BERLIN – Last season's losing finalists Arsenal and
semi-finalists Eintracht Frankfurt come together in the pick of the
games as the 48-team Europa League group stage gets under way on
Thursday.
Frankfurt, who went out on penalties in last season's last four to
eventual winners Chelsea, greet the Arsenal in an encounter between
two teams who have never met in a UEFA competition.
The Bundesliga club have come through three qualifying ties to return
to the group stage, while Arsenal are playing their first European
match since last season's 4-1 final defeat in Baku to Chelsea, who
are now in the Champions League.
Arsenal have three Germans returning to home soil in Mesut Oezil,
Bernd Leno and Shkodran Mustafi, while Frankfurt begin with a
much-changed forward line.
Since last season's campaign, Sebastien Haller, Luka Jovic and
Ante Rebic have left, with Dutch striker Bas Dost and Portugal's
Andre Silva now leading the line.
Frankfurt are no longer outsiders, and with Arsenal can be considered
favourites to survive Group F, which also features Standard Liege and
Vitoria Guimaraes.
Frankfurt's Austrian coach Adi Huetter said: "Arsenal are of course
the favourites, but we think we have a good chance."
And winger Danny da Costa said: "The difference is that we are no
longer the clear underdogs. I think we have a certain international
standing now after last season."
The Premier League also has another Europa League favourite in 2017
winners Manchester United, who begin their campaign at home to
Kazakhstan's Astana in Group L, while newcomers Wolves greet
Portugal's Braga in Group K.
Wolves striker Adama Traore believes the inside knowledge of manager
Nuno Esperito Santo could benefit the English side. "Having
Portuguese players in the squad and having a Portuguese coach can
definitely help us," he said.
"They come from there, they know how they play, they know the
players, they know the league, and they have played teams like Braga
many times before."
Joining Frankurt are fellow Bundesliga clubs Wolfsburg, who welcome
Ukraine's Europa League debutants Olexandriye in Group I, and
Borussia Moenchengladbach, who host another newcomer in Austrian side
Wolfsberg in Group J.
Rome duo Lazio and Roma lead Italy's charge. Lazio have never met
their Romanian hosts Cluj (Group E), while Roma new signing Henrikh
Mkhitaryan lifted the trophy with Manchester United in 2017 and hopes
for a good start against Istanbul visitors Basaksehir (J).
Armenian midfield Mkhitaryan, who moved to Rome from Arsenal, missed
the 2019 final due to tension between Armenia and final hosts
Azerbaijan.
Sevilla, who won the Europa League three years in a row between 2014
and 2016, travel to Baku to face Qarabaq in Group A without Nolito
who is injured and Lucas Ocampos who is suspended.
Fellow Spanish hopes Espanyol are without striker Facundo Ferreyra
for the visit of Ferenvaros in Group H in a return to European
competition 12 years after they lost the UEFA Cup final to Sevilla.
Getafe also return to European competition with a home encounter with
Turkey's Trabzonspor in Group C, where Basel take on Russian side
Krasnodar.
Elsewhere, Group G could be hard fought, with Porto meeting Young
Boys, and Scottish side Rangers facing Feyenoord.
Glasgow neighbours Celtic meanwhile travel to Rennes in Group E while
PSV Eindhoven are up against Sporting Lisbon in a meeting of the two
fancied sides on Group D.