Europa League Shake-Up: Rangers Face Spurs and Man Utd in New Format

The UEFA Europa League is undergoing a major transformation, and Rangers are set for a thrilling ride in the revamped competition. The Scottish giants have been drawn to face both Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United in the new 'league phase' format, marking a return to European action for both sides after several years.

Rangers will welcome Tottenham to Ibrox for their group stage clash, while they will travel to Old Trafford to face Manchester United for the first time in 14 years. The new format sees teams play eight matches in a league-style phase, replacing the traditional group stage format.

Manchester United's European campaign will see them revisit familiar foes with a trip to Fenerbahce, where former manager Jose Mourinho now sits at the helm. The Red Devils will also face Mourinho's old side Porto away, adding another layer of intrigue to the group.

Tottenham, meanwhile, will host AS Roma at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, while they also face away fixtures against Galatasaray and Hoffenheim.

Rangers will also face a tough test against last season's Europa Conference League winners Olympiakos in Greece, as well as a trip to the French Riviera to take on Nice.

The draw for the competition followed the same format as the Champions League draw earlier in the week, with former Athletic Bilbao striker Aritz Aduriz stepping in to replace Cristiano Ronaldo for the ceremonial draw.

The new Europa League format promises to inject even greater excitement and competitiveness into the competition, with the league phase format providing a chance for teams to play each other multiple times. The fixture list offers Rangers a chance to test themselves against some of the continent's most formidable teams, while the draw also offers both Manchester United and Tottenham a chance to reacquaint themselves with former managers and players.