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The Europa League Returns

 

The Europa League returns to action on Thursday with 4 British teams in the knockout stage, and with a very realistic chance of picking up some major silverware.

The 12 winners and 12 runners up from the group stage of the tournament, plus the 8 third placed teams in the Champions League make up the final 32.

Celtic have been given the toughest task as they have been drawn against 3 time winners Inter Milan. Liverpool can be sure to face a hostile tie against the Turkish side Besiktas. Tottenham play Serie A side Fiorentina, & Everton face Swiss club Young Boys.

Other interesting ties see the holders (and also 3 time winners) Sevilla up against high flying Borussia Monchengladbach, PSV Eindhoven take on Zenit St Petersburg, and Roma up against Feyenoord.

There is even more incentive to lift the trophy in 2015, as this season's Europa League winners will for the first time qualify for next year's Champions League play-offs.

Celtic's tie against Inter Milan is a repeat of the 1967 European Cup final in Lisbon, which the Glasgow side won 2-1 to become Britain's first European champions.
Inter, who appointed former Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini as their manager for a second time in November, are mid table in Italy's top flight.
Tottenham could come up against England defender Micah Richards, who is on loan at Fiorentina from Manchester City. It is a first meeting between the London and Florence clubs.
Liverpool, who entered the Europa League after finishing third in their Champions League group behind Real Madrid and Basle, last played Besiktas in the 2007/8 season, with the Merseysider’s winning 8-0 at Anfield.
Everton on the other hand have never faced Young Boys before.

 

Liverpool have won the trophy 3 times, with there last being in 2001 in the famous 5-4 match with Alaves, whilst Tottenham have won it twice.

Last year saw Sevilla defeat Benfica on penalties at the Juventus Stadium in Turin, Italy, and the Spaniards remain one of the favourites this year, although it must be noted that no club has ever won back to back trophies.

The final is to be played on 26th May at the Stadion Warsaw in Poland.

The two legs will be played on 19 and 26 February 2015.

Last 32 Draw In Full
* Young Boys vs Everton
* Torino vs Athletic Bilbao
* Sevilla v Borussia Monchengladbach
* Wolfsburg vs Sporting Lisbon
* Ajax vs Legia Warsaw
* Aalborg vs Club Brugge
* Anderlecht vs Dynamo Moscow
* Dnipro vs Olympiakos
* Trabzonspor vs Napoli
* Guingamp vs Dynamo Kiev
* Villarreal vs Red Bull Salzburg
* Roma vs Feyenoord
* PSV Eindhoven vs Zenit St Petersburg
* Liverpool vs Besiktas
* Tottenham vs Fiorentina
* Celtic vs Inter Milan.