The draw for this season’s Europa League has been made, and Arsenal will face Sporting Lisbon, Azerbaijan champions Qarabag and Ukrainians Vorskla Poltava in the group stages.
The Gunners were semi-finalists last season, eventually going out to winners Atletico Madrid, and new boss Unai Emery – having won the competition three times with Sevilla – will be hoping to do better this season.
With the winners gaining access to the following season’s Champions League, it could well be a solid route back to Europe’s top table with competition for a top four spot in the Premier League still very strong, and with the Spaniard still trying to mould the team in his image.
The games kick off on September 20th, with kick off times of 5.55pm or 8pm (UK).
Previous Fixtures
Arsenal v Sporting Lisbon
We last played the Portuguese side on our way to our 1970 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup success; the club’s first of two European trophies. We drew 0-0 away before winning the 2nd round tie 3-0 at Highbury.
Arsenal v Qarabag
We’ve never faced Qarabag. They did get spanked by Chelsea in the Champions League group stage last season, but also achieved notable draws home and away with Atletico Madrid.
Arsenal v Vorskla Poltava
Yeah, you guessed it…we’ve never played them.
The fixtures will be out in the next couple of hours, we’ll have an update on that later.
I miss Bayern and Barcelona. Maybe it’s just that I’ve forgotten the pain.
It’s not the 1/8ths yet, there’s time.
Me too. The Europa League really is a bag of shit this year. Still, bring it on…
A Qarabag of shit, to be precise..
Wasn’t Qarabag one of the islands that Gulliver traveled to?
This is quite a tricky group. Sporting are no push overs, Qarabag are a good organized team who rarely looses at home then I know nothing about Vorksla or Volkswagen
Vorksla are a bit like Skoda…
Come on, if our bench warmers do not beat those then we have become a very small club.
Exactly. Please stop with ‘tricky group’ comments. Arsene rotated his entire first 11 throughout the group stage & we qualified easily. There is no reason the sane shouldn’t happen again.
Sporting were potentially the only challenge in this group but with this small problem of their Senior squad have their contracts terminated , the most we’ll see is a couple of backups surrounded by their youth team.
That’s a hell of a lot of travel.
But don’t forget the glamor of Baku and Poltava!
I meant glamour of course. English spelling is tough for us Poltavans.
Baku looks quite nice, based on what you see of it in the coverage of the Azerbaijan Gran Pris.
Or even Grand Prix.
Baku is meant to be a really nice city though isn’t it?
Not sure what standard you’re holding it up to, but I guess it qualifies as ‘up and coming..’, as long as, y’know, you’re not gay and don’t care about press freedom etc.
Gone are the days of bergkamp in a car to get to the game
1970 – not 1969
It’s 1969 until it’s 1970, that’s how it works.
Don’t mind me, I just ate a Crunchie.
You know you’re in the Europa League when you have to google the name of a team you’ve just drawn.
You knew about Ludogeretz Razgrat beforehand? Overwhelming knowledge there.
Ozil’s goal against Ludogarets is something to watch over and over. He put two defenders plus the keeper on the floor, the keeper twice.
And I think they lost 3-1 in the away leg. ‘A Ray of Light’ Ray Kennedy got the away goal
Sorry – that was the final v Anderlecht! I’ll go away now!
The big opponent here is the travelling distance, Id be very surprised to see many players appearing in the league and Europa games, at least away
Agreed.
I’d be interested to find out if anyone knows how Emery treated the Europa League group stages whilst at Sevilla?
We loaned Chambers and Nelson. It means PL starting XI must play Europa League which means we will not be shooting for top four.
No, it doesn’t. Name your PL starting 11 & I guarantee we could quote you another 11.
Oh those 6pm kickoffs where I have to pretend I’m ill in order to go home early from work. How I’ve missed those.
Honestly, I’m chuffed. That’s lunch hour in NYC.
We should be killing those teams but knowing us we will either draw or lose games away because of so called hostile environment and shit . Hopefully we r past the way Wenger approached them.
Those who wanted us to drop down to the Europa because we weren’t competing in the CL have got exactly what you wanted., I hope it’s everything you dreamed of and more.
Don’t know what you’re on about.
This is much better than a 10-2 thrashing against one of Europe’s top dogs.
Okay then. Mainly I wanted to avoid the Scottish teams (they’re always really up for playing an English club and can seriously raise their game as a result) and we’ve got that at least.
And then there’s the shinning thing, and Brendan. Or is that redundant?
Boring boring boring. The season is boring. Not one thing to look forward to. Not one player to take to. The spark is gone…. In the past, at least we had players like cesc, nasri, van persie, Sanchez, arshavin, and even vermaelen whom you would enjoy watching whatever the result.. hope auba and laca provide me a reason to watch this season..
Don’t watch then. Easy solution.
I don’t miss Sanchez.
I have to agree not many of the current squad have that allure of the greats..
Nor are any of them as alluded by happy meals.
Allured. Fucking ALLURED. Fuck off, spellcheck.
There may be some glaring typos in my future comments as I’ve about had it with spellcheck. At least they’ll make sense.
Bellerin, Nacho, Mhki, Xhaka, LAca, Auba are exciting players. I can’t wait to see how Torreira, Guendou and Sokratis are going to turn out ( sorry I get excited by unknown quantity). Most of all I am super mega looking forward at the blend our brand new flashy manger will get out of this group of players.
“hope auba and laca provide me a reason to watch this season..”
How will you know if you’re not watching in the first place?
puzzledfaceemoji
Lisbon is a dangerous team. Bas Dost is a lethal finisher and Fernandes is the next Ronaldo. Got to play a strong team away and at home.
Which Ronaldo–Brazilian or Cristiano? Just asking, so I know what to watch for.
You need av visa to enter Azerbadjan. However, it should be provided within three days:
https://www.evisa.gov.az/en/countries
Every woman, every man – join the Qarabag of love
Stand up
Stand up
I’ve waited too long to post this somewhere. Right, think I’ll take the rest of the day off.
Come on.
I mean, we should be able to get by.
Seen some of the CL draw and some groups are weak.
That said even if England had a 5th spot in CL, we won’t be there this season.