Welcome to the group stage draw for the Europa League, which got underway at midday UK time.

Here's the groups:

A: Villarreal, Maccabi Tel-Aviv, Astana, Slavia Prague

B: Dynamo Kyiv, Young Boys, Partizan, Skenderbeu

C: Braga, Ludogorets, Hoffenheim, Istanbul BB

D: AC Milan, Austria Vienna, Rijeka, AEK Athens

E: Lyon, Everton, Atalanta, Apollon Limassol

F: Copenhagen, Lokomotiv Moscow, Sheriff, Zlin

G: Viktoria Plzen, Bordeaux, Hapoel Be’er Sheva, Lugano

H: Arsenal, BATE, Koln, Red Star Belgrade

I: Salzburg, Marseille, Vitoria, Konyaspor

J: Athletic Bilbao, Hertha Berlin, Zorya Luhansk, Ostersund

K: Lazio, Nice, Zulte-Waregem, Vitesse

L: Zenit, Real Sociedad, Rosenborg, Vardar

Here's how it all went down...

That's all folks

Right boys and girls.

That’s all from us in Monaco.

But we’ll have plenty more on the site for you to scope out.

So stick around and there’s plenty for you to sink your teeth into.

Cheers all, enjoy the weekend.

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Image:
Arsenal FC via Getty)

Europa League draw in full

Arsenal will face BATE Borisov, Koln and Red Star Belgrade in the Europa League this season, while Everton have been drawn to take on Lyon, Atalanta and Apollon.

The Gunners were placed in Group H along with the Belarussian, German and Serbian outfits.

The north London side are taking their place in the tournament for the first since they lost to Galatasaray in the final 18 seasons ago.

Arsene Wenger will be aiming to emulate Jose Mourinho’s Manchester United and lift the trophy at the Parc Olympique Lyonnais in May.

Full story here


Europa League's only British manager

There will be only one British manager in the Europa League this season.

That’s Graham Potter, coach of Swedish side Osterlunds.

They saw off PAOK Salonika on away goals to qualify.

Their reward...trips to Athletic Bilbao and Hertha Berlin.

Oh, and Zorya Luhansk.

Lukas Podolski is pleased

Ex-Germany striker Lukas Podolski is happy to see two of his old sides doing battle.

“Cool! The best lot for me”

Paul Pogba named Europa's best player!

Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba is the winner of the Europa League’s inaugural best player award.

“To be the first one to win the best player, hopefully this season will be as good as last season.

“Thank you so much.”

Cheers Paul.

Group L

Zenit

Real Sociedad

Rosenborg

Vardar

Group K

Lazio

Nice

Zulte-Waregem

Vitesse

Group J

Athletic Bilbao

Hertha Berlin

Zorya Luhansk

Ostersund

Group I

Salzburg

Marseille

Vitoria

Konyaspor

Arsenal will be pleased

Group H

Arsenal

BATE

Koln

Red Star Belgrade

Group G

Viktoria Plzen

Bordeaux

Hapoel Be’er Sheva

Lugano

Group F

Copenhagen

Lokomotiv Moscow

Sheriff

Zlin

Everton in tough group

Group E

Lyon

Everton

Atalanta

Apollon Limassol

Group D

AC Milan

Austria Vienna

Rijeka

AEK Athens

Group C

Braga

Ludogorets

Hoffenheim

Istanbul BB

Group B

Dynamo Kyiv

Young Boys

Partizan

Skenderbeu

Group A:

Villarreal

Maccabi Tel-Aviv

Astana

Slavia Prague

All taking shape now

A: Villarreal, Maccabi Tel-Aviv, Astana

B: Dynamo Kyiv, Young Boys, Partizan

C: Braga, Ludogorets, Hoffenheim

D: AC Milan, Austria Vienna, Rijeka

E: Lyon, Everton, Atalanta

F: Copenhagen, Lokomotiv Moscow, Sheriff

G: Viktoria Plzen, Bordeaux, Hapoel Be’er Sheva

H: Arsenal, BATE, Koln

I: Salzburg, Marseille, Vitoria

J: Athletic Bilbao, Hertha Berlin, Zorya Luhansk

K: Lazio, Nice, Zulte-Waregem

L Zenit, Real Sociedad, Rosenborg

Into the third tier

Astana first out. They’ll be heading to Group A with Villarreal.

