Like the Champions League, the Europa League also adopted the ‘Swiss Model’ replacing the group stage with the League Phase from the 2024/25 season. The number of teams has increased to 36 in a single league facing eight separate opponents home and away. The top eight sides will enter the Round of 16 directly while sides finishing from ninth to 24th will contest the knockout round play-offs to fill the other slots. From then on, the competition will follow its existing format. The final of the competition is on 21 May 2025 to be played at the San Mamés in Bilbao, Spain. The League Phase begins on 26 September 2024 and will run until 31 January 2025.
From the Premier League, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspurs have directly qualified for the competition with two slots allotted to the English top flight normally. The Red Devils finished eighth last season, their worst finish in the league history, but they managed to win the FA Cup saving their blushes and guaranteeing European football for the new season. Spurs secured their spot in the Europa League group stage by finishing fifth in the Premier League, despite leading the table early. The team last played in the competition in 2020-21.
United will be pleased to have less challenging fixtures on paper in the League Phase with the headline clash in store when they face Fenerbahce in Istanbul pitting against their ex-boss José Mourinho. That game falls on the third matchday after Erik ten Hag’s side begin their campaign against FC Twente at home and face FC Porto away. The 2017 Europa League winners will face Scottish giants Rangers, PAOK and Bodo Glimt in the rest of the matches at Old Trafford and made two other trips to Bucharest and Plzen.
On the contrary, Ange Postecoglou’s side will face tough opponents in the League Phase mostly on the away trips. However, there should not be any major hurdle for them to finish in the top eight. Roma will be more threatening than the rest although they will be the visitors at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium like AZ Alkmaar, Qarabağ and Elfsborg. The Gers are also on the list of opponents Spurs will face in away matches with record Turkish league winners Galatasaray, Bundesliga side Hoffenheim and Ferencváros bringing their force respectively.
Manchester United
Home
Rangers
PAOK
Bodo Glimt
FC Twente
Away
FC Porto
Fenerbahce
Viktoria Plzen
FCSB
Fixtures
26 September 2024
Manchester United vs FC Twente - Old Trafford, Manchester (00:30)
4 October 2024
FC Porto vs Manchester United - Estadio do Dragao, Porto (00:30)
25 October 2024
Fenerbahce vs Manchester United - Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium, Istanbul (00:30)
8 November 2024
Manchester United vs PAOK - Old Trafford, Manchester (01:30)
29 November 2024
Manchester United vs Bodo Glimt - Old Trafford, Manchester (01:30)
12 December 2024
Viktoria Plzen vs Manchester United - Doosan Arena, Plzen (23:15)
24 January 2025
Manchester United vs Rangers - Old Trafford, Manchester (01:30)
31 January 2025
FCSB vs Manchester United - Arena Nationala, Bucharest (01:30)
Tottenham Hotspurs
Home
Roma
AZ Alkmaar
Qarabağ
Elfsborg
Away
Rangers
Ferencváros
Galatasaray
Hoffenheim
Fixtures
27 September 2024
Tottenham vs Qarabağ - Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Tottenham (00:30)
3 October 2024
Ferencváros vs Tottenham - Groupama Arena, Ferencváros (22:15)
25 October 2024
Tottenham vs AZ Alkmaar - Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Tottenham (00:30)
7 November 2024
Galatasaray vs Tottenham - Rams Park, Istanbul (23:15)
29 November 2024
Tottenham vs Roma - Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Tottenham (01:30)
13 December 2024
Rangers vs Tottenham - Ibrox Stadium, Glasgow (01:30)
23 January 2025
Hoffenheim vs Tottenham - PreZero Arena, Hoffenheim (23:15)
31 January 2025
Tottenham vs Elfsborg - Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Tottenham (01:30)
