Europa Conference League group stage draw in full as Aston Villa learn opponents
Aston Villa are back in Europe as they look to emulate West Ham by ending their long wait for a trophy.
It's been over four decades since the Midlands club ruled the continent as European Cup winners, while their last taste of silverware came 27 years ago. But optimism is running high around Villa Park with Unai Emery, the master of European competitions, at the helm.
The four-time Europa League winner steered Villa to a seventh-place finish domestically last season to qualify for this year's Europa Conference League - a competition which has grown significantly in stature following previous wins by Jose Mourinho's Roma and West Ham's triumph back in June.
Villa sealed their path into the group stage in emphatic fashion, thumping Scottish side Hibernian 8-0 on aggregate over two legs in their qualifier. They'll have plenty to prove in the competition if they are to go all the way to the final, though.
They've been drawn in Group E with last season's semi-finalists AZ Alkmaar, who were knocked out by West Ham, as well as Legia Warsaw and Bosnian outsiders Zrinjski.
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A number of big clubs are also in contention, including last season's finalists Fiorentina and 2022 Europa League winners Eintracht Frankfurt. There are some strong entrants from France and Belgium, with Lille, Club Brugge and Gent all top seeds, while Fenerbahce, Ferencvaros and Dinamo Zagreb made up Pot 1.
Villa were placed in Pot 2 along with Fiorentina, PAOK, Maccabi Tel-Aviv and Bodo/Glimt, among others.
Scottish side Aberdeen have also made the draw and were amongst the Pot 4 hopefuls. They were drawn into Group G against Frankfurt, PAOK and HJK Helsinki.
The first round of group stage fixtures will take place on September 21 and will conclude before Christmas on December 14. Knockout round play-offs will then be held in February with the group runners-up from the Europa Conference league and the third-placed teams from the Europa League.
Winners of those ties will progress to the last-16 where they will join the group winners from the Europa Conference League, who seal an automatic place. The final will be held on May 29 in Athents.
Europa Conference League group stage draw
Group A
Lille
Slovan Bratislava
Olimpija Ljubljana
Klaksvik
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Group B
Gent
Maccabi Tel-Aviv
Zorya Luhansk
Breidablik
Group C
Dinamo Zagreb
Viktoria Plzen
Astana
Ballkani
Group D
Club Brugge
Bodo/Glimt
Besiktas
Lugano
Group E
AZ Alkmaar
Aston Villa
Legia Warsaw
Zrinjski
Group F
Ferencvaros
Fiorentina
Genk
Cukaricki
Group G
Eintracht Frankfurt
PAOK
HJK Helsinki
Aberdeen
Group H
Fenerbahce
Ludogorets
Spartak Trnava
FC Nordsjaelland
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