Europa League group stage draw RECAP: Arsenal and Everton face tough tests
- The two English sides, Arsenal and Everton, both face tough Europa League tests
- The Gunners is easier, they drew BATE Borisov, Cologne and Red Star Belgrade
- For the Toffees they face final hosts Lyon, Atalanta and Apollon Limassol
Arsenal and Everton face challenging tests on their return to the Europa League following Friday's group stage draw in Monaco.
Arsenal were drawn to play Belarus' BATE Borisov, Cologne of Germany and Serbia's Red Star Belgrade in Group H.
Everton will play France's Lyon - hosts of this season's final - Italy's Atalanta and Apollon Limassol of Cyprus in Group E.
Both English sides face difficult tasks to advance to the knockout stages when the group phase begins on September 14.
It is the first time in 20 years that Arsenal have started a European campaign in the Europa League.
The Gunners had advanced to the knockout stages of the Champions League but lost in the first knock-out round in the last seven seasons and failed to qualify for the tournament through the Premier League in 2016-17.
Everton, who completed their play-off victory over Hajduk Split of Croatia on Thursday, are in Europe for the first time since 2014-15.
The 48-team draw for this season's competition included Sweden's Ostersund, managed by Englishman Graham Potter.
Ostersund will play Spain's Athletic Bilbao, Germany's Hertha Berlin and Zorya Luhansk of Ukraine in Group J.
United and France midfielder Paul Pogba was named Europa League Player of the Season for 2016-17, ahead of team-mates Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Henrikh Mkhitaryan.
Relive the draw as it happened from the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco with Sportsmail's TOM BASSAM.
Plenty of interesting ties for Arsenal and Everton to look forward too. Thank you for following the draw with Sportsmail.
The 48-team draw for this season's competition included Sweden's Ostersund, managed by Englishman Graham Potter.
Ostersund will play Spain's Athletic Bilbao, Germany's Hertha Berlin and Zorya Luhansk of Ukraine in Group J.
Graham Potter, head coach of Ostersund (right)
After scoring in the final, Paul Pogba gets the Europa League Best Player award. It's the first time it has been awarded, so the Frenchman creates some more history.
GROUP A: Villarreal (ESP), Maccabi Tel-Aviv (ISR), Astana (KAZ), Slavia Praha (CZE)
GROUP B: Dynamo Kyiv (UKR), Young Boys (SUI), Partizan (SRB), Skenderbeu (ALB)
GROUP C: Braga (POR), Ludogorets (BUL), Hoffenheim (GER), Istanbul Başakşehir (TUR)
GROUP D: Milan (ITA), Austria Vienna (AUT), Rijeka (CRO), AEK Athens (GRE)
GROUP E: Lyon (FRA), Everton (ENG), Atalanta (ITA), Apollon (CYP)
GROUP F: Copenhagen (DEN), Lokomotiv Moscow (RUS), Sheriff (MDA), Zlin (CZE)
GROUP G: Victoria Plzen (CZE), FCSB (ROU), Hapoel Beer-Sheva (ISR), Lugano (SUI)
GROUP H Arsenal (ENG), BATE Borisov (BLR) Cologne (GER), Red Star Belgrade (SRB)
GROUP I Salzburg (AUT) Marseille (FRA) Vitoria SC (POR) Konyaspor (TUR)
GROUP J Athletic Bilbao (ESP), Hertha Berlin (GER), Zorya (UKR), Ostersund (SWE)
GROUP K Lazio (ITA), Nice (FRA), Zulte Waregem (BEL), Vitesse (NED)
GROUP L Zenit St Petersberg (RUS), Real Sociedad (ESP), Rosenborg (NOR), Vardar (MKD)
GROUP E: Lyon (FRA), Everton (ENG), Atalanta (ITA), Apollon (CYP)
GROUP H Arsenal (ENG), BATE Borisov (BLR) Cologne (GER), Red Star Belgrade (SRB)
So for Everton it's Lyon and Atalanta and Arsenal have got BATE Borisov and Cologne.
Full draw so far.
Group A: Villareal, Maccabi Tel Aviv, Astana
Group B: Dynamo Kiev, Young Boys, Partizan
Group C: Braga, Ludogorets, Hoffenheim
Group D: AC Milan, Austria Vienna, Rijeka
Group E: Lyon, Everton, Atalanta
Group F: Copenhagen, Lokomotiv Moscow, Sherif
Group G: Victoria Plzen, Hapoel Beer-Sheva
Group H: Arsenal, Bate, Cologne,
Group I: Salzburg, Marseilles, Vitoria
Group J: Athletic Bilbao, Hertha Berlin, Zorya Luhansk
Group K: Lazio, Nice, Zulte Waregem
Group L: Zenit, Real Sociedad, Rosenberg
Tough start for Everton as they go into Lyon's group.
