere: Toulouse lead Lask 1-0 through Thijs Dallinga. The Belgians need a Toulouse defeat to stay in the Europa League – as it stands, they’ll drop to the Conference playoffs.
In the Conference League, Ferencvaros have now taken the lead over Fiorentina in Hungary, Kristoffer Zachariassen the man on target. Fenerbahce have doubled their lead through Dusan Tadic’s penalty.
As some of you have pointed out, replays of the first Union SG goal suggest that Amoura was offside when the ball was played through. It looked that way in real time, and while it was VAR checked, we never saw the fabled red and blue lines to clear up any confusion.
Peep!
We’re back under way. Jürgen Klopp has brought on Joe Gomez and Ryan Gravenberch for Konaté and Endo, both of whom struggled in the first half.
There are a couple of close groups to be settled in the Conference League. Ferencvaros will win Group F if they beat Fiorentina, but could slip to third behind Genk if the Viola win and take top spot.
In Group H, Fenerbahce know a win over Trnava will see them through ahead of Ludogorets and Nordsjælland; the Turkish giants lead 1-0 through Ferdi Kadioglu. Got all that? Good.
Updated
In the Women’s Champions League, Bayern Munich and Ajax are level at 1-1 while Paris FC are adding to Real Madrid’s woes – they lead 2-0 at the break.
“Duk’s full name is actually Luís Henriques de Barros Lopes,” writes Graham Watts. “He’s a Cape Verde international who signed for Aberdeen from Benfica B. He’s not been at his best this season but he was absolutely brilliant last season and we love him.”
Conference League half-times
Group E
Legia Warsaw 1-0 AZ Alkmaar
Zrinjski Mostar 0-0 Aston Villa
Group F
Ferencvaros 0-0 Fiorentina
Genk 1-0 Cukaricki
Group G
Aberdeen 1-0 Eintracht Frankfurt
PAOK 1-1 HJK Helsinki
Group H
Fenerbahce 1-0 Trnava
Ludogorets 0-0 Nordsjælland
Europa League half-times
Group E
Lask 0-0 Toulouse
Union SG 2-1 Liverpool
Group F
Panathinaikos 0-1 Maccabi Haifa
Rennes 1-1 Villarreal
Group G
Roma 2-0 Sheriff Tiraspol
Slavia Prague 4-0 Servette
Group H
Bayer Leverkusen 3-0 Molde
Qarabag 2-0 Häcken
Half time: Zrinjski 0-0 Aston Villa
Villa have dominated possession but are yet to break the deadlock in Bosnia. It’s still enough to top the group, even with Legia now 1-0 up against AZ Alkmaar.
Half time: Union SG 2-1 Liverpool
At the break, Liverpool’s youthful side are behind, the hosts scoring two goals on the counter either side of Quansah’s leveller.
GOAL! Union SG 2-1 Liverpool (Puertas 43')
Liverpool’s parity doesn’t last long, as Cameron Puertas catches Kelleher out with a low shot that sneaks in at the near post!
Updated
GOAL! Aberdeen 1-0 Frankfurt (Duk 41')
An eye-catching scoreline at Pittodrie, where Duk (yes, that appears to be his entire name) slides in to turn a cross home and put Aberdeen ahead!
Up against some admittedly slack marking, Konaté fails to control the ball but it falls to centre-back Quansah, who belts it into the corner. That’s his first goal for Liverpool, and very nice it was too.
GOAL! Union SG 1-1 Liverpool (Quansah 39')
From Liverpool’s first corner, Jarrell Quansah finishes clinically to level it up!
Updated
Mohamed Amoura, the hosts’ most dangerous player so far, breaks the deadlock with a bit of luck. Jones gives the ball away and Amoura just beats the offside trap to race on to a through ball. He tries to go round Kelleher, who gets a hand to the ball but sees it richochet kindly for Amoura to tap into an empty net. There’s a VAR check for offside, but the goal stands.
Updated
GOAL! Union SG 1-0 Liverpool (Amoura 32')
The ball’s in the net, in the game at Anderlecht. It’s Amoura!
Updated
Liverpool are struggling to get upfield, building from the back but getting outmuscled and then pushed back on the break. Worth remembering, of course, that they have a very inexperienced team out there tonight.
Meanwhile Slavia Prague are 3-0 up on Servette and Leverkusen, like a bottle of Cillit Bang, are making light work of Molde. They lead by the same scoreline.
Maccabi Haifa are a goal up against Panathinaikos in a showdown for third place in Group F. The top two, Rennes and Villarreal, are playing for first place in France – it’s 0-0 at Roazhon Park.
“What are the odds of Liverpool trying to attack Kevin Mac Allister at left back? Ive heard he often gets left on his own at this time of year,” quips Paddy Kennedy.
I wouldn’t be sure, he’s a tenacious competitor even up against two opponents. And yes, the Home Alone namesake is Alexis’ older brother.
Amoura gets beyond Bradley down the Liverpool right, but slips as he tries to bend the ball inside Kelleher’s far post and his shot flies wide. Moments later, the keeper rushes out to save well from Nilsson with his legs.
Over in Mostar, Matty Cash sees his deflected shot saved as Villa enjoy some early possession. Their rivals for top spot, Legia Warsaw, are goalless at home to AZ Alkmaar.
A few goals elsewhere: Roma lead Sheriff 1-0 through Romelu Lukaku, but Slavia Prague are also a goal up against Servette. They will top Group G ahead of Roma if they match the Italian side’s result.
In Group H, group winners Leverkusen lead Molde through Patrik Schick while Qarabag scored in the first minute against Häcken and are on course for second.
