The draw for the group stage of the Europa League will take place on Friday at 2pm (SAST) in Monaco.
Chelsea and Arsenal have definitely qualified for the tournament after finishing fifth and sixth in the Premier League last season respectively, while Burnley could also make the cut if they manage to overturn a 3-1 first-leg deficit against Greek side Olympiakos on Thursday evening.
Champions League dropouts Celtic have also been forced into a playoff against Lithuanian side Suduva, which stands at 1-1 ahead of the second leg in Glasgow. Rangers, too, have a good chance of progression after a 1-0 first-leg win over Russian outfit FC Ufa at Ibrox.
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Seventeen teams qualified automatically for the 2018-19 Europa League, with another 21 advancing from the playoffs, four dropouts from the Champions League playoffs and another six later down the line from Europe’s premier competition. This season’s final is on 29 May 2019 at Baku’s Olympic Stadium.
So which pots can every team expect to be in? Here’s how things stand:
*Depending on the result of playoffs. Very rough at this time, it must be said.
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Pot 1
Sevilla* • Arsenal • Chelsea • Zenit • Basel* • Bayer Leverkusen • Dynamo Kiev • Besiktas* • Olympiakos* • Villarreal • Anderlecht • Lazio
Pot 2
Sporting CP • Ludogorets* • Copenhagen • Marseille • Celtic* • Paok* • Milan • Apoel Nicosia • Gent* • Genk • Fenerbahce • Krasnodar
Pot 3
Sarpsborg 08* • Real Betis • Sheriff Tiraspol* • Bate Borisov • Rapid Vienna* • Dinamo Zagreb • RB Leipzig* • Eintracht Frankfurt • Malmo* • Spartak Moscow • Standard Liege • FC Zurich
Pot 4
Rennes • Red Star Belgrade* • Rangers* • Rosenborg* • Vorskla Poltava • Slavia Prague • Akhisarspor • Jablonec • AEK Larnaca* • Videoton Fehervar • F91 Dudelange* • Spartak Trnava*
