Europa League 2014/15 draw: Everton, Tottenham and Celtic learn group stage fate

Everton given tough task in group stage

Staff
Friday 29 August 2014 18:50 EDT
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The Europa League trophy
The Europa League trophy (GETTY IMAGES)

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The draw for the Europa League has taken place, with Premier League sides Everton and Tottenham among those to learn who they play in the group stage.

Scottish champions Celtic are also in the mix having failed to qualify for the Champions League.

Tottenham will be looking to replicate local rivals Arsenal's recent success against Besiktas after being paired with the Turkish side in Group C of the Europa League.

The Gunners edged past Besiktas over two legs in the Champions Leagiue play-offs, with Slaven Bilic's side dropping down to become top seeds in the secondary competition where they face a return to North London.

Also on the agenda for Mauricio Pochettino's side are trips to Serbia's Partizan Belgrade and Greek side Asteras.

Everton, coming from pot three at the draw in Monaco, have a tough draw in Group H, where they play a Lille side spearheaded by on-loan Liverpool striker Divock Origi and Bundesliga outfit Wolfsburg as well as a tricky journey to Russia's Krasnodar.

Scottish champions Celtic avoided meeting Legia Warsaw, the side who they controversially beat in Champions League qualifying due to a technicality, and take the second seed in Group D alongside Salzburg, Dinamo Zagreb and Astra Giurgiu.

The draw throws up two familiar fixtures, with Spurs and Celtic both taking on opponents they have met previously.

Tottenham visited Besiktas' Ataturk Stadium in the group phase of the UEFA Cup in 2006, coming away with a 2-0 win courtesy of goals from Hossam Ghaly and Dimitar Berbatov.

Meanwhile the Hoops last faced Dinamo Zagreb in the Champions League second qualifying round in 1998, losing 3-1 on aggregate after scoring the only goal at Parkhead but losing 3-0 on the road.

Hull, who were beaten on away goals in the Europa League play-offs saw their conquerors, KSC Lokeren of Belgium, handed a gruelling travelling schedule with matches against Trabzonspor, Legia Warsaw and Metalist Kharkiv.

FULL DRAW...

Group A

Villarreal
Borussia M'gladbach
FC Zurich
Apollon Limassol

Group B

FC Copenhagen
Club Brugge
Torino
HJK Helsinki

Group C

TOTTENHAM
Besiktas
Partizan Belgrade
Asteras Tripoli

Group D

SV Red Bull Salzburg
CELTIC
Dinamo Zagreb
FC Astra Giurgiu

Group E

PSV
Panathinaikos
Estoril Praia
Dynamo Moscow

Group F

Inter Milan
Dnipro
St Etienne
FK Karabakh

Group G

Sevilla
Standard Liege
Feyenoord
Rijeka

Group H

Lille
Wolfsburg
EVERTON
Krasnodar

Group I

Napoli
Sparta Prague
Young Boys
Slovan Bratislava

Group J

Dynamo Kiev
Steaua Bucuresti
Rio Ave
AaB

Group K

Fiorentina
PAOK Salonika
Guingamp
Dinamo Minsk

Group L

FC Metalist Kharkiv
Tranzonspor
Legia Warsaw
Lokeren

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