Everton get Atalanta.

Group E is looking very tough.

Arsenal will head to Germany with Koln.

All the second teams out - Arsenal face BATE, Lyon vs Everton

OK, so all the second groups have been done.

Here’s how they look:

A: Villarreal, Maccabi Tel-Aviv

B: Dynamo Kyiv, Young Boys

C: Braga, Ludogorets

D: AC Milan, Austria Vienna

E: Lyon, Everton

F: Copenhagen, Lokomotiv Moscow

G: Viktoria Plzen, Bordeaux

H: Arsenal, BATE

I: Salzburg, Marseille

J: Athletic Bilbao, Hertha Berlin

K: Lazio, Nice

L Zenit, Real Sociedad

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Image:
AFP)

Arsenal into Group H

So it’s Group H for the Gunners.

Elsewhere, Lazio are in Group K, Athletic Bilbao in J, Salzburg are in I and the final side from the first pot, into Group L, are Zenit.

Pot One done.

Great start.

It’s Braga into Group C - finalists in 2011 of course (losing to Porto on that occasion).

AC Milan are into Group D - they’ve never won this trophy.

And Lyon are in Group E.

First two teams out

Rules and regulations done.

We’re underway...

And it’s Villarreal out first.

Dynamo Kyiv second.

Spain to Ukraine.

Here we go...

Giorgio’s here!

We’re about to kick off folks (well, not literally but you know).

48 teams.

Only one can win....well, unless it’s a Champions League drop out at Christmas of course.

Y’know, like Sevilla. Cos they bloody love doing that.

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Image:
AFP/Getty)

Over to Eric Abidal

Now some kind words from Eric Abidal.

Ex-Lyon, in this tournament of course.

And it is Lyon which will host the final next summer.

The ceremony is underway...

OK, the award ceremony is getting underway in Monaco.

And it’s doing so in style with Henrik Larsson.

What. A. Man.

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Image:
Getty)

Looking at Pot 4

Pot 4: Apollon Limassol, Istanbul Basaksehir, Konyaspor, Vitesse Arnhem, Slavia Prague, Red Star Belgrade, Skenderbeu, FC Zlin, AEK Athens, FC Lugano, Vardar Skopje, Ostersunds

In the final pot, you’ll find old friends Emmanuel Adebayor and Gael Clichy at Istanbul BB.

Lots of Chelsea kids at Vitesse Arnhem.

Plenty of hostile away trips, but sides you’d expect to dominate at home and get at least a point away.

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Image:
Action Images via Reuters)

Looking at Pot 3

Pot 3: Astana, Partizan Belgrade, Hoffenheim, Cologne, NK Rijeka, Vitoria Guimaraes, Atalanta, Zulte Waregem, Zorya Luhansk, Rosenborg, Sheriff Tiraspol, Hapoel Beer-Sheva

Right then, teams both English clubs can get.

Hoffenheim were smashed by Liverpool but would be tricky, likewise Cologne.

Rosenborg need respect after seeing off Ajax.

Atalanta are probably the best side there.

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Image:
Jan Kruger)

Looking at Pot 2

Pot 2: Steaua Bucharest, Ludogorets Razgrad, BATE Borisov, Young Boys, Marseille, Real Sociedad, Maccabi Tel-Aviv, Lokomotiv Moscow, Austria Vienna, Hertha Berlin, Nice

So, sides Arsenal can face but Everton cannot.

Marseille should be strong at home, Berlin won’t be an easy place to go, and they’d probably prefer not to have a long distance flight.

Austria Vienna would be nice perhaps.

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Image:
David Rogers)

Looking at Pot 1

Pot 1: Zenit St. Petersburg, Lyon, Dynamo Kiev, Villarreal, Athletic Bilbao, Lazio, AC Milan, Viktoria Plzen, FC Salzburg, FC Copenhagen, Braga

So Arsenal can’t face none of the above.

Everton of course can.

The Toffees will probably want to avoid the Spanish clubs and AC Milan. Lyon too. The rest, they’d be happy with.

(
Image:
Action Images via Reuters)