UEFA Europa League matchday one hot spots | UEFA Europa League

Having won all major continental titles, Manchester United, Lazio and PSV Eindhoven can launch their UEFA Europa League group stage with confidence, but each face a perilous encounter on matchday one.

In this article brought to you by Enterprise, we bring you the hot spots from the first matches of the campaign.

Thursday, September 8
Group A : Zurich – Arsenal, PSV Eindhoven – Bodø/Glimt
Group B : AEK Larnaca – Rennes, Fenerbahce – Dynamo Kyiv
Group C : Ludogorets – Roma, HJK Helsinki – Real Betis
Group D : Malmö – Braga, Union Berlin – Saint-Gilloise
Group E : Man. United – Real Sociedad, Omonoia – Sheriff
Group F : Lazio – Feyenoord, Sturm Graz – Midtjylland
Group G : Freiburg – Qarabag, Nantes – Olympiacos
Group H : Red Star – Monaco, Ferencváros – Trabzonspor

hot spots

Real Sociedad on mission at Old Trafford
“Europe is always something special,” said Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag in reaction to the Europa League group stage draw. After a rocky start at Old Trafford, the Dutchman now has reason to be optimistic as his side prepare to face Real Sociedad, whom he regards as “a great club” and “a complicated opponent”.

The San Sebastian club already had Man’s former midfielder in their ranks. City David Silva when they lost 4-0 on aggregate to United in the 2020/21 Europa League Round of 16. La Real have never scored in four games against the Red Devils but nonetheless seem to be their toughest rivals, with Omonoia and the Sheriff completing Group E.

Lazio receive Feyenoord in Group F
Lazio and Feyenoord met in the second group stage of the 1999/2000 UEFA Champions League, with the Rotterdam club winning 2-1 in Rome and drawing 0-0 at home. However, the Dutch may feel they have to put the dots back on the i’s after losing 1-0 to local rivals Roma Lazion in last season’s Europa Conference League final in Tirana.

For Feyenoord coach Arne Slot, Lazio boss Maurizio Sarri is a footballing machine. “I followed him a lot as a young coach because his Napoli team played so well,” he said. Sarri faced Feyenoord with Napoli in the 2017/18 Champions League group stage; his team won 3-1 at home but lost in the second leg, 2-1 in Rotterdam.

Bodø/Glimt against a determined PSV
PSV manager Ruud van Nistelrooy had set his sights on a return to the Champions League, the competition in which he shone as a goalscorer for Manchester United and Real Madrid, but after his side were eliminated by Rangers in play-offs, the 46-year-old tactician kicks off his first UEFA group stage campaign on the bench with a renewed challenge.

Norwegian champions Bodø/Glimt beat Roma 6-1 in the Europa Conference League group stage last season, then knocked out Celtic and AZ Alkmaar before a less successful reunion with José Mourinho’s side in the quarter-finals. The Norwegians remain on the verge of elimination against Dinamo Zagreb in this season’s Champions League play-offs, but coach Kjetil Knutsen remains optimistic. “It’s incredibly stimulating to play such matches with such a small club,” he said. “We can learn new things all the time. »