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Conference League pot 3 draw

If you couldn’t have guessed what was next, here is pot three:

• Lugano: Crvena Zvezda (H), Copenhagen (A), Sint-Truidense (H), Getafe (A), Kauno Zalgirls (H), Jablonec (A)

• Getafe: Brighton (H), Ajax (A), Lugano (H), U Craiova (A), Inter Escaldes (H), Iberia Tbilisi (A)

• KuPS: Gent (H), Braga (A), Trabzonspor (H), Borac (A), Cska Sofia (H), Nordsjælland (A)

• Twente: Pafos (H), Freiburg (A), Kairat Almaty (H), L Red Imps (A), Thun (H), Aarhus (A)

• L Red Imps: Midtjylland (H), Monaco (A), Twente (H), Brann (A), Hajduk Split (H), Egnatia (A)

• Borac: Atalanta (H), Panathinaikos (A), KuPS (H), Hearts (A), Riga (H), Mjallby (A)

Conference League pot 2 draw

Here is pot 2:

• Midtjylland: Ajax (H), Pafos (A), Sint-Truidense (H), L. Red Imps (A), Hajduk Split (H), Egnatia (A)

• Crvena Zvezda: Copenhagen (H), Gent (A), Trabzonspor (H), Lugano (A), Inter Escaldes (H), Iberia Tbilisi (A)

• Gent: Crvena Zvezda (H), Braga (A), Branm (H), KuPS (A), Aarhus (H), Thun (A)

• Panathinaikos: Brighton (H), Greiburg (A), Borac (H), Kairat Almaty (A), Cska Sofia (H), Nordsjælland (A)

• Pafos: Midtjylland (H), Atalanta (A), Hearts (H), Twente (A), Riga (H), Mjallby (A)

• Brighton: Monaco (H), Panathinaikos (A), U. Craiova (H), Getafe (A), Kauna Zalgirls (H), Jablonec (A)

Conference League pot 1 draw

To reiterate, the fixtures are not in order. The dates and times of the matches will be confirmed by Sunday. Here is pot one:

• Atalanta: Ajax (away), Pafos (home), Borac (A), Kairat Almaty (H), Riga (A), Mjallby (H)

• Braga: Copenhagen (A), Gent (H), KuPS (H), Brann (A), Aarhus (A), Egnatia (H)

• Ajax: Atalanta (H), Midt Jylland (A), Getafe (H), Sint-Truidense (A), Hajduk Split (A), Thun (H)

• Freiburg: Monaco (A), Panathinaikos (H), Twente (H), Trabzonspor (A), Jablonec (H), Kauna Zalgirls (A)

• Monaco: Freiburg (H), Brighton (A), L Red Imps (H), Hearts (A), Nordsjælland (H), Cska Sofia (A)

• Copenhagen: Braga (H), Crvena Zvezda (A), U. Craiova (A), Inter Escaldes (A), Iberia Tbilisi (H)

Rangers and Celtic to play in front of no fans

Celtic and Rangers have both been ordered to play their next home Scottish Cup match behind closed doors. The punishment comes following a Scottish FA disciplinary hearing into the trouble that marred Celtic’s quarter-final win at Ibrox in March. Dozens of arrests were made following clashes on the pitch after Rangers fans charged on to confront Celtic supporters who had spilled on to the playing area to celebrate their team’s penalty shoot-out success.

Both clubs will have to pay their opponents £100,000 in compensation for the loss of shared gate receipts at the cup ties. Any repeat of crowd trouble at Scottish Cup ties in the next two seasons would prompt another closed-door punishment. Both clubs admitted charges relating to unacceptable conduct from supporters. An independent review into the scenes previously concluded that “crushing” and “life-threatening violence” were narrowly avoided. PA Media

Before that though, we have a bit of Scottish news…

Thank you Luke and I have to agree, the computer generated draw is much less fun. I have been keeping an eye on the Conference League draw so let’s go through pot-by-pot on who will play who.

That’s the lot from me: may I just register my displeasure with this new computer-generated draw format, which is much less fun than picking balls out of a pot. Over to Sarah Rendell.

