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      Europa Conference League draw LIVE: Chelsea face horror league phase fixtures, Man Utd to take on Mourinho’s Fenerbahce

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      THE Europa Conference League draw is complete and Chelsea fans face a 7,000-mile round trip to Kazakhstan in their league phase. Earlier on in the Europa League draw, Man Utd were drawn against Jose Mourinho’s side Fenerbahce.The Red Devils will also play Rangers, as will fellow Premier League side Tottenham. Follow out ALL the latest reaction from the Europa League draw with our live blog below…Chelsea’s opponents confirmedWith the clubs from pot one drawn for the Conference League league phase, Chelsea have learnt their six opponents.Enzo Maresca’s side face trips to Germany, Kazakhstan and Greece.The exact dates and kick-off times will be confirmed on Saturday, but here are who the Blues will face this season.Chelsea’s Conference League opponentsGent (H)Heidenheim (A)Astana (A)Shamrock Rovers (H)Panathinaikos (A)Noah (H)Copy linkCopiedChelsea out nextChelsea will face:Gent (H)Heidenheim (A)Astana (A)Shamrock Rovers (H)Panathinaikos (A)Noah (H)Copy linkCopiedChelsea to host GentGent are the first side drawn and will visit Stamford Bridge in the league phase.Chelsea’s remaining five opponents will be revealed when the Blues are drawn.Copy linkCopiedDraw underwayThe Conference League draw is underway, time to discover Chelsea’s opponents.Copy linkCopiedReminder of the potsHere is a reminder of the pots for the Conference League league phase draw.Conference League league phase draw potsPot One:ChelseaCopenhagenGentFiorentinaLASKReal BetisPot Two:Istanbul BasaksehirMoldeLegia WarsawHeidenheimDjurgardensAPOELPot Three:Rapid WienOmoniaHJK HelsinkiVitoria de GuimaraesAstanaOlimpija LjubljanaPot Four:Cercle BruggeShamrock RoversThe New SaintsLuganoHeartsMlada BoleslavPot Five:Petrocub HincestiSt. GallenPanathinaikosTSCBorac Banja LukaJagiellonia BialystokPot Six:CeljeLarneDinamo MinskPafosVikingur ReykjavikNoahCopy linkCopiedDraw set to startThe Conference League draw is about to get underway as Chelsea learnt their league phase fate.Enzo Maresca’s side will play against a club from each of the six pots in today’s draw.Copy linkCopiedConference League potsChelsea will be seeded in pot one for the Conference League draw.Here are the six pots in full:Conference League league phase draw potsPot One:ChelseaCopenhagenGentFiorentinaLASKReal BetisPot Two:Istanbul BasaksehirMoldeLegia WarsawHeidenheimDjurgardensAPOELPot Three:Rapid WienOmoniaHJK HelsinkiVitoria de GuimaraesAstanaOlimpija LjubljanaPot Four:Cercle BruggeShamrock RoversThe New SaintsLuganoHeartsMlada BoleslavPot Five:Petrocub HincestiSt. GallenPanathinaikosTSCBorac Banja LukaJagiellonia BialystokPot Six:CeljeLarneDinamo MinskPafosVikingur ReykjavikNoahCopy linkCopiedConference League drawAttention now turns to the Conference League draw, which is coming up at 1.30pm from the Grimaldi Forum in Monte Carlo, Monaco.Unlike the Champions League and Europa League, clubs will play six matches in the league phase.These will consist of one side from each of the six pots in today’s draw, with Chelsea the sole English representatives.The draw can be streamed live on Uefa.com, watched on TNT Sports 1 or followed here with our live blog.Credit: GettyCopy linkCopiedDraw completedWith the conclusion of the pot four draw, that ends today’s Europa League league phase ceremony.Fixture dates will be confirmed on Saturday.Here is a look at who Manchester United and Tottenham will face:Europa League league phase opponentsManchester United:Rangers (Home)Porto (Away)PAOK (H)Fenerbahce (A)Bodo/Glimt (H)Viktoria Plzen (A)Twente (H)FCSB (A)Tottenham:Roma (H)Rangers (A)AZ Alkmaar (H)Ferencvaros (A)Qarabag (H)Galatasaray (A)Elfsborg (H)Hoffenheim (A)Copy linkCopiedPot two and three completedThe Europa League league phase is almost