Sunderland have been drawn against AC Milan in the Europa League league phase, sending the Black Cats to the San Siro for what will be their first European fixture since 1973.
The draw, confirmed alongside fixtures for Bournemouth, Crystal Palace and Celtic, pits Sunderland against the seven-time European champions as one of eight league-phase matches. Sunderland finished seventh in the Premier League last season to earn their route back into continental competition.
The Full Sunderland Fixture List
Sunderland’s Europa League campaign will see them play four home and four away matches. Their opponents are AZ Alkmaar (home), AC Milan (away), GNK Dinamo (home), Anderlecht (away), Jagiellonia (home), Lech Poznan (away), Levski Sofia (home), and Torreense (away).
That trip to face Torreense carries its own quirk. The Portuguese side qualified for the competition by beating Sporting CP in the Portuguese Cup final in May, but their 2,500-capacity home ground in Torres Vedras does not meet UEFA’s requirements. As a result, Torreense’s home matches will be played 193 miles away at the Estadio Algarve in Faro.
How the League Phase Works
Under the current Europa League format, each of the 36 competing teams plays eight different opponents — four at home and four away — during the league phase.
Finishing in the top eight guarantees automatic qualification for the round of 16. Clubs placed between ninth and 24th enter a two-legged knockout play-off round for a place in the last 16. Anything below 25th means elimination from the competition entirely, with no route into another European tournament.
Other English Clubs in the Draw
Sunderland are not the only Premier League side to have been paired with Milan. Bournemouth, who have reached European competition for the first time, will host the Italian giants at home as part of a group that also includes Real Sociedad, Viktoria Plzen, Sparta Praha, Sturm Graz, Celta Vigo, Hapoel Be’er Sheva and Lillestrom.
Crystal Palace, competing in the Europa League for the first time after being demoted from last season’s competition over multi-club ownership breaches, have been drawn against Real Sociedad, Lyon, Sparta Praha, Salzburg, Lech Poznan, Jagiellonia, Hoffenheim and Besiktas.
Celtic, who dropped into the Europa League after surrendering a four-goal lead against LASK in Champions League qualifying, will face Marseille, Benfica, Ferencvaros, Union SG, Celta Vigo, Omonia, Besiktas and Torreense.
Context: Last Season’s Finals
Aston Villa won the Europa League title last season. In the Conference League, Crystal Palace needed to overcome Zrinjski Mostar in the play-off round after finishing 10th in the league phase, before beating AEK Larnaca, Fiorentina and Shakhtar Donetsk in the knockouts and Rayo Vallecano in the final in Leipzig to claim their first European trophy.
This season’s Europa League final will be held in Frankfurt on 26 May, with the Conference League final following a week later in Istanbul.
