Europa League groups: Celtic and Rangers learn opponents and will face familiar foes

The Hoops reached the lucrative group stages after a 3-2 aggregate victory over AZ Alkmaar of the Netherlands with Rangers recording a 0-0 draw against Alashkert in Armenia to advance 1-0 on aggregate.

Rangers face trips to France, Czech Republic, and Denmark

Rangers were one of the first Pot 2 teams to be drawn out of the hat, joining Group A along with Lyon. The two teams competed in Group E of the 2007/08 Champions League before the Gers dropped into the Europa League and reached the final.

Rangers beat Lyon 3-0 in France with Lee McCulloch, Daniel Cousin, and DaMarcus Beasley on target.

They are joined in Group A by Czech representatives Sparta Prague, who knocked Rangers out of the 1991/92 European Cup on away goals after a 2-2 aggregate draw

and Danish side Brøndby, who are a new continental opponent for Steven Gerrard’s side.

Celtic to face teams from Germany, Spain, and Hungary

Celtic were drawn in Group G alongside Bayer Leverkusen, who knocked Rangers out of the 2019/20 Europa League in the round of 16 after a 4-1 aggregate victory. The Hoops have never before faced the Bundesliga outfit in European competition but Die Werkself become the ninth German team to have faced Celtic in Europe after Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, Borussia Mönchengladbach, Hamburg SV, RB Leipzig, Stuttgart, Werder Bremen, and Zwickau.

La Liga side Real Betis Balompie represent another new opponent for Ange Postecoglou’s side but Hungarian side Ferencvárosi are an all too familiar foe, having eliminated Celtic from the Champions League qualifiers last season.

Elsewere Leicester City and former Parkhead boss Brendan Rodgers were drawn in Group C alongside Napoli, Spartak Moscow, and Legia Warsaw while the other English representative, West Ham, will face Dinamo Zagreb, KRC Genk, and Rapid Vienna in Group H.

Draw in full

Group A: Lyon, RANGERS, Sparta Prague, Brøndby

Group B: AS Monaco, PSV Eindhoven, Real Sociedad, Sturm Graz

Group C: Napoli, Leicester, Spartak Moscow, Legia Warsaw

Group D: Olympiacos, Eintracht Frankfurt, Fenerbahce, Royal Antwerp

Group E: Lazio, Lokomotiv Moscow, Marseille, Galatasaray

Group F: SC Braga, Crvena Zvezda, PFC Ludogorets 1945, Midtjylland

Group G: Bayer Leverkusen, CELTIC, Real Betis, Ferencvárosi TC

Group H: Dinamo Zagreb, KRC Genk, West Ham, Rapid Vienna

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