completed with the clubs in pot four set to discover their final two opponents.Manchester United, Tottenham and Rangers found out all eight of their fixtures during the pot one draw, though.The Conference League draw is coming up following this ceremony.Copy linkCopiedMourinho reunionAs well as facing Rangers, Manchester United will also have a reunion with Jose Mourinho.The Red Devils will travel to Turkey to take on his new club Fenerbahce during the league phase.Copy linkCopiedUnited and Spurs to face RangersWith the fixtures confirmed for pot one in the Europa League league phase, we now know who Manchester United and Tottenham will play.Both sides have been drawn against Rangers for one of their two pot one opponents.Here are their fixtures in full:Europa League league phase opponentsManchester United:Rangers (Home)Porto (Away)PAOK (H)Fenerbahce (A)Bodo/Glimt (H)Viktoria Plzen (A)Twente (H)FCSB (A)Tottenham:Roma (H)Rangers (A)AZ Alkmaar (H)Ferencvaros (A)Qarabag (H)Galatasaray (A)Elfsborg (H)Hoffenheim (A)Copy linkCopiedFinally, AjaxThe last side from pot one to be drawn, Ajax will play:Lazio (h)Slavia Prague (a)Maccabi Tel-Aviv (h)Real Sociedad (a)Galatasaray (h)Qarabag (a)Besiktas (h)RFS (a)Copy linkCopiedLazio next drawnLazio are the penultimate side to learn their fixtures, here they are:Porto (h)Ajax (a)Real Sociedad (h)Braga (a)Ludogorets (h)Dynamo Kyiv (a)Nice (h)Twente (a)Copy linkCopiedSpurs’ opponentsNext out the hat is Spurs and here are their opponents:Roma (h)Rangers (a)AZ Alkmaar (h)Ferncvaros (a)Qarabag (h)Galatasaray (a)Elfsborg (h)Hoffenheim (a)Copy linkCopiedUnited drawnWe already know their pot one opponents, but here is the complete list:Rangers (h)Porto (a)PAOK (h)Fenerbahce (a)Bodo/Glimt (h)Viktoria Plzen (a)Twente (h)FCSB (a)Copy linkCopiedSlavia Prague latest team drawnThe Czech side will meet:Ajax (h)Frankfurt (a)Fenerbahce (h)PAOK (a)Malmo (h)Ludogorets (a)Anderlecht (h)Athletic Bilbao (a)Copy linkCopiedPorto opponentsPorto are next to be drawn and they will play:Manchester United (h)Lazio (a)Olympiacos (h)Maccabi Tel-Aviv (a)Midtjylland (h)Bodo/Glimt (a)Hoffenheim (h)Anderlecht (a)Copy linkCopiedFrankfurt third drawnFrankfurt will take on:Slavis Prague (h)Roma (a)Ferencvaros (h)Lyon (a)Viktoria Plzen (h)Midtjylland (a)RFS (h)Besiktas (a)Copy linkCopiedRoma out nextRoma are the second team drawn, they will play:Frankfurt (h)Tottenham (a)Braga (h)AZ Alkmaar (a)Dynamo Kyiv (h)Union SG (a)Athletic Bilbao (h)Elfsborg (a)Copy linkCopiedRangers’ opponentsRangers will play:Tottenham (h)Manchester United (a)Lyon (h)Olympiacos (a)Union SG (h)Malmo (a)FCSB (h)Nice (a)Copy linkCopiedDraw underwayHere we go, the first team drawn from pot one are Rangers.Copy linkCopiedDraw potsHere is a reminder of the pots for today’s Europa League league phase draw.Europa League league phase draw potsPot One:RomaManchester UnitedPortoAjaxRangersFrankfurtLazioTottenhamSlavia PraguePot Two:Real SociedadAZ AlkmaarBragaOlympiacosLyonPAOKFenerbahceMaccabi Tel AvivFerencvarosPot Three:QarabagGalatasarayViktoria PlzenBodo/GlimtUnion Saint-GilloiseDynamo KyivLudogoretsMidtjyllandMalmoPot Four:Athletic BilbaoHoffenheimNiceAnderlechtTwenteBesiktasFCSBRFSElfsborgCopy linkCopiedDraw about to startThe time has come for this season’s Europa League league phase draw, with the ceremony about to get underway in Monaco.Both Manchester United and Tottenham are in pot one and will be amongst the first clubs to discover their eight fixtures.Clubs will play two clubs from each pot, one at home and one away.Copy linkCopiedFinal venueThe final of this season’s Europa League will be held at the San Mames Stadium in Bilbao, Spain.Opened in 2013, the stadium has a capacity of 53,331.It is also the home of Athletic Bilbao, who are competing in the competition this term.Credit: GettyCopy linkCopied More

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      Who could Man Utd face in the Europa League draw?

