UEFA announce date for UEFA Europa League draw

Posted on Thursday, August 21st, 2008 at 6:44 pm and is filed under News.

UEFA have announced that the draw for the first round of the 2008/2009 UEFA Europa League will take place on the 29th of August. Previous reports had indicated that the draw would be taking place on Friday, before UEFA clarified the draw date at a press conference.

The draw is scheduled to take place in Monaco, following the conclusion of the tournament’s 2nd qualifying round. Over 60 clubs will be in action in the second leg of their 2nd qualifying round ties on the 28th of August.

A number of clubs have already qualified for the 1st round of the UEFA Europa League, including Ajax Amsterdam, Valencia and AC Milan. Based on current goal difference in their final qualifying round ties, these three clubs are likely to be joined by Lech Poznan, Napoli, Aston Villa and Brondby.

Meanwhile Georgian club WIT has agreed to play Austria Wien in Vienna on the 28th of August. The match will be a qualification playoff for the UEFA Europa League, and was organised after the recent conflict in Georgia led to the cancellation of the first leg of the two clubs’ 2nd qualifying round tie.