Updated at 12.40pm BST Important events Show only key events Please enable JavaScript to use this feature West Ham are drawn with Romanian club, FCSB, based in Bucharest. Fiorentina, seemingly the toughest draw, have been drawn into Group A. Group A: Istanbul Basaksehir, Fiorentina Group B: West Ham, FCSB (Bucharest) Group C: Villarreal, Beer Sheva Group D: Partizan, KolnGroup E: AZ Alkmaar, ApollonGroup F: Gent, MoldeGroup G: Slavia Prague, CFR ClujGro Basel, Slovan Bratislava Updated at 13.56 BST Clubs in Pot 1 are in the following Conference League groups: Group A: Istanbul BasaksehirGroup B: West HamGroup C: VillarrealGroup D: PartizanGroup E: AZ AlkmaarGroup F: GentGroup G: Slavia PragueGroup H: Basel Correctly. Time for the Conference League draw. West Ham fans, Hearts fans, Shamrock Rovers fans, get ready. Fabrizio Romano, who tends to know these things, says West Ham’s negotiations for Lucas Paqueta are “in the final stages”, rather than signed and sealed. West Ham and Olympique Lyonnais have now agreed a verbal agreement for Lucas Paquetas, following another round of talks this morning. Now deal with the final stages. 🚨⚒️🇧🇷 #WHUFC Time to exchange documents and sign an agreement that has already been discussed on personal terms with Lucas Paquetá’s agents. pic.twitter.com/93CpsslDY5 — Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) August 26, 2022 Vladimír Šmicer is one of the guests for the Conference League draw. Of course he is asked about winning the Champions League with Liverpool in 2005: “My last strike for Liverpool was the winning penalty, so it was a very good night for me. For the club, for the fans – it was special.” Liverpool’s Vladimir Schmeichel celebrates scoring against AC Milan in Istanbul. Photo: Jerry Lampen/Reuters Adriano Del Monte is back on the mic for this Conference League draw. The clubs and pots are as follows: Pot 1VillarrealBaselSlavia PragueAZ AlkmaarGhentIstanbul BasaksehirPartizanWest Ham Pot 2CFR ClujMoldeFCSBFiorentinaKolnH Beer-ShevaApollonSlovan Bratislava Pot 3NiceAnderlechtZalgirisAustria WienHeartsShamrock RoversSivassporVaduz Pot 4Dnipro-1LechSlovackoSilkeborgDjurgardenPyunikRFSBallkani Updated at 13.51 BST A few games are being played here, because the draw for the Europa Conference League is also about to begin. I’ll be focusing on the draw while it’s going on, and then we’ll bring you the Ten Hag / Guardiola quotes as soon as possible. Pep Guardiola, the manager of Manchester City, is going to have a chat with the media very soon. Lucas Paqueta at West Ham is over, according to various sources. More as we understand it. Updated at 1.30pm BST Speaking to the media earlier, Frank Lampard laughed off the idea that Chelsea have made a £60million bid for Anthony Gordon. Here’s today’s story via PA Media: Everton manager Frank Lampard is adamant the club will sign a new striker before next week’s transfer deadline. They have been linked with a move for Brighton’s Neal Maupay and, while Lampard refused to discuss individual targets, he insisted the signing will go through. When asked if the money was available regardless of whether the club accepted an offer from Chelsea for Anthony Gordon, Lampard said: “Yes. Obviously things are relative. I’m not saying the number I have, but it’s an area I want to improve and we will improve it. We will improve it in this window, until the end of it. It will happen.” Lampard confirmed that he had not received any bid from his former club Chelsea for Gordon, following reports that the Londoners are set to offer £60million for the England Under-21 forward. “They haven’t offered £60m so let’s not talk about a number,” Lampard said. “He has not entered, he is our player and remains so. He’s in the squad for tomorrow. He is a huge player for us.” Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag, no doubt with a spring in his step after last Monday’s 2-1 win over Liverpool, is set to speak at 1.30pm. My mistake, Manchester United will not play in Tiraspol. Good knowledge Jeremy. @LukeMcLaughlin You can do a few kilometers away from Manchester to Tiraspol as no races are allowed in Transnistria. Looks like it will be in Chisinau… Don’t think Nicosia is a short hop either. — Jeremy Ives 💙🇺🇦 (@JeremyIves) August 26, 2022
Vieira: Ready for Palace to “suffer” at Manchester City