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      MANCHESTER UNITED secured qualification for this season’s Europa League despite a disappointing eight-placed finish in the Premier League last season.The Red Devils capped off an underwhelming season on a high after lifting their 13th FA Cup and claiming their spot in Europe this term.The Europa League draw will take place todayCredit: GettySir Jim Ratcliffe has backed Erik ten Hag over the summer and will be hoping for a much-improved campaign in his first full season in charge at Old Trafford.The Dutchman has bolstered his squad with the likes of Leny Yoro, Joshua Zirkzee, Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui all coming through the door.PSG midfielder Manuel Ugarte is also on the verge of joining Man Utd for a huge fee of £51million. Ten Hag will be aiming to lead the club to their first European trophy since the Red Devil’s Europa League triumph in 2016/17.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLSunSport takes a look at the competition’s new style and who the Manchester outfit could face…What is the new Europa League 2024/25 format?This year’s Europa League will feature just one league table of all 36 qualified clubs, unlike previous years which saw eight groups of four.Each team will play eight matches, taking on two sides from each of the four pots, playing one match at home and the other away.Clubs from the same country will not play each other and no team can face more than two opponents from the same country.Most read in Europa LeagueDuring the draw, a club will be manually drawn out of the bowl and then said club’s eight fixtures will be revealed by Uefa’s automated software.Following the conclusion of the eight league phase matches, the top eight will qualify directly to the last-16 while teams that finish 9th to 24th will contest in an additional play-off round and those who finish 25th to 36th are set to be eliminated from this season’s European competitions.From the last-16, regular knockout rules will apply.This is the same format which is being used for the Champions League and the Europa Conference League.Who could Man Utd face in the Europa League draw?Man Utd are in Pot 1 due to their Uefa coefficient ranking.The Red Devils will play eight matches during the league phase, taking on two sides from each of the four pots, playing one match at home and the other away.At this stage of the competition, Ten Hag’s men cannot face opponents from their own country, meaning Man Utd cannot meet Tottenham just yet.The Red Devils can also play a maximum of two sides from any other country.Here are the clubs Man Utd could draw from each of the four pots:Pot 1: AS Roma, Porto, Ajax, Rangers, Eintracht Frankfurt, Lazio, Slavia Prague.Pot 2: Real Sociedad, AZ Alkmaar, Braga, Olympiakos, Lyon, PAOK, Fenerbahce, Maccabi Tel Aviv, Ferencvaros.Pot 3: Qarabag, Galatasaray, Viktoria Plzen, Bodo/Glimt, Union SG, Dynamo Kyiv, Ludogorets, Midtjylland, Malmo.Pot 4: Athletic Club, Hoffenheim, Nice, Anderlecht, Twente, Besiktas, FK RFS, Steaua Bucharest, Elfsborg.What TV channel is the Europa League draw 2024/25 on and can it be live streamed?The 2024/25 Europa League draw will be broadcast LIVE on TNT Sports in the UK.Subscription members of TNT can stream the entire action through discovery+Alternatively, fans can find out who their teams will be drawn with through SunSport’s live blog.READ MORE SUN STORIESCan I watch the Europa League draw 2024/25 for FREE?The Europa League draw will be broadcast for FREE on UEFA.comTNT Sport’s official YouTube channel will also be airing the draw live from Monaco. More

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      What is the new Champions League format and how does it work?

