Europa League draw as it happened: Arsenal avoid big names but Everton handed tough draw
Relive the Europa League draw as it happened
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Your support makes all the difference.Arsenal and Everton have been handed differing draws in the Europa League this season, with Arsenal avoiding any of the big names - at least until after the Champions League group stage is finished.
The Gunners head into Europe's secondary competition at this early stage for the first time in Arsene Wenger's two-decade reign at the club and were drawn alongside BATE Borisov, Koln and Red Star Belgrade.
Everton, meanwhile, are handed what can be considered a Group of Death, with Lyon, who are hosting the final, Atalanta and Cypriot side Apollon Limassol.
Follow the draw as it happened below...
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When is the draw?
The draw for this year’s Europa League group stage takes place in Monaco at midday BST (1pm CET) and is scheduled to last an hour.
Where does the draw take place?
It takes place at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco.
Where can I watch it?
You can watch the draw on BT Sport 1 or via live stream on Uefa.com.
How does the draw work?
The draw consists of 48 teams.
Those are comprised of 16 direct entrants, 10 who dropped out of the Champions League play-offs and a further 22 from Europa League play-offs.
The teams are divided into four pots and will be drawn into 12 groups of four – with one team coming from each pot.
No side can meet another from their own league and there will be no clashes between Russian and Ukrainian teams following a decision by Uefa’s executive committee.
Who is in which pot?
The teams are divided into the pots based on their Uefa club coefficient. Arsenal – who have the highest ranking in the competition – are therefore in Pot 1, while Everton are in Pot 2.
Here is a full breakdown of the pots.
Pot 1
Zenit (RUS), Arsenal (ENG), Lyon (FRA), Dynamo Kyiv (UKR), Villarreal (ESP), Athletic Club (ESP), Lazio (ITA), AC Milan (ITA), Viktoria Plzeň (CZE), Salzburg (AUT), København (DEN), Braga (POR)
Pot 2
FCSB (ROU), Ludogorets Razgrad (BUL), Bate Borisov (BLR), Everton (ENG), Young Boys (SUI), Marseille (FRA), Real Sociedad (ESP), Maccabi Tel-Aviv (ISR), Lokomotiv Moskva (RUS), Austria Wien (AUT), Hertha Berlin (GER), Nice (FRA)
Pot 3
Astana (KAZ), Partizan (SRB), Hoffenheim (GER), Köln (GER), Rijeka (CRO), Vitória Guimarães (POR), Atalanta (ITA), Zulte Waregem (BEL), Zorya Luhansk (UKR), Rosenborg (NOR), Sheriff Tiraspol (MDA), Hapoel Beer-Sheva (ISR)
Pot 4
Apollon Limassol (CYP), İstanbul Başakşehir (TUR), Konyaspor (TUR), Vitesse (NED), Slavia Praha (CZE), Crvena Zvezda (SRB), Skënderbeu (ALB), Zlín (CZE), AEK Athens (GRE), Lugano (SUI), Vardar (MKD), Östersund (SWE)
When do the group games start?
Matches will be held on Thursday nights on 14 September, 28 September, 19 October, 2 November, 23 November and 7 December.
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