Europa League Draws: Bournemouth Faces AC Milan, Sunderland Meets Real Betis

The draws for the UEFA Europa League and Conference League league phases took place, determining the initial opponents for participating clubs. In the Europa League, English Championship side Sunderland secured a high-profile tie against Spanish La Liga club Real Betis. This draw represents a significant opportunity for Sunderland to test their mettle against a European competitor.

Meanwhile, Premier League club AFC Bournemouth was drawn against Italian giants AC Milan in the Europa League. This fixture offers Bournemouth a "glamour tie" against one of Europe's most storied clubs, providing a significant challenge and a notable experience for their squad. The draw also saw other notable pairings, with Brighton & Hove Albion facing Marseille and Liverpool drawn against LASK. These matchups set the stage for the inaugural league phase of the Europa League, which has replaced the traditional group stage format.

The new format for the Europa League and Conference League features a single league table for each competition, with 36 teams participating in the Europa League and 18 in the Conference League. Each team will play eight matches against eight different opponents, with four home and four away fixtures. The top eight teams in the Europa League league table will automatically advance to the Round of 16, while teams finishing between ninth and 24th place will enter a knockout play-off round for a place in the Round of 16. Those finishing 25th or lower will be eliminated from European competition.

This structural change aims to increase the number of high-stakes matches throughout the season and provide more competitive fixtures for a wider range of clubs. The draw, held in Monaco, was a key event for teams looking to plan their European campaigns. The specific dates for these initial league phase matches are yet to be fully detailed but will commence in September, following the conclusion of the international break. The outcomes of these early fixtures will be crucial in determining the progression of clubs towards the knockout stages and the ultimate finals, which are scheduled to be held in Bilbao (Europa League) and Wroclaw (Conference League) in June 2025.