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      CHAMPIONS LEAGUE football has produced some of the best matches the world has ever seen – but this season will be like no other.Jude Bellingham capped off his incredible debut season for Real Madrid by helping Los Blancos seal their 15th Champions League triumph in the 2023/24 final.Real Madrid celebrated their 15th Champions League in styleCredit: GettyCHAMPIONS LEAGUE DRAW LIVEAnd the midfield maestro will be hoping his side can fend off English giants Manchester City, Liverpool and Arsenal to retain the title.But all teams are set to have a completely new route to the final courtesy of what will now be a league format.Luckily for fans, SunSport can give a clear explanation on how it will all work below.Read more on Champions League What is the new Champions League format?There will be one league table that all 36 qualified teams will participate in.Each club will play eight matches in the opening phase – four home games and four away games against seeded opposition in a system designed to ensure that teams play opponents of similar difficulty.Clubs will only face other sides based on the pot they have been drawn out of and teams cannot face more than two opponents from the same country or from the same association.The top eight teams in the final table will automatically go through to the last 16.Most read in Champions LeagueThey will then be joined by the eight play-off winners of ties between the sides who were placed ninth to 24th in the table.Teams that finish 25th or lower will be eliminated from all European competitions this season – meaning that they will not drop into the Europa League similar to previous years.Despite there being just eight matches in the opening phase, European matches will be spread over 10 midweek slots.The new Champions League format also sees the implication of two additional qualifying spots.How will the knockout stages work?As mentioned earlier, the top eight teams will automatically qualify for the last 16 while those who place ninth to 24th will compete in a two-legged knockout play-off for the chance to join them.Then from the last 16 onwards, the Champions League will continue to follow its previous format with the final taking place in a neutral venue.Teams that finish 25th or lower will be eliminated from the competition and will NOT drop into the Europa League.What does this mean for the Europa League and Europa Conference League?Both competitions will see similar changes to those of the Champions League and will both feature 36 teams.The Europa League will follow the exact same format READ MORE SUN STORIESWhile, teams in the Europa Conference League will play six matches against six different opponents in the league phase. More

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      Carabao Cup third-round draw simulated with Man Utd landing horror draw but Arsenal getting easy ride

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      ARSENAL have been predicted to get an easy ride in the Carabao Cup draw.The Gunners and the other teams from the Champions League and Europa League will enter the draw in the tournament tonight.The third round draw of the Carabao Cup has been simulatedCredit: GettyArsenal could have an easy tie against WalsallCredit: GettyMan United could have a nightmare trip back to BrightonCredit: AFPThe Seagulls smashed Crawley Town 4-0 to reach the third roundCredit: GettyClubs that compete in European competitions get a bye until the third-round draws in the League Cup.This means that the likes of Aston Villa, Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester United and Chelsea will find out their first opponents.However, they will not be able to face each other just yet in the tournament due to new rules implemented by the EFL.The major change has been made in order to help with the European club’s fixture congestion.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLThe draw will be made with two bags, the first bag will include the European sides while the second will have the remaining clubs.A simulation of the draw has taken place and has sprung up some interesting ties to excite fans.Mikel Arteta’s side have been predicted to face League Two outfit at the Emirates Stadium.The Gunners’ last game against the West Midlands side came in 1983, when they actually lost 2-1 in the FA Cup.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERSManchester United however have been picked for a horror tie against Brighton and Hove Albion.The Red Devils have already played against the Seagulls in the Premier League this season and lost 2-1 after a late goal from Joao Pedro.The Sun’s Shaun Custis and Martin Lipton break down the new changes for the UEFA Champions League format for 2024/25Simulated Carabao Cup drawHere is what the simulated draw of the Carabao Cup has thrown up…Arsenal vs WalsallQPR vs Aston VillaLiverpool vs Wolves or BurnleyBrighton and Hove Albion vs Manchester UnitedTottenham vs Coventry CityChelsea vs Nottingham Forest or NewcastleStoke City vs BarnsleyEverton vs BarrowSheffield Wednesday vs Bolton WanderersWest Ham or Bournemouth vs Leyton OrientFleetwood vs Wimbledon or Ipswich TownFulham vs Crystal PalaceCardiff City or Southampton vs Swansea City or Wycombe WanderersColchester or Brentford vs WatfordLeicester City vs Preston North EndAnother potential exciting tie could happen at Stamford Bridge as Chelsea could host either Nottingham Forest or Newcastle.The official draw will take place after the clash at the City Ground tonight after the match between the two Premier League sides.West Ham could have an enticing fixture against East London rivals Leyton Orient if they beat Bournemouth at the London Stadium.The League One strugglers made it through to the third round thanks to a shock win against Championship side Millwall at the Den.There could be another all Premier League clash between Fulham and Crystal Palace at Craven Cottage.The Eagles impressed in their 4-0 demolition of Norwich City, while Marco Silva’s side beat Birmingham City 2-0.READ MORE SUN STORIESThere could also be a repeat of the 1987 FA Cup final as Tottenham have been simulated to face Coventry City.Spurs last faced the Sky Blues in 2013 in the FA Cup and ran out 3-0 winners with Clint Dempsey netting a brace and Gareth Bale also on the scoresheet.Crystal Palace thumped Norwich City 4-0 in the second roundCredit: GettyIliman Ndiaye scored his first goal for Everton to knockout DoncasterCredit: GettyWho are these famous footballers? More

