The Europa League has begun to get underway as the qualifying rounds already being played, and this year's edition features Premier League giants Chelsea and Arsenal after the two London clubs failed to finish in the Premier League top four.
Defending champions Atletico Madrid already qualified for the Champions League following their second-placed finish in La Liga. They will only be able to defend their title should they drop into the Europa League after finishing third in the Champions League.
Steven Gerrard's Rangers team are currently contesting for a group stage spot in the Europa League.
Goal brings you all the details of this year's Europa League campaign including key fixtures, dates, draw details and more.
Favourites to win Europa League 2018-19
FA Cup winners Chelsea are heavy favourites to win a second Europa League this season (priced at 7/1 according to bet365) after a surprise fifth-placed finish in the Premier League, which meant that they failed to qualify for the more esteemed Champions League.
Maurizio Sarri's first full season in charge of the Blues will be a pressure-riddled one as he will be expected to return the west London side to the top-tier of European football, preferably through finishing in the Premier League top four or by winning the Europa League.
A new-look Arsenal featuring new manager Unai Emery are also favourites to win the competition, priced at 9/1 to win. The Gunners were expected to win the competition last year but fell short to eventual champions Atletico Madrid, and Emery – like Sarri – is expected to attain Champions League season for the following campaign.
Europa League 2018-19 underdogs
Sevilla are priced at 16/1 to win the competition after winning the competition a record five times, last winning it in 2016 at the expense of Liverpool in the final.
Sevilla finished disappointingly in 7th place in La Liga though are a strong force in Europe – eliminating Manchester United in the last 16 round of the Champions League last season as well as holding Liverpool to that memorable group stage 3-3 draw after being three goals down at half-time.
AC Milan have odds of 20/1 to better their last 16 finish last season, where they were eliminated from the competition by Arsenal.
The likes of Bayer Leverkusen, Fiorentina, Lazio, Marseille and RB Leipzig are all also priced at 20/1 to win the tournament.
Sevilla are priced at 16/1 to win the competition after winning the competition a record five times, last winning it in 2016 at the expense of Liverpool in the final.
Sevilla finished disappointingly in 7th place in La Liga though are a strong force in Europe – eliminating Manchester United in the last 16 round of the Champions League last season as well as holding Liverpool to that memorable group stage 3-3 draw after being three goals down at half-time.
AC Milan have odds of 20/1 to better their last 16 finish last season, where they were eliminated from the competition by Arsenal.
The likes of Bayer Leverkusen, Fiorentina, Lazio, Marseille and RB Leipzig are all also priced at 20/1 to win the tournament.
Europa League 2018-19 outsiders
Villarreal are priced at 25/1 to win the Europa League after failing to progress past the last 32 stage in last year's edition, losing to Ligue 1 side Lyon over two legs.
Spanish side Real Betis have odds of 33/1 to emerge as tournament winners after finishing sixth in La Liga – one position better than their neighbours Sevilla.
Europa League 2018-19 qualified teams
This year's Europa League group stage is set to begin on September 20, ending on December 13. 48 teams compete in the group stage to decide 24 of the 32 places in the knockout phase of the competition.
The draw for the group stage will be held on 31 August, which will be followed by 48 teams drawn into twelve groups of four.
