Europa League: Draw in full as Man Utd are handed Real Sociedad test

By Sports Desk August 26, 2022

Manchester United will face LaLiga opposition in the Europa League group stage after being drawn to face a Real Sociedad team who have David Silva in their ranks.

Silva is a Manchester City favourite who won four Premier League titles in a 10-year spell at the Etihad Stadium before returning to his native Spain two years ago.

Sociedad finished sixth in LaLiga last season, with United also sixth in the Premier League.

The teams are no strangers to each other, having met in the Europa League last-32 stage in February 2021, when a 4-0 win in Spain paved the way for United to win by that score on aggregate. Silva did not play in the goalless second leg at Old Trafford, with the tie effectively already lost.

United, who won the Europa League in 2017 and went on to be runners-up in 2021, must also tackle Moldovan outfit Sheriff Tiraspol and Cypriot team Omonoia in Group E.

The Sheriff clash will be United's first competitive game against a side from Moldova.

Former United boss Jose Mourinho, who engineered the Red Devils' 2017 trophy success, returns to the Europa League with Roma, last season's Europa Conference League champions. The Italian side will face Ludogorets, Real Betis and HJK Helsinki in the group stage.

Arsenal and PSV, led from the touchline by Mikel Arteta and Ruud van Nistelrooy respectively, are the star attractions in Group A, which also features Bodo/Glimt and FC Zurich.

Dynamo Kyiv, from war-torn Ukraine, will play Rennes, Fenerbahce and Larnaca in Group B.

The group stage begins on September 8 and wraps up on November 3, before the World Cup gets under way, with the final to be played on May 31 at the Puskas Arena in Budapest.


Draw in full:

Group A: Arsenal, PSV, Bodo/Glimt, Zurich

Group B: Dynamo Kyiv, Rennes, Fenerbahce, Larnaca

Group C: Roma, Ludogorets, Real Betis, HJK Helsinki

Group D: Braga, Malmo, Union Berlin, Union Saint-Gilloise

Group E: Manchester United, Real Sociedad, Sheriff Tiraspol, Omonoia

Group F: Lazio, Feyenoord, Midtjylland, Sturm Graz

Group G: Olympiacos, Qarabag, Freiburg, Nantes

Group H: Red Star Belgrade, Monaco, Ferencvaros, Trabzonspor

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