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      How much each Premier League club will earn from Europe without even kicking a ball with Chelsea set for paltry payment

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      PREMIER LEAGUE clubs are set to earn a pretty penny from Uefa before they even kick a ball in Europe this season.Seven English clubs will be competing across the three Uefa club competitions, which have undergone a radical format change.The format in Uefa competition will see Premier League clubs earn some cool prize money without kicking a ballCredit: AFPPep Guardiola’s Manchester City are in line to earn the mostCredit: RexArsenal will earn a lovely windfall before kicking a ballCredit: GettyChelsea will earn only a comparatively small figure after being bumped down in the Conference League by Man Utd’s FA Cup successCredit: RexThis new set-up puts them in a Swiss-style league system, instead of the previously adopted eight groups of four with the top two progressing.Now, each club will play eight matches in the opening phase – against seeded opposition, in a system designed to ensure that teams overall play opponents of similar difficulty.The top eight teams in the “final” table will automatically go through to the last 16, where they will be joined by the eight play-off winners of ties between the sides placed ninth to 24th in the table.Despite there being just eight matches in the opening phase, European matches will be spread over ten midweek slots.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLBut how much will each team earn from the new Uefa package?Kicking us off are Premier League champions Manchester City.Pep Guardiola is hoping to land a second European title with the club this season.Winning every match in the Champions League alone could see them earn somewhere in the region of £140million-£145m.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERSBut before a ball has even been kicked they are in line to receive £53m from the new package.Liverpool will earn at least £51m from the deal, Arsenal about £46m and Aston Villa give or take around £33m.SunSport’s Latest Transfer HeadlinesBy comparison, the Europa League offers a far less bountiful starting prize pool.Tottenham, who qualified for the competition through a fifth-place league finish, will earn £12m.This figure is the same as what Manchester United, who qualified through winning the FA Cup, will also receive.Meanwhile, Chelsea – who were knocked out of the Europa League and into the Europa Conference League because of United’s FA Cup triumph – are in line to earn just £5m.The new automated Champions League league phase draw is due to take place at 5pm on Thursday evening at the Grimaldi Forum in Monte Carlo, Monaco.The Europa League and Conference League draws are then due to take place the following day at 12pm and 1.30pm respectively.New Champions League formatEach club will play eight matches in the opening phase – against seeded opposition, in a system designed to ensure that teams play opponents of similar difficulty.The top eight teams in the “final” table will automatically go through to the last 16, where they will be joined by the eight play-off winners of ties between the sides placed ninth to 24th in the table.Despite there being just eight matches in the opening phase, European matches will be spread over 10 midweek slots.The new Champions League format also sees the implication of two additional qualifying spots.They will be awarded to the nations that are top of the “country coefficient” chart each season.The pots for the Champions League are as follows:Pot 1:Real MadridBayern MunichParis Saint-GermainInter MilanBorussia DortmundRB LeipzigBarcelonaManchester CityLiverpoolPot 2:Bayer LeverkusenAtletico MadridAtalantaJuventusBenficaClub BruggeShakhtar DonetskAC MilanArsenalPot 3:FeyenoordSporting CPPSV EindhovenCelticWinner of Young Boys v Galatasaray play-offWinner of Dinamo Zagreb v Qarabag play-offWinner of Lille v Slavia Prague play-offTBD (see below)TBD (see below)Pot 4MonacoAston VillaBolognaGironaVfB StuttgartSturm GrazBrestWinner of Malma v Sparta Prague play-offTBD (see below)Who will fill the TBD spots?The spots that you can not accurately predict come down to three play-off games – here are the matches in question:READ MORE SUN STORIESMidtjylland v Slovan BratislavaBodo/Glimt v Red Star BelgradeDynamo Kyiv v Red Bull SalzburgThe qualifying side with the lowest coefficient will go into Pot 4, with the others going into Pot 3. More