Teams participating in the Europa League group stage include:
- 17 teams which enter in the group stage
- 8 Champions Path winners of the play-off round
- 13 Main Path winners of the play-off round
- 4 Champions Path losers of the Champions League play-off round
- 2 League Path losers of the Champions League play-off round
- 4 League Path losers of the Champions League third qualifying round
| Group stage | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Villarreal | AC Milan | Akhisar Belediyespor | Winner of EL play-off round (Champions Path) |
| Real Betis | Marseille | Jablonec | Winner of EL play-off round (Champions Path) |
| Eintracht Frankfurt | Rennes | Zurich | Winner of EL play-off round (Champions Path) |
| Bayer Leveruksen | Krasnodar | Winner of EL play-off round (Champions Path) | Winner of EL play-off round (Champions Path) |
| Chelsea | Sporting | Winner of EL play-off round (Champions Path) | Winner of EL play-off round (Main Path) |
| Arsenal | Vorskla Poltava | Winner of EL play-off round (Champions Path) | Winner of EL play-off round (Main Path) |
| Lazio | Anderlecht | Winner of EL play-off round (Champions Path) | Winner of EL play-off round (Main Path) |
| Winner of EL play-off round (Main Path) | Winner of EL play-off round (Main Path) | Winner of EL play-off round (Main Path) | Winner of EL play-off round (Main Path) |
| Winner of EL play-off round (Main Path) | Winner of EL play-off round (Main Path) | Winner of EL play-off round (Main Path) | Winner of EL play-off round (Main Path) |
| Winner of EL play-off round (Main Path) | Winner of EL play-off round (Main Path) | Loser of CL play-off round (Champions Path) | Loser of CL play-off round (Champions Path) |
| Loser of CL play-off round (Champions Path) | Loser of CL play-off round (Champions Path) | Loser of CL play-off round (League Path) | Loser of CL play-off round (League Path) |
| Loser of CL third qualifying round (League Path) | Loser of CL third qualifying round (League Path) | Loser of CL third qualifying round (League Path) | Loser of CL third qualifying round (League Path) |
| Round of 32 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| UCL third-place finisher | UCL third-place finisher | UCL third-place finisher | UCL third-place finisher |
| UCL third-place finisher | UCL third-place finisher | UCL third-place finisher | UCL third-place finisher |
Europa League 2018-19 - second qualifying round
There were 46 matches to be played in the second qualifying round of the Europa League in 2018-19.
| UEL fixtures - second qualifying round | Agg. | Leg 1 | Leg 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| The New Saints vs Lincoln Red Imps | 3-2 | 2-1 | 1-1 |
| Torpedo Kutaisi vs Vikingur Gota | 7-0 | 3-0 | 4-0 |
| Zrinjski Mostar vs Valletta | 3-2 | 1-1 | 2-1 |
| FC Santa Coloma vs Valur | 1-3 | 1-0 | 0-3 |
| Sutjeska Niksic vs Alashkert | 0-1 | 0-1 | 0-0 |
| F91 Dudelange vs Drita | 3-2 | 2-1 | 1-1 |
| Spartaks Jurmala vs La Fiorita | 9-0 | 6-0 | 3-0 |
| APOEL vs Flora Tallinn | 5-2 | 5-0 | 0-2 |
| Olimpija Ljubljana vs Crusaders | 6-2 | 5-1 | 1-1 |
| Molde vs Laci | 5-0 | 3-0 | 2-0 |
| Atalanta vs Sarajevo | 10-2 | 2-2 | 8-0 |