BATE Borisov go into Group H.
Who will they get?
Group A: Villareal
Group B: Dynamo Kiev
Group C: Braga
Group D: AC Milan
Group E: Lyon
Group F: Copenhagen
Group G: Victoria Plzen
Group H: Arsenal
Group I: Salzburg
Group J: Athletic Bilbao
Group K: Lazio
Group L: Zenit
Two teams from the same association will not be drawn together, with the draw being divided in half. Teams from Russia and Ukraine will not be drawn together in the group stages either.
There is a computer process to allocate teams into groups based on a number of criteria from pot two onwards.
UEFA blazer Giorgio Marchetti is now introducing the draw. Nothing to explosive but mercifully it looks like we won't be waiting too long for names to come out.
Acting as a 'host' for the final in Lyon next May, Abidal is extolling the virtues of his home town.
The former Barcelona defender says Lyon could well make the final in their own stadium.
The Swede has some pedigree in the competition. He has 40 Europa League/UEFA Cup goals, the most in the competition's history.
He's tipping Klaas-Jan Huntelaar to beat his record.
BT's coverage is underway and host Darren Tulett is going through the preamble. We'll get the draw shortly (I hope) but right we're looking at some highlights from last season.
We're also being treated to the handing out of the Europa League best player award, so there could well be some Manchester United interest there.
Arsene Wenger said earlier this month that he will rest and rotate in the Europa League this season so he can 'focus completely' on trying to win the Premier League.
For Wenger being in Europe's secondary competition is clearly not a priority and appears to be an unnecessary distraction from the league but the manager, ever the optimist, intends to turn that into a positive.
'For us it is a good opportunity to focus completely on the Premier League,' Wenger said. 'I would say that the Premier League has, in my opinion, taken over from the Champions League interest-wise.'
However, for Ronald Koeman he is more positive about the competition.
After Thursday night's win he said: 'Everybody likes to be part of Europe. Football without Europe is not the highest level we like to play. It's good for the experience, it's tough, but I think we can deal with it.'
Ronald Koeman speaks to the media after Everton secured progress against Hajduk Split
Well there are four pots of 12 teams. One team from each pot will be drawn into each group, making up 12 groups of four.
The 22 play-off winners, the ten losing teams from the Champions League play-offs and the 16 sides entering at this stage make up the 48 clubs. No team can play a club from their own association, with the exact draw procedure confirmed before the ceremony.
Arsenal are in pot one and Everton are in pot two. For the Gunners it means they avoid familiar names Zenit St Petersburg, Lyon, Dynamo Kiev, Villarreal, Athletic Bilbao, Lazio, AC Milan, Viktoria Plzen, Salzburg, FC Copenhagen, Braga.
There are just a smattering of teams who will hold any fears in the rest of the draw but they also might be keen to avoid some longer journeys (yes, I mean you Astana). Ligue 1 sides Marseilles and Nice offer some danger in pot two and Hoffenheim, who tested Liverpool in the Champions League qualifiers are in pot three. Pot four holds no great worries but trips to Belgrade are never pleasant and Chelsea reserves (Vitesse) would be intriguing.
Everton will be hoping for one of Viktoria Plzen, Salzburg, Copenhagen or Braga in pot one. Again Astana and Hoffenheim are the ones to miss in pot three. See above for pot four.
Here are the pots in fill:
Pot one: Arsenal, Zenit St Petersburg, Lyon, Dynamo Kiev, Villarreal, Athletic Bilbao, Lazio, AC Milan, Viktoria Plzen, Salzburg, FC Copenhagen, Braga
Pot two: Steaua Bucharest, Ludogorets, BATE Borisov, Everton, Young Boys, Marseilles, Real Sociedad, Maccabi Tel-Aviv, Lokomotiv Moscow, Austria Vienna, Hertha Berlin, Nice
Pot three: Astana, Partizan Belgrade, Hoffenheim, Cologne, NK Rijeka, Vitoria Guimaraes, Atalanta, Zulte Waregem, Zorya Luhansk, Rosenborg, Sheriff Tiraspol, Hapoel Beer-Sheva
Pot four: Apollon Limassol, Istanbul Basaksehir, Konyaspor, Vitesse Arnhem, Slavia Prague, Red Star Belgrade, Skenderbeu, FC Zlin, AEK Athens, FC Lugano, Vardar Skopje, Ostersunds
There are two English teams in the hat, Arsenal and Everton, who will discover their Thursday night fates as the draw is made in Monaco.
Arsenal are preparing for their first European campaign outside the Champions League since 1999-2000.
Everton, who sealed a 3-1 aggregate win over Hajduk Split on Thursday, take their place in Europe's secondary cup competition for the first time since the 2014-15 season when they reached the last 16.
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