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      Europa League draw 2024/25: Date, stream, TV channel and pots for NEW league phase format

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      MANCHESTER UNITED and Tottenham fans will be glued to the screens for the upcoming Europa League draw – but the 2024/25 edition has a slight twist to it.Ademola Lookman’s sensational hat-trick fired Atalanta to their first-ever European title in the 2023/24 final against Bayer Leverkusen.Ademola Lookman fired Atalanta to their first piece of European silverwareCredit: RexAnd as a result, the Italian outfit secured automatic qualification to this season’s Champions League.This means that we are guaranteed to see new winners when the showpiece match comes around next summer.But before we get there, teams have to find out who they will face in the new league phase draw, and SunSport have all the information on when it will take place.Find out about the Europa League 2024/25 league phase draw below.Read more on Europa LeagueWhen is the Europa League draw 2024/25?The 2024/25 Europa League draw will take place on Friday, August 30.The draw will begin at 12pm BST at the Grimaldi Forum in Monte Carlo, Monaco.Four pots of nine teams will be created before the draw, based on the UEFA coefficient ranking of the 36 qualified clubs.Each team will be manually drawn using physical balls during the ceremony and as each team is picked out, a software program will randomly draw two opponents from each pot.Most read in Europa LeagueThis is then revealed along with their home-away designations.It is also part of the new Europa League format for the 2024/25 season.What is the new Europa League 2024/25 format?This year’s Europa League will feature just one league table of all 36 qualified clubs, unlike previous years which saw eight groups of four.Each team will only face eight clubs based on the pot they have been drawn out of.The top eight will qualify directly to the last-16 while teams that finish 9th to 24th will contest in an additional play-off round and those who finish 25th to 36th are set to be eliminated from this season’s European competitions.This is the same format which is being used for the Champions League and the Europa Conference League.Clubs from the same association will not play each other and no team can face more than two opponents from the other country.What TV channel is the Europa League draw 2024/25 on and can it be live streamed?The 2024/25 Europa League draw will be broadcast LIVE on TNT Sports in the UK.Subscription members of TNT can stream the entire action through Discovery+Amazon have purchased UEFA rights in the UK for the first time so the draw will also be available on Amazon Prime Video.Alternatively, fans can find out who their teams will be drawn with through our live blog.Can I watch the Europa League draw 2024/25 for FREE?The Europa League draw will be broadcast for FREE on UEFA.comWhat are the Europa League draw 2024/25 pots?The competition will be completed by the addition of 12 Europa League play-off winners later this month, plus the seven Champions League play-off losers.Pot 1: Manchester United, Tottenham, Roma, Rangers, Lazio, Porto, Eintracht FrankfurtPot 2: Olympiacos, LyonREAD MORE SUN STORIESPot TBD: Real Sociedad, AZ, USG, Nice, Twente, Athletic Club, Fenerbahce, HoffenheimWhat are the Europa League 2024/25 fixture dates?Matchday 1: September 25-26, 2024Matchday 2: October 3, 2024Matchday 3: October 24, 2024Matchday 4: November 7, 2024Matchday 5: November 28, 2024Matchday 6: December 12, 2024Matchday 7: January 23, 2025Matchday 8: January 30, 2025 More

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      Carabao Cup third-round draw set for MAJOR change due to expanded new Champions League schedule