| Zalgiris vs Vaduz | 2-1 | 1-0 | 1-1 |
| Kairat vs AZ | 3-2 | 2-0 | 1-2 |
| Aberdeen vs Burnley | 2-4 | 1-1 | 1-3 (AET) |
| Partizan vs Trakai | 2-1 | 1-0 | 1-1 |
| Balzan vs Slovan Bratislava | 3-4 | 2-1 | 1-3 |
| Nordsjaelland vs AIK | 2-0 | 1-0 | 1-0 |
| Rudar Velenje vs FCSB | 0-6 | 0-2 | 0-4 |
| Hapoel Haifa vs FH | 2-1 | 1-1 | 1-0 |
| Dundalk vs AEK | 0-4 | 0-0 | 0-4 |
| Gornik Zabrze vs Trencin | 1-5 | 1-5 | 1-4 |
| Maccabi Tel Aviv vs Radnicki Nis | 4-2 | 2-0 | 2-2 |
| CSKA Sofia vs Wacker Modling | 6-1 | 3-0 | 3-1 |
| Spartak Subotica vs Sparta Prague | 3-2 | 2-0 | 1-2 |
| RB Leipzig vs BK Hacken | 5-1 | 4-0 | 1-1 |
| Stjarnan vs Copenhagen | 0-7 | 0-2 | 0-5 |
| Ufa vs Domzale | 1-1 | 0-0 | 1-1 |
| Tobol vs Pyunik | 2-2 | 2-1 | 0-1 |
| Jagiellonia Białystok vs Rio Ave | 5-4 | 1-0 | 4-4 |
| LASK Linz vs Lillestrom | 6-1 | 4-0 | 2-1 |
| Honved vs Progres Niederkorn | 1-2 | 1-0 | 0-2 |
| Osijek vs Rangers | 1-2 | 0-1 | 1-1 |
| B36 Torshavn vs Besiktas | 0-8 | 0-2 | 0-6 |
| DAC Dunajska Streda vs Dinamo Minsk | 2-7 | 1-3 | 1-4 |
| Ventspils vs Bordeaux | 1-3 | 0-1 | 1-2 |
| Zeljeznicar vs Apollon Limassol | 2-5 | 1-2 | 1-3 |
| Viitorul Constanta vs Vitesse | 3-5 | 2-2 | 1-3 |
| St. Gallen vs Sarpsborg 08 | 2-2 | 2-1 | 0-1 |
| Dynamo Brest vs Atromitos | 5-4 | 4-3 | 1-1 |
| Sevilla vs Ujpest | 7-1 | 4-0 | 3-1 |
| Shakhtyor Soligorsk vs Lech Poznan | 2-4 | 1-3 | 1-3 (AET) |
| Hibernian vs Asteras Tripolis | 4-3 | 3-2 | 1-1 |
| Chikhura Sachkhere vs Maribor | 0-2 | 0-0 | 0-2 |
| Genk vs Fola Esch | 9-1 | 5-0 | 4-1 |
| Djurgardens IF vs Mariupol | 2-3 | 1-1 | 1-2 (AET) |
| Hajduk Split vs Slavia Sofia | 4-2 | 1-0 | 3-2 |
The 23 winners are joined in the third qualifying round by Cork City, Zenit St Petersburg, Olympiakos, Gent, Braga, Feyenoord, Rapid Vienna, Rijeka, Zorya Luhansk, Istanbul Basaksehir, Luzern, Brondby, Sigma Olomouc, Universitatea Craiova and 10 losers from the second qualifying round of the Champions League.
The final round before the group stage, the play off round, will include all the winners from the previous round and six losers from the Champions League third qualifying round.
Europa League 2018-19 - Third qualifying round
| UEL fixtures - third qualifying round | Agg. | Leg 1 | Leg 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ludrogorets Razgrad vs Zrinjski Mostar | 2-1 | 1-0 | 1-1 |
| Legia Warsaw vs F91 Dudelange | 3-4 | 1-2 | 2-2 |
| Alashkert vs CFR Cluj | 0-7 | 0-2 | 0-5 |
| Olimpija Ljubljana vs HJK | 7-1 | 3-0 | 4-1 |
| Sheriff Tiraspol vs Valur | 2-2 | 1-0 | 1-2 |
| Cork City vs Rosenborg | 0-5 | 0-2 | 0-3 |
| Spartaks Jurmala vs Suduva Marijampole | 0-1 | 0-1 | 0-0 |
| The New Saints vs Midtylland | 1-5 | 0-2 | 1-3 |
| Hapoel Be'er Sheva vs APOEL | 3-5 | 2-2 | 1-3 |
| Torpedo Kutaisi vs Kukesi | 5-4 | 5-2 | 0-2 |
| Pyunik vs Maccabi Tel Aviv | 1-2 | 0-0 | 1-2 |
| Dinamo Minsk vs Zenit Saint Petersburg | 5-8 | 4-0 | 1-8 (AET) |
| Sturm Graz vs AEK Larnaca | 0-7 | 0-2 | 0-5 |
| Sarpsborg 08 vs Rijeka | 2-1 | 1-0 | 1-0 |
| Istanbul Basaksehir vs Burnley | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0-1 (AET) |
| Zorya Luhansk vs Braga | 3-3 | 1-1 | 2-2 |
| Hapoel Haifa vs Atalanta | 1-6 | 1-4 | 0-2 |
