The Europa League group stage draw has thrown up a blockbuster tie with Jose Mourinho facing former employers Manchester United.
Mourinho’s current club Fenerbahce will host United at the Sukru Saracoglu stadium on matchday four of the new league format.
It will be only the second time the 61-year-old has faced an English club in European competition since leaving the Premier League – last managing in England at Tottenham before he was sacked in April 2021.
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The new format introduced for both the Champions League and Europa League league stages this season has attracted a fair amount of criticism.
But it has already ensured some mouthwatering clashes with Mourinho’s Fenerbahce against United arguably the pick of the bunch in the Europa.
The Portuguese coach was in the hotseat at Old Trafford from 2016 to late 2018, before he was dismissed following a 3-1 defeat at Liverpool.
Ironically, Mourinho’s finest moment at United came in the Europa League, won in his first season at the club after a 2-0 win over Ajax in the final. During his tenure the Red Devils also won the EFL Cup and finished as Premier League runners-up in 2018.
Mourinho was appointed manager of the Istanbul-based club to huge fanfare in June of this year. However, he has already suffered one major disappointment with Fenerbahce knocked out of the Champions League at the qualifying stage, losing to French side Lille 3-2 on aggregate.
Mourinho though may now see one silver lining of dropping down to the Europa League, with the draw presenting him with a chance to beat the club who sacked him nearly six years ago.
United were also drawn against Rangers in the ‘battle of Britain’ fixture, which will kick-off their league stage campaign on matchday one. They will also face Porto, PAOK, Bodo/Glimt, Viktoria Plzen, Twente and FC Steaua Bucuresti in the first round.
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