In his media interview ahead of a trip to the champions, Patrick Vieira is reminded that Crystal Palace have caused Manchester City’s previous two defeats in the Premier League on Saturday at 3pm. “We know the challenge,” says Vieira. “We know how difficult and how difficult it is to go there and try to get a result… we have nothing to lose, we will go there ready to suffer… and [we will] get ready for these two opportunities we will create. We’ll have to get them.” Want to add players before the window closes? “Yes, we are a bit light… we need more numbers, we need more players and hopefully we will have a few more players before the end of the window. But we need the right players. If we don’t [sign anyone else]I am very happy with the players we have, they are working very hard and very well.” Vieira was asked if Palace can keep up (in terms of investment) with the big-spending clubs in the top flight, including promoted Nottingham Forest: “We can’t keep up with these football clubs… we know who we are. we are a sustainable football club. We can’t spend money we don’t have. But that doesn’t stop us from bringing in the right players and being smart… we’ve shown that we can bring in young players who do very well at this level.” Interested in signing Aaron Wan-Bissaka? “There are reports, I will not talk about a player who is in another football team. We will try to improve the team.” And finally on Wilfried Zaha: “He’s been fantastic since I joined the club, on and off the pitch. He works every day to try and improve… we talk about how he can improve and do well for the team… he’s an important player. You can see the love the fans show him every weekend. He came through the system and loves the club.” Vieira dodges the question of whether they are talking to Zaha about a new deal. Updated at 1.15pm BST Our report after the Europa League draw: Louise Taylor Eddie Howe believes Alexander Isak has the “X-factor” to succeed at Newcastle United and is convinced the £59m Swedish striker is a perfect fit for the English game. As the crow flies, it’s 2,370km from Manchester to Tiraspol in Moldova, so this is a significant trip for Erik ten Haag and the Manchester United boys in midweek. A Soviet-era car in Tiraspol, Moldova in July. Photo: Anton Polyakov/Getty Images Updated at 13:00 BST Here, in somewhat graphic social media, is Manchester United’s Group E: I don’t think there is an obvious group of death, although with Dynamo Kyiv, Rennes and Fenerbahce all in Group B, this looks at least difficult for AEK Larnaca outside of 4. Group H also looks difficult with Crvena zvezda, Monaco, Ferencvaros and Trabzonspor are vying for places in the knockout rounds. Updated at 12.49 BST And that completes the draw. Not one of the special guests vilified the Europa League as the ‘Cup of Losers’, as Thomas Helmer did two years ago, which remains the most spectacular failure to read the room in the history of football draws. Free tickets for Joe! Congratulations.
Europa League dates
Group stage
Match 1: 8 September 2022 Match 2: 15 September 2022 Match 3: 6 October 2022 Match 4: 13 October 2022 Match 5: 27 October 2022 Match 6: 3 November 2022
Knockout stages
Knockout play-offs: 16 & 23 February Round of 16: 9 & 16 March 2023 Quarter-finals: 13 & 20 April 2023 Semi-finals: 11 & 18 May 2023 Final: 31 May 2023 Via Uefa.com: “The matches are generally played on Thursdays (apart from the final) and are in principle equally divided into two time slots: 18:45 CET and 21:00 CET.” Arsenal’s meetings with PSV will not be easy, but I think both the Gunners and Manchester United should be quite happy with it. What do you think, sports fans?
The Europa League group stage draw
Group A: Arsenal, PSV Eindhoven, Bodø/Glimt, ZurichGroup B: Dynamo Kyiv, Rennes, Fenerbahce, AEK Larnaca Group C: Roma, Ludogorets, Real Betis, HJKGroup D: Braga, Malmo, Union Berlin, St GilloiseGroup E: Manchester United , Real Sociedad, Sheriff, OmonoiaGroup F: Lazio, Feyenoord, Midtylland, Sturm GrazGroup G: Olympiacos, Qarabag, Freiburg, NantesGroup H: Crvena Zvezda, Monaco, Ferencvaros, Trabzonspor Updated at 12.40pm BST Pots 1-3 are now settled: Arsenal take on Norway’s Bodø/Glimt, United travel to Moldova to play Sheriff. For Arsenal, Bodø/Glimt looks favourable, PSV not. Manchester United should be quite happy so far, there were tougher draws in Pot 2 than Sociedad… Group A: Arsenal, PSV Eindhoven, Bodø/GlimtGroup B: Dynamo Kyiv, Rennes, FenerbahceGroup C: Roma, Ludogorets, Real BetisGroup D: Braga, Malmö, Union BerlinGroup E: Manchester United, Real Sociedad, SheriffGroup F: Lazio, MidtyllandGroup G : Olympiacos, Qarabag, FreiburgGroup H: Crvena zvezda, Monaco, Ferencvaros Updated at 12.39 BST Pots 1 and 2 are finished: Arsenal have PSV, Manchester United with Real Sociedad. Group A: Arsenal, PSB Eindhoven Group B: Dynamo Kyiv, Rennes Group C: Roma, Ludogorets Group D: Braga, Malmo Group E: Manchester United, Real SociedadGroup F: Lazio, Feyenoord Group C:…