Updated
Should Union SG stay in third place in their group, they will drop into the Europa Conference League playoffs with the runners-up from that tournament’s group stage. It’s a big admin night.
The hosts are causing a few problems for Liverpool’s youthful back four, although they are yet to get a shot on target, with Sadiki dragging his effort wide of goal.
Amoura leads the first Union SG attack, but is crowded out and Kelleher can collect the cross. The hosts need to win tonight, and also need Toulouse to lose against LASK in Austria.
Already signs that Uefa’s official Liverpool formation was very wrong – Ben Doak is playing on the left of a front three, with Cody Gakpo the central striker and Kaide Gordon on the right.
Peep!
We are off in Aberdeen, Mostar and Brussels – Union SG are in fact hosting this game at Anderlecht’s stadium, rather than their own suburban home ground.
Updated
Curtis Jones is the Liverpool captain tonight. Jürgen Klopp has singled out the academy graduate as a “real role model for the kids … he’s the oldest of the youngest, the longest-serving at the club.”
“One of the benefits of following Europa and Conference League football is that it keeps your brain challenged, especially the part that’s responsible for geography trivia,” writes Peter Oh.
“I had to look up where Union Saint-Gilloise are located and learned they hail from the outskirts of the Belgian capital. So Liverpool’s young guns will be flexing their muscles, er, near Brussels.”
It’s a good point – obscure football knowledge is the only reason I ever get a University Challenge question right.
There are also two 5.45pm kick-offs in the Women’s Champions League tonight, and they could be pivotal games in the group stage. Bayern Munich host Ajax in Group C, with both teams having already beaten PSG, who face group leaders Roma later.
In Group D, Paris FC welcome Real Madrid with both teams needing a win to keep pace with Häcken and Chelsea. The Swedish side visit Stamford Bridge later – Sarah Rendell will be here for live minute-by-minute coverage.
A definite “glamour friendly” feel to events at Pittodrie, with Mario Götze in the visiting XI. The hosts are out of the Conference League and Frankfurt are going through, so not much at stake. Incidentally, I’m taking the formations from Uefa’s site and some look a little funky – so if I’ve got it wrong, take it up with Ceferin.
Aberdeen v Eintracht Frankfurt teams
Aberdeen (5-3-2): Roos; Milne, Rubezic, MacDonald (c), Gartenmann, McGarry; Polvara, Barron, Duncan; Morris, Lopes.
Subs: Devlin, Shinnie,Jensen, McGrath, Clarkson, Gueye, Hayes, Williams, Sokler, Dadia, Doohan, Marshall.
Eintracht Frankfurt (3-4-2-1): Trapp; Smolcic, Koch, Nkounkou; Baum, Gotze, Larsson, Hauge; Hasebe (c), Dina Ebimbe; Ngankam.
Subs: Pacho, Buta, Aaronson, Grahl, Tuta, Knauff, Gauer, Nacho.
So, Villa go with a shuffled but still pretty strong line-up as they seek a point to secure top spot in their group. Filip Marschall, who won the 2021 FA Youth Cup with Villa, makes his debut in goal.
For Liverpool, a whole host of youngsters get a runout including forward Ben Doak, midfielder Kaide Gordon and defender Conor Bradley, who becomes the first Northern Ireland player to start a European game for the Reds.
Union SG v Liverpool teams
Union Saint Gilloise (3-4-3): Moris (c), Mac Allister, Burgess, Machida; Castro-Montes, Amani, Sadiki, Lapoussin; Puertas, Nilsson, Amoura.
Subs: Rasmussen, Eckert, Teklab, Rodríguez, Imbrechts, Terho, Sykes, Wenssens, Huygevelde, Leysen.
Liverpool (4-2-3-1): Kelleher; Quansah, Konaté, Bradley, Chambers; Endo, Jones (c); Gakpo, Gordon, Elliott; Doak.
Subs: Gomez, Diaz, Szoboszlai, Nunez, Tsimikas, Gravenberch, Marcelo, Scanlon, McConnell, Mrozek, Koumas, Hill.
Updated
Zrinjski v Aston Villa teams
Zrinjski Mostar (4-3-3): Marko Maric; Corluka, Jakoljevic, Radic, Memija; Canadjija, Ivancic, Zlomislic; Malekinusic, Bilbija (c), Cuze.
Substitutes: Sefo, Marin, Sabljic, Kis, Hrvanovic, Misic, Prskalo, Senic.
Aston Villa (4-1-3-2): Marschall; Cash, Konsa, Torres, Álex Moreno; Douglas Luiz (c); Zaniolo, Dendoncker, Diaby; Ramsey, Durán.
Subs: Martínez, Diego Carlos, McGinn, Watkins, Digne, Chambers, Kamara, O’Reilly.
Updated
Preamble
The Europa League group stages come to a close tonight, and with it the final jostling for places in the last 16 and playoff rounds in next week’s draws.
Under the current format – which is set to change again next season – there is a big incentive to top the group. Those teams go straight into the last 16, avoiding a two-legged playoff with a jettisoned Champions League side.
Three British teams face their direct rival for top spot in their group in the 8pm kick-offs. West Ham host Freiburg, Brighton welcome Marseille while Rangers face a tricky trip to Real Betis.
In the early kick-offs, Liverpool face crack Belgian outfit Royal Union SG having already secured top spot in Group E. Over in the Europa Conference League, Aston Villa need a point at Zrinjski Mostar to guarantee winning their group, while Aberdeen end their campaign with a glitzy home tie against Eintracht Frankfurt.
All that, and plenty more to play for in both competitions – we’ll have more on the permutations, plus team news and build-up before the early games at 5.45pm GMT.
