Mourinho Returns to Haunt United in Europa League Draw
Manchester United will face a familiar foe in the UEFA Europa League group stage, with a reunion against former manager José Mourinho's Fenerbahce side on the cards.
The Portuguese manager, who won the Europa League with United in 2017, has moved to the Istanbul-based club this summer. The Red Devils will also encounter Glasgow Rangers at Old Trafford and embark on a trip to Porto's Estádio do Dragão, adding further intrigue to their group stage campaign.
UEFA has revamped the competition format this season, introducing an eight-game league phase and expanding the number of participating teams to 36. Unlike previous years, teams will not be relegated from the Champions League following the first round. The dates for the group stage fixtures are expected to be confirmed on Saturday.
Tottenham Hotspur will also face familiar faces in their group, hosting Daniele De Rossi's Roma and travelling to Galatasaray. Rangers, meanwhile, have been drawn against both United and Tottenham, adding to the drama of the group stage.
Under the new format and draw system, each team has been paired with eight different opponents, playing four home matches and four away matches. Teams have been drawn against two opponents from each of the four seeded pots, ensuring a diverse and challenging group stage.
Importantly, teams from the same domestic league were not drawn against each other, and no club can face more than two teams from a single country.
At the end of the group stage, the top eight teams will advance directly to the knockout round of 16. Teams finishing between ninth and 24th place will progress to a knockout playoff stage, while the bottom 12 teams will be eliminated.
Europa League Group Stage Draw:
Manchester United: Rangers (H), Porto (A), PAOK (H), Fenerbahçe (A), Bodo Glimt (H), Viktoria (A), Twente (H), FCSB (A)
Tottenham Hotspur: Roma (H), Rangers (A), AZ Alkmaar (H), Ferencváros (A), Qarabag (H), Galatasaray (A), Elfsborg (H), Hoffenheim (A)
Ajax: Lazio (H), Slavia Prague (A), Maccabi Tel-Aviv (A), Real Sociedad (A), Galatasaray (H), Qarabag (A), Besiktas (H), RFS (A)
Roma: Frankfurt (H), Tottenham (A), Braga (H), AZ Alkmaar (A), Dynamo Kyiv (H), Union SG (A), Athletic Club (H), Elfsborg (A)
Lazio: Porto (H), Ajax (A), Real Sociedad (H), Braga (A), Ludogorets (H), Kyiv (A), Nice (H), Twente (A)
Rangers: Tottenham (H), Manchester United (A), Lyon (H), Olympiacos (A), Union SG (H), Malmö (A), FCSB (H), Nice (A)
