CELTIC were yesterday given a tough but exciting Europa League draw for the Group stages after the drama in Holland on Thursday night against AZ Alkmaar. Celtic’s reward for winning that Play-off round 3-2 on aggregate came the next day when Celtic were paired with German side Bayer Leverkusen, Spanish club Real Betis (from Seville) and of course Ferencváros where there’s some score- settling to be done after last season’s shocking Champions League exit against the Hungarian side.
Bayer Leverkusen
UEFA coefficient ranking (end of 2020/21): 25. How they qualified: directly, sixth in GermanyLast season: round of 32 (L 6-3agg vs Young Boys). Best UEFA Cup/Europa League performance: winners (1997/98)
Celtic
UEFA coefficient ranking (end of 2020/21): 46. How they qualified: play-offs (W 3-2agg vs AZ Alkmaar). Last season: group stage (fourth place). Best UEFA Cup/Europa League performance: runners-up (2002/03)
Real Betis
UEFA coefficient ranking (end of 2020/21): 82. How they qualified: directly, sixth in Spain
Last season: did not feature in UEFA club competition. Best UEFA Cup/Europa League performance: round of 16 (1998/99, 2005/06, 2013/14)
Ferencváros
UEFA coefficient ranking (end of 2020/21): 114. How they qualified: UEFA Champions League play-offs (L 6-4agg vs Young Boys). Last season: UEFA Champions League group stage (fourth in section) Best UEFA Cup/Europa League performance: semi-finals (1971/72)
*We’ll add kick-off times if available to update this article…
EUROPA LEAGUE – GROUP G – FIXTURES & DATES
Matchday 1 – Real Betis v CELTIC, Thursday 16 September
Matchday 2 – CELTIC v Bayer Leverkusen, Thursday 30 September
Matchday 3 – CELTIC v Ferencváros, Thursday 21 October
Matchday 4 – Ferencváros v CELTIC, Thursday 4 November
Matchday 5 – Bayer Leverkusen v CELTIC, Thursday 25 November
Matchday 6 – CELTIC v Real Betis, Thursday 9 December
Knockout stages
17 & 24 February 2022: Knockout round play-offs
10 & 17 March 2022: Round of 16
7 & 14 April 2022: Quarter-finals
28 April & 5 May 2022: Semi-finals
18 May 2022: Final
The final will take place at Sevilla’s Estadio Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán. It was originally scheduled to be played at the Puskás Aréna in Budapest but, due to the postponement and relocation of the 2020 final, appointed final hosts were shifted back a year.
Home to six-time UEFA Europa League/UEFA Cup winners Sevilla, the venue opened in 1958 and hosted the 1986 European Cup final, when Steaua stunned Barcelona. The Spanish national team have never lost at the stadium.