| Genk vs Lech Poznan | 4-1 | 2-0 | 2-1 |
| Vitesse vs Basel | 0-2 | 0-1 | 0-1 |
| Nordsjaelland vs Partizan | 3-5 | 1-2 | 2-3 |
| Hibernian vs Molde | 0-3 | 0-0 | 0-3 |
| Hajduk Split vs FCSB | 1-2 | 0-0 | 1-2 |
| Sevilla vs Zalgiris | 6-0 | 1-0 | 5-0 |
| Sigma Olomouc vs Kairat | 4-1 | 2-0 | 2-1 |
| Slovan Bratislava vs Rapid Wien | 2-5 | 2-1 | 0-4 |
| Mariupol vs Bordeaux | 2-5 | 1-3 | 1-2 |
| CSKA Sofia vs Copenhagen | 2-4 | 1-2 | 1-2 |
| Olympiacos vs Luzern | 7-1 | 4-0 | 3-1 |
| Rangers vs Maribor | 3-1 | 3-1 | 0-0 |
| Trencin vs Feyenoord | 4-0 | 4-0 | 1-1 |
| Jagiellonia Bialystok vs Gent | 1-4 | 0-1 | 1-3 |
| Spartak Subotica vs Brondby | 1-4 | 0-2 | 1-2 |
| Ufa vs Progres Niderkorn | 4-3 | 2-1 | 2-1 |
| Besiktas vs LASK Linz | 2-2 | 1-0 | 1-2 |
| Apollon Limassol vs Dynamo Brest | 4-1 | 4-0 | 0-1 |
| RB Leipzig vs Universitatea Craiova | 4-2 | 3-1 | 1-1 |
Europa League 2018-19 - Play-off round
UEL fixtures - play-off round
| Agg. | Leg 1 | Leg 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Olimpija Lubljana vs Spartak Trnava | - | 0-1 | Aug 30 |
| APOEL Nicosia vs Astana | - | 1-0 | Aug 30 |
| Rosenborg vs Shkendija | - | 3-1 | Aug 30 |
| F91 Dudelange vs CFR Cluj | - | 2-0 | Aug 30 |
| Suduva Marijampole vs Celtic | - | 1-1 | Aug 30 |
| Sheriff Tirspol vs Qarabag | - | 1-0 | Aug 30 |
| Malmo FF vs Midtylland | - | 2-2 | Aug 30 |
| Torpedo Kutaisi vs Ludogorets Razgrad | - | 0-1 | Aug 30 |
| Sigma Olomouc vs Sevilla | - | 0-1 | Aug 30 |
| Sarpsborg 09 vs Maccabi Tel Aviv | - | 3-1 | Aug 30 |
| Gent vs Bordeaux | - | 0-0 | Aug 30 |
| Partizan vs Besiktas | - | 1-1 | Aug 30 |
| Rapid Widen vs FCSB | - | 3-1 | Aug 30 |
| Basel vs Apollon Limassol | - | 3-2 | Aug 30 |
| Rangers vs Ufa | - | 1-0 | Aug 30 |
| Atalanta vs Copenhagen | - | 0-0 | Aug 30 |
| Zenit Saint Petersburg vs Molde | - | 3-1 | Aug 30 |
| Trencin vs AEK Larnaca | - | 1-1 | Aug 30 |
| Genk vs Brondby | - | 5-2 | Aug 30 |
| Olympiacos vs Burnley | - | 3-1 | Aug 30 |
| Zorya Luhansk vs RB Leipzig | - | 0-0 | Aug 30 |
Europa League 2018-19 - Route to Final
The final of this year's Europa League will take place on May 29 at the Olympic Stadium in Baku, Azerbaijan.
| Phase | Round | Draw date | First leg | Second leg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Preliminary | Preliminary round | Jun 12 | Jun 28 | Jul 5 |
| Qualifying | First qualifying round, second qualifying round, third qualifying round | Jun 19, 20, Jul 23 | Jul 12 | Jul 19 |
| Play-off | Play-off round | Aug 6 | Aug 23 | Aug 30 |
| Group stage | Matchday 1 | Aug 31 | Sept 20 | Sept 20 |
| Group stage | Matchday 2 | Aug 31 | Oct 4 | Oct 4 |
| Group stage | Matchday 3 | Aug 31 | Oct 25 | Oct 25 |
| Group stage | Matchday 4 | Aug 31 | Nov 8 | Nov 8 |
| Group stage | Matchday 5 | Aug 31 | Nov 29 | Nov 29 |
| Group stage | Matchday 6 | Aug 31 | Dec 13 | Dec 13 |
| Knockout phase | Round of 32 | Dec 17 | Feb 14 | Feb 21 |
| Knockout phase | Round of 16 | Feb 22 | Mar 7 | Mar 14 |
| Knockout phase | Quarter-finals | Mar 15 | Apr 11 | Apr 18 |
| Knockout phase | Semi-finals | Apr 19 | May 2 | May 9 |
| Knockout phase | Final | May 19 | May 29 | / |
source; goal.com
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