UEFA Europa League: Decoding the draw of Manchester United
Manchester United are set to face Fenerbahce, now led by their former coach Jose Mourinho, in the newly revamped UEFA Europa League format. Manchester United, who finished eighth in the Premier League last season, got an European berth after winning the FA Cup at Wembley. Manchester United, who were placed in Pot 1, will play eight league matches in the new 36-team competition. Here we decode the draw of Manchester United.
New format for the Europa League
The Europa League's traditional group stage has been replaced by an expanded league phase, featuring all 36 teams in a single standings system. This change was implemented by clubs who urged UEFA to generate more revenue from additional games against a broader range of high-profile opponents. Each team will play eight matches against different opponents. It does away from the traditional group seedings of four teams each.
Key details of the knockout phase
The top eight teams in the league phase standings will qualify automatically for the knockout phase and will receive a bye to the round of 16. Teams finishing between 9th to 24th, will compete in a two-legged first round play-off to secure their path to the round of 16. Meanwhile, teams that finish 25th or lower will be eliminated. Notably, there will be no access to the 2024-25 UEFA Conference League for these teams.
Manchester United home and away opponents in the UEL 2024-25
Manchester United will host Scottish side Rangers, Greece's PAOK, Norway's Bodo/Glimt and Dutch side FC Twente at Old Trafford. The Red Devils will host Rangers for the first time since 2010, in an all-British affair. Erik ten Hag's men face crucial away tests against Portuguese side FC Porto, Turkish outfit Fenerbahce, Czech outfit Viktoria Plzen, and Romanian outfit FCSB (formerly Steaua Bucharest). United will visit Porto's Estadio do Dragao for the third time, after previous trips in 2004 and 2009.
Mourinho's Fenerbahce could be Man United's biggest threat
Fenerbahce look like the most difficult prospect for Manchester United in the league phase. Mourinho's pedigree and experience will play a key role. Former Manchester United midfield maestro Fred is one of the key players in the ranks. Sofyan Amrabat, who was on loan at Man United last season, adds quality in defensive midfield. Youssef En-Nesyri and Edin Dzeko are quality experienced names in attack.