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      THE Carabao Cup third-round draw is set for a major change due to the Champions League.The round of the tournament will see clubs competing in European competition enter the draw.The draw for the third-round of the Carabao Cup will be changedCredit: GettyClubs in European competition will not be able to be drawn against each otherCredit: GettyLiverpool are the current holders of the Carabao CupCredit: GettyArsenal, Manchester City, Liverpool, Aston Villa, Manchester United Chelsea and Tottenham all received a bye into the third round due to their qualification into Europe.The next round will take place in September across two-midweek fixture dates.Due to this scheduling, they will clash with the fixtures in the Champions League and Europa League.However, the EFL has implemented a change to the draw to avoid congestion.READ MORE ON FOOTBALLThe conditions will mean that a club in the Champions League will not be drawn against a team in the Europa League.This means that their Carabao Cup matches will happen on the alternative week to their European obligations.The draw will feature two different bowls to make sure the teams can be drawn correctly.The first bowl will include the six clubs in the Champions League and Europa League.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERSThe second bowl will then have the remaining 26 clubs left in the competition.There will be a pre-draw before Nottingham Forest’s second-round tie against Newcastle on August 28 to determine the home and away position of the Bowl One clubs.PREM RULE CHANGESNew Champions League formatEach club will play eight matches in the opening phase – against seeded opposition, in a system designed to ensure that teams play opponents of similar difficulty.The top eight teams in the “final” table will automatically go through to the last 16, where they will be joined by the eight play-off winners of ties between the sides placed ninth to 24th in the table.Despite there being just eight matches in the opening phase, European matches will be spread over 10 midweek slots.The new Champions League format also sees the implication of two additional qualifying spots.They will be awarded to the nations that are top of the “country coefficient” chart each season.The main draw will then be conducted after the match at the City Ground.The first six ties will be drawn by alternating between the bowls, with home and away already being determined. Once all the European teams have been drawn, the remainder of the draw will be taken from the second bowl.The ball numbers in the main draw will be announced on the morning of August 28.Liverpool are the current holders of the EFL Cup, having beaten Chelsea in the final at Wembley last term.The Champions League will feature a new format this season as each club will play a minimum of eight games compared to the previous six in the group stage.READ MORE SUN STORIESThis year’s tournament will have a bigger 24-club league table, with the top eight clubs automatically qualifying for the knockout stage.They will then be joined in the last 16 by eight play-off winners.Champions League potsHere are the pots for the Champions League this season…Pot 1: Real Madrid, Manchester City, Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, Liverpool, Inter Milan, Borussia Dortmund, RB Leipzig, BarcelonaPot 2: Bayer Leverkusen, Atlético Madrid, Atalanta, Juventus, Benfica, Arsenal, Club Brugge, Shakhtar Donetsk, MilanPot 3: Feyenoord, Sporting CP, PSV Eindhoven, CelticPot 4: Monaco, Aston Villa, Bologna, Girona, VfB Stuttgart, Sturm Graz, Brest More

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      Fans say ‘that’s clearest red you’ll ever see’ as Conference League star escapes sending off for horror two-footed lunge

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      FOOTIE fans were left stunned after a horror tackle went unpunished in the Europa Conference League qualifiers on Thursday night.The horrific challenge occurred during Welsh side The New Saints FC’s trip to Lithuania to play FK Panevezys in the first leg of their Europa Conference League qualifier.Nicolas Gorbosov’s out in a horror tackle in FK Panevezys’s clash with The New Saints FCThe Argentine crushed TNS midfielder Jack Bodenham, who thankfully avoided serious injuryPanevezys midfielder Nicolas Gorbosov recklessly put in a stomaching-churning two-footed challenge on TNS defender Jack Bodenham.Gorbosov, 34, leapt off the ground with both feet as Bodenham tried to play the ball at the touchline with his left foot.And the Argentine stamped down with his studs showing as the 24-year-old passed the ball.Thankfully for Bodenham, his left leg wasn’t fully planted as Gorbosov’s horrific attempt of a challenge connected with him.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLThe tackle looked like an instant red card in real time but the referee didn’t give Gorbosov his marching orders, instead going to the VAR.And much to the shock of TNS fans and players alike, the video assistant referee didn’t deem the tackle worthy of a red card.The challenge went viral on social media and received a slew of comments, with one viewer saying: “Deary me.”As clear a red you’ll see for a decade.”Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSTNS ran out 3-0 winners against their Lithuanian oppositionCredit: TNSAnother said: “Literally jumps in 2 footed. Gone to do him. That’s a bad one.”And another said: “Studs first, excessive force, not in control…how is this not a sending off on several levels?”Viktoria Plzen 1 Hearts 0 – Steven Naismith reflects and Robert Martin rounds up the Europa League play-off first leg in CzechiaOne remarked: “Shocking tackle.”Another chimed in: “Clearest red you’ll ever see.”TNS moved to within touching distance of the group stages of Europe’s third-ranked club competition with a 3-0 win in Lithuania.Second-half goals from Daniel James Davies, Daniel Williams and Ben Clark put the club on the brink of Welsh history.Should they avoid a four-goal defeat in their return leg at Park Hall next week, they’ll become the FIRST-EVER Welsh side to qualify for the group stage of a European club competition. More