Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur and Rangers have discovered who they will play in the Europa League league phase following Friday's draw ceremony.
Rather than the familiar group-stage format of years gone by, the 2024-25 edition of the Europa League will instead see an expanded league phase, as 36 teams vie for the top eight automatic qualifying places.
Despite labouring to an eighth-placed finish in the Premier League last season, Man United's FA Cup success earned them direct entry into the Europa League, as did Spurs' fifth-placed ranking in the top flight.
Scottish giants Rangers - who were in pot one alongside Spurs and Man United - complete the British representation, and Philippe Clement's side have remarkably been drawn to face both Premier League teams.
Rangers will face Erik ten Hag's men at Old Trafford and will welcome Spurs to their Ibrox base, while Man United will also enjoy a mouthwatering reunion with a former manager.
Man United to face Jose Mourinho's Fenerbahce
© Imago
One of the two pot two teams the Red Devils have been drawn to face is Fenerbahce, managed by former Man United boss Jose Mourinho, but the Portuguese will be hosting his erstwhile employers rather than returning to Old Trafford.
As well as Rangers and Fenerbahce, Man United also face last season's beaten Champions League quarter-finalists Porto away, while hosting Greek powerhouses PAOK at Old Trafford.
From pot three, Ten Hag's men will welcome Bodo/Glimt to Old Trafford and travel to face Viktoria Plzen, while Eredivisie side FC Twente (home) and Romanian outfit FCSB (Romania) complete the Red Devils' set of opponents.
Meanwhile, Spurs will tackle another of Mourinho's former clubs in Roma at home, and Ange Postecoglou's side will also welcome AZ Alkmaar, Qarabag and Elfsborg to their North London headquarters.
In addition to their trip to Rangers, Spurs' other league phase away matches see the Lilywhites take a short trip to Germany to face Hoffenheim, while also facing Galatasaray in Turkey and Ferencvaros in Hungary.
Rangers drawn to face two Ligue 1 clubs
© Imago
As for Rangers, the Scottish Premiership titans have been drawn to take on two Ligue 1 clubs in addition to Man United and Spurs, hosting Lyon (pot two) and travelling to Nice (pot four).
Clement's side are also welcoming FCSB and Belgian outfit Union SG to Ibrox, and they will face Greek giants Olympiacos and Swedish side Malmo away from home in the league phase.
The top eight teams in the league phase directly advance to the last 16, while sides ranked ninth to 24th will compete in the playoffs for the final eight places, with no teams dropping down from the Champions League or moving to the Europa Conference League.
The league phase will take place from September 25 to January 30, while the final will take place at Athletic Bilbao's Estadio de San Mames on May 21.
Europa League league phase draw for Man United, Tottenham and Rangers:
Man United: Rangers (H), Porto (A), PAOK (H), Fenerbahce (A), Bodo/Glimt (H), Viktoria Plzen (A), FC Twente (H), FCSB (A)
Tottenham: Roma (H), Rangers (A), AZ Alkmaar (H), Ferencvaros (A), Qarabag (H), Galatasaray (A), Elfsborg (H), Hoffenheim (A)
Rangers: Tottenham (H), Manchester United (A), Lyon (H), Olympiacos (A), Union SG (H), Malmo (A), FCSB (H), Nice (A)
Ben Knapton
