Başakşehir, Konya draw difficult groups in Europa League

The draw for football's Europa League has seen Turkey's Başakşehir and Konyaspor pitted against Hoffenheim and Marseille respectively.

In Group C, the Istanbul club face Germany's Hoffenheim, who missed out on Champions League football when they were beaten by Liverpool.

Portuguese club Braga and Bulgaria's Ludogorets make up the rest of the group.

Konyaspor, who are in Group I, will face 1993 Champions League winners Marseille, Salzburg of Austria and Portugal's Vitoria Guimaraes.
Seven-time continental champions AC Milan were handed a favourable Europa League draw made Thursday in Monte Carlo while there is a Bundesliga v Premier League rematch as Cologne take on Arsenal.

Milan, who reached the group stage after progressing through qualifying, meet Austria Vienna, Rijeka of Croatia and AEK Athens in pool D of the tournament which concludes with the May 16 final next year in Lyon.
Milan returns to UEFA competitions after a three-year absence, and avoided long travel for Thursday games that lurk in the 48-team draw.

On Wednesday Liverpool defeated Hoffenheim in the Champions League play-offs but Cologne can restore some Bundesliga pride in Group H against Arsenal, winners of the then Fairs Cup in 1970. BATE Borisov and Red Star Belgrade make up the numbers.

Arsenal face a tricky Europa League group stage with ties against Cologne and Red Star Belgrade as Arsene Wenger's side play in Europe's second-tier competition for the first time since 1997.

The Gunners were also paired with Belarus club Bate Borisov in Friday's draw, but it was kinder to another European giant, AC Milan, who face Austria Vienna, AEK Athens and Rijeka of Croatia.

Wayne Rooney's Everton have a stern test in a group containing French club Lyon, who host the final on May 16.

The French Ligue 1, and Nice in particular, will also be eyeing revenge over Italy's Serie A. Nice were eliminated from the Champions League by 1989 winners Napoli but now meet Lazio, along with Zulte Waregem and Vitesse Arnhem in Group K.

Lyon take on Atalanta with Everton also in the strong Group E and Apollon of Cyprus making up the numbers.

Villarreal of Spain meet Maccabi Tel-Aviv, Astana and Slavia Prague in Group A while Athletic Bilbao take on Hertha Berlin, Zorya and Ostersund in Group J. Real Sociedad meet 2008 winners Zenit St Petersburg in Group L, which also includes Rosenborg and Vardar.

The top two teams in each group advance to a Round of 32 which includes eight third-place teams from Champions league groups.

Games kick off Sept. 14, and Lyon hosts the final on May 16.
EUROPA LEAGUE GROUPS
Groups for the 2017/2018 UEFA Europa League after Friday's draw in Monaco:

GROUP A
Villarreal (ESP), Maccabi Tel Aviv (ISR), Astana (KAZ), Slavia Prague (CZE)

GROUP B
Dynamo Kiev (UKR), Young Boys Berne (SUI), Partizan Belgrade (SRB), Skenderbeu (ALB)

GROUP C
Sporting Braga (POR), Ludogorets (BUL), Hoffenheim (GER), Başakşehir (TUR)

GROUP D
AC Milan (ITA), Austria Vienna (AUT), Rijeka (CRO), AEK Athens (GRE)

GROUP E
Lyon (FRA), Everton (ENG), Atalanta (ITA), Apollon (CYP)

GROUP F
FC Copenhagen (DEN), Lokomotiv Moscow (RUS), Sheriff Tiraspol (MDA), FC Zlin (CZE)

GROUG G
Vitoria Plzen (CZE), Steaua Bucarest (ROM), Hapoel Beer-Sheva (ISR), FC Lugano (SUI)

GROUP H
Arsenal (ENG), Bate Borisov (BLR), Cologne (GER), Red Star Belgrade (SRB)

GROUP I
Salzburg (AUT), Marseille (FRA), Vitoria Guimaraes (POR), Konyaspor (TUR)

GROUP J
Athletic Bilbao (ESP), Hertha Berlin (GER), Zorya Luhansk (UKR), Ostersund (SWE)

GROUP K
Lazio Rome (ITA), Nice (FRA), Zulte Waregem (BEL), Vitesse Arnhem (NED)

GROUP L
Zenit Saint-Petersburg (RUS), Real Sociedad (ESP), Rosenborg (NOR), Vardar (MKD)