MANCHESTER UNITED will face old enemy David Silva after they landed Real Sociedad in the Europa League group stage.
Erik ten Hag’s side will also take on Sheriff Tiraspol and Omonoia in Group E – meaning huge amounts of travel.
A trip to the Basque Country region of Spain to battle Sociedad and their ex-City magician Silva is the highlight of the group.
Cypriot team Omonoia are managed by ex-Leicester midfielder Neil Lennon and may prove a test.
That will also involve a 4,200 mile round trip.
Moldovan outfit Sheriff – who famously beat Real Madrid last season – round out the group and will see United travel 3,600 miles.
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Manchester United will be desperate to find their best form before long – and some European wins could bring much-needed confidence.
Due to the World Cup in November, the six matches are crammed into three blocks of back-to-back gameweeks.
Those will be played on September 8 and 15, October 6 and 13 then October 27 and November 3.
The Puskas Arena in Hungary will play host to next year’s final on May 31.
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After finishing sixth in the Prem, the giants find themselves back on a gruelling Thursday-Sunday schedule as they look to fight their way through Europe’s secondary competition again.
A run to the final in 2021 saw a heartbreaking final loss to Villarreal.
David de Gea missed the decisive penalty to hand the LaLiga side the trophy.
On the very same date United partied in 1999 when they won the Champions League and the Treble, it all fell flat in 22 years later.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men only had themselves to blame for not finishing the game off during the second half.
Last term saw the Red Devils temporarily back in the Champions League.
Their dreams were left in tatters when they were stunned at Old Trafford as Atletico Madrid edged through the last-16.
United have signed four players so far this summer – Christian Eriksen, Tyrell Malacia, Lisandro Martinez and Casemiro.
They started the campaign in woeful fashion, losing 2-1 to Brighton before being humiliated in a 4-0 loss to Brentford.
But they showed signs of life on Monday night in a 2-1 win over Liverpool, a result that will give them confidence heading to St Mary’s this weekend where they take on Southampton.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
