Europa League draw simulated with Liverpool facing horror 13,000-mile round trip as Brighton and West Ham learn fates

LIVERPOOL will spend a lot of time travelling this season if the SunSport Europa League draw simulator is accurate.

The computer predicted the possible outcome of Friday’s draw in Monaco, now that we know all 32 teams participating in the Europa League.

The likes of Rangers, Molde, Maccabi Haifa, AEK Athens, Panathinaikos and Raków Częstochowa learned their fate on Thursday after losing their respective Champions League qualifying ties.

But few teams face a simulated draw as difficult as Liverpool, who have been picked in Group A along with Olympiacos, Qarabag, and TSC Bačka Topola.

The Reds would be strong favourites to win the group, perhaps even achieving maximum points in the process.

But Jurgen Klopp’s men would also have to endure a lot of travelling to places like Greece, Azerbaijan and Serbia.

In fact, the total round trip to all three clubs is an astonishing 13,505 miles.

That could have a knock-on effect for Liverpool’s Premier League campaign, with Europa League teams given just two days rest in between European and domestic matches.

Brighton may also struggle to cope with the intensity of playing in Europe for the first time ever.

And while SunSport’s draw would be a little easier going in terms of travel, the Seagulls could have to play against teams with plenty of Europa League experience.

Atalanta reached the quarter-final in 2021-22 and qualified for the Champions League for three successive years between 2019-21.

While Sporting Lisbon won the Primeira Liga in 2021 and 2022 and reached the Europa League quarter-final last year too.

Sturm Graz are set to play in the Europa League for the seventh time in nine years – and Brighton’s lack of European pedigree could count against them in any potential draw.

West Ham meanwhile face no such issue after winning the Europa Conference League last season.

David Moyes’ men made the Europa League semi-final in 2022 and they will fancy their chances of reaching the knock-out stages once again if they are drawn against Sheriff and Raków Częstochowa.

However the predictor pitting the Hammers against Marseille means winning the group could be far from straightforward.

Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk