Europa League 2016/17 group stage factfile
Lee Gormley | August 26, 2016
Europa League 2016/17 group stage factfile
Now the draw is known, Coral football experts provide punters with a Europa League 2016/17 group stage factfile, and there’s some interesting games featuring Premier League teams Manchester United and Southampton, as well as Irish outfit Dundalk.
Man Utd face Fenerbahce and Van Persie
Jose Mourinho’s Manchester United began the draw as 6/1 favourites with Coral for overall success and were the first team selected in Group A, with the Red Devils set to collide with Turkish giants Fenerbahce. This encounter will see Man Utd contest a familiar face in former Old Trafford hero Robin van Persie.
The Dutchman was the key component in the Red Devils’ 20th Premier League title triumph before Sir Alex Ferguson retired, but his current side Fenerbahce are 4/1 to win their group.
Another one of Van Persie’s clubs were drawn in this testing group too, with Eredivisie outfit Feyenoord set to be another one of Man Utd’s opponents, who they have beaten in their only two other meetings, and they are 5/1 to secure progression to the knockout stage via top spot.
Ukrainian side Zorya make up the four sides contesting in Group A, making their first ever appearance in Europe, with Mourinho’s men facing a daunting trip to Ukraine, as well as challenging away days in Istanbul and Rotterdam.
Former Premier League hitman Van Persie has scored over 100 goals for all of Man Utd, Feyenoord and Fenerbahce, and the deadly Dutchman will seek plenty of success in Group A in plenty of familiar surroundings.
Southampton to contest Inter, Prague, Beer-Sheva
Southampton’s return to European competition sees them matched up against all of Sparta Prague, Inter Milan and Hapoel Beer-Sheva in Group K, with the Saints having never clashed with any of their eventual opponents before.
The south coast club are 13/8 to finish top of their standings, while Serie A side Inter, now under the guidance of Dutchman Frank de Boer, are 11/10 front runners to achieve that feat.
Inter were 14/1 to win outright before the draw was made but, after being selected alongside Southampton, they have drifted to 18/1. The Saints were the opposite, as they shortened from 25/1 to 22/1.
Hapoel Beer-Sheva were dispatched by Scottish champions Celtic in the Champions League play-offs, but did earn a 2-0 home victory over Brendan Rodgers’ Bhoys, and will be hopeful of progressing to the knockout stage.
Ireland’s Dundalk draw Zenit, AZ Alkmaar, Tel Aviv
Dundalk became the first-ever Irish representatives to reach the Champions League play-offs earlier this year, but their gallant run was ended in an unsuccessful tie against BATE Borisov.
The county Louth side face a tough Europa League campaign though, being drawn against Russian giants Zenit St Petersburg, Eredivisie’s AZ Alkmaar and Israeli outfit Maccabi Tel Aviv, and they are 16/1 to earn what would be a historic Group D victory.
Elsewhere, in Group E, Italian titans Roma were selected alongside Czech Republic champions Plzen, Austria Wien and Astra Giurgiu, with the latter Romanian club having sent West Ham United packing in the play-offs.
Group B also sees a battle between Greek and Cyprus domestic champions Olympiakos and APOEL respectively, with Young Boys and Kazakh contenders Astana also making up the standings.
In Group C, Belgian force Anderlecht have a favourable draw and will be confident of getting past Ligue 1 side St-Etienne, German club Mainz and Qabala. Group F features Basque outfit Athletic Bilbao, Genk, Rapid Wien and Sassuolo.
Dutch giants Ajax join Standard Liege, Celta Vigo and Panathinaikos in Group G, while Shakhtar Donetsk, FC Braga, Gent and Konyaspor make up Group H. Schalke, Salzburg, Krasnodar and Nice sit in Group I and Fiorentina, PAOK, Liberec and Qarabag feature among Group J. Finally, Group L possesses Villarreal, Steaua Bucharest, Zurich and Osmanlispor.
Europa League 2016/17 group stage draw in full
All group games to be played on the following six matchdays:
September 15th
September 29th
October 20th
November 3rd
November 24th
December 8th
Group A
Man Utd
Fenerbahce
Feyenoord
Zorya
Group B
Olympiakos
APOEL
Young Boys
Astana
Group C
Anderlecht
St-Etienne
Mainz
Qabala
Group D
Zenit
AZ
M. Tel-Aviv
Dundalk
Group E
Plzen
Roma
Austria Wien
Astra
Group F
Athletic
Genk
Rapid Wien
Sassuolo
Group G
Ajax
Standard Liege
Celta Vigo
Panathinaikos
Group H
Shakhtar Donetsk
Braga
Gent
Konyaspor
Group I
Schalke
Salzburg
Krasnodar
Nice
Group J
Fiorentina
PAOK
Liberec
Qarabag
Group K
Inter Milan
Sparta Prague
Southampton
H. Beer-Sheva
Group L
Villarreal
Steaua
Zurich
Osmanlıspor
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