Brighton Conference League fixtures

• Monaco (H)

• Panathinaikos (A)

• Getafe (A)

• U. Craiova (H)

• Jablonec (A)

• Kauno Zalgiris (H)

Moyes keen to keep Ndiaye at Everton

David Moyes said Everton have yet to receive an approach for Iliman Ndiaye despite Manchester City’s interest in the Senegal international. “We’re certainly not in a hurry to sell our best players, that’s for sure,” the Everton manager said. “I don’t think we need to do anything. It’s nothing I’m concerned about because there’s been no contact as far as I’m aware of. I was told earlier in the summer that Al-Hilal wanted Ili but we heard nothing.”

Iliman Ndiaye. Photograph: Aidan Hunter/Action Plus/Shutterstock

Chelsea keen on Monaco's Camara

As the Enzo Fernández to Man City saga rumbles on I’m told Chelsea are interested in a deal for Monaco midfielder Lamine Camara. Meanwhile, Arsenal are understood to have knocked back an enquiry from their London rivals for Martin Zubimendi.

Again, the actual order of these fixtures is TBC, and will be released by Sunday latest, so say Uefa.

League phase dates are as follows:

Matchday 1: 16/17 September 2026
Matchday 2: 15 October 2026
Matchday 3: 22 October 2026
Matchday 4: 5 November 2026
Matchday 5: 26 November 2026
Matchday 6: 10 December 2026
Matchday 7: 21 January 2027
Matchday 8: 28 January 2027

Celtic Europa League fixtures

• Marseille (H)

• Benfica (A)

• Ferencvaros (H)

• Union SG (A)

• Celta (H)

• Omonia (A)

• Besiktas (H)

• Torreense (A)

Sunderland Europa League fixtures

• AZ Alkmaar (H)

• Milan (A)

• Dinamo Zagreb (H)

• Anderlecht (A)

• Jagiellonia (H)

• Lech Poznan (A)

• Levski Sofia (H)

• Torreense (A)

Bournemouth Europa League fixtures

• Milan (H)

• Real Sociedad (A)

• Viktoria Plzen (H)

• Sparta Prague (A)

• Sturm Graz (H)

• Celta Vigo (A)

• H Beer-Sheva (H)

• Lillestrom (A)

Crystal Palace Europa League fixtures

• Real Sociedad (H)

• Lyon (A)

• Sparta Prague (H)

• Red Bull Salzburg (A)

• Lech Poznan (H)

• Jagiellonia (A)

• Hoffenheim (H)

• Besiktas (A).

Europa League: Pot 2 fixtures

Note the order of these fixtures and KO times are TBC. But this who will face who and where:

Ferencvaros v Juventus (H), Milan (A), Plzen (H), Celtic (A), Celje (H), Lech Poznan A), Torreense (H), Hoffenheim (A)
Viktoria Plzen v Benfica (H), Real Sociedad (A), Union SG (H), Ferencvaros (A), Jagiellonia (H), Bournemouth (A), Levski Sofa (H), Lillestrom (A).
Union SG v Real Sociedad (H), Lyon (A), Celtic (H), Viktoria Plzen (A), Lech Poznan (H), Celta (A), H.Beer-Sheva (H), Besiktas (A).
GNK Dinamo v Leverkusen (H), AZ Alkmaar (A), Anderlecht (H), Rennes (A), Sturm Graz (H), Sunderland (A), NEC (H), H. Beer-Sheva (A).
Salzburg v Milan (H), Leverkusen (A), Sparta Prague (H), Anderlecht (A), Crystal Palace (H), Celje (A), Ararat-Armenia (H), Levski Sofia (A).
Celtic v Marseille (H), Benfica (A), Ferencvaros (H), Union SG (A), Celta (H), Omonia (A), Besiktas (H), Torreense (A).
Sparta Prague v AZ Alkmaar (H), Olympiacos (A), Rennes (H), Salzburg (A), Bournemouth (H), Crystal Palace (A), Lillestrom (H), Ararat-Armenia (A).
Rennes v Olympiacos (H), Juventus (A), GNK Dinamo (H), Sