What Celtic fans should know about Standard Liege, Milan and Lille after today's Europa League draw

Everything Celtic fans need to know about Milan, Standard Liege and Lille after today’s Europa League draw

Celtic in action against Milan in the Champions League in 2013. Picture: SNS

MILAN

The basics

The Italian side play at the 80,000-capacity San Siro. They finished sixth in Serie A last season. They have never won the Europa League (or any previous iteration of it), but they've won the Champions League/European Cup on seven occasions.

Last meeting

It was in the group stages of the 2013-14 Champions League. Milan completed their double over the Scottish champions with a 3-0 away victory.

Manager

Stefano Pioli, a highly experienced manager in Italian football, took charge of the club in October last year. Initially given a deal just to the end of the season, he was granted a new contract after streering the club to sixth place following a disastrous start under Marco Giampaolo.

Form

The Milanese side were undefeated in all 12 games they played after the temporary shutdown of the 2019/20 season due to the coronavirus pandemic. They've won both of their league matches to start this campaign, though they scraped through to the Europa League with a penalty shoot-out win over Rio Ave.

Star player

Though all eyes will be on Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Celtic will need to be wary of the threat posed by German midfielder Hakan Çalhanoğlu, who netted nine times with seven assists in last season's Serie A.

SPARTA PRAGUE

The basics

The Czech side play their home matches at the Generali Česká pojišťovna Arena, more commonly known as Letná Stadium, which has a capacity of just under 20,000. They finished third in the top flight last year. Though Sparta have never won a European trophy, they did reach the semi-finals of the 1991-92 European Cup.

Last meeting

Sparta have never played Celtic in Europe before. They have however had ties with Rangers, Hearts and Airdrieonians.

Manager

Sixty-seven-year-old Václav Kotal managed Sparta's B team in three separate stints and was finally given the top job earlier this year.

Form

They’ve come roaring out of the traps in 2020/21, winning all five matches and sitting on top of the Czech Liga table.

Star player

After the loss of Guélor Kanga to Red Star Belgrade, the burden will fall on Bořek Dočkal to become the team's creative fulcrum in the centre.

LILLE

The basics

Lille play their home games at the 50,000-seater Stade Pierre-Mauroy. Qualification for the early rounds of the Europa League was secured with a fourth-place finish in Ligue 1. They've won the French league three times, the last of which in 2011, but their only European success has been the Intertoto Cup.

Last meeting

Celtic have squared off against several French sides through the years but this does not extend to the club from Hauts-de-France.

Manager

Former Lille and Marseille defender Christophe Galtier has 11 years of managerial experience but has only been at two clubs - a rarity in modern football. After eight years at Saint-Etienne he took over Lille in 2017.

Form

Another side who've made an unbeaten start to league football this year, Lille have won three and drawn two of their opening five fixtures and currently sit second behind Rennes.

Star player

Renato Sanches became the club's most expensive ever player when they signed him from Bayern Munich last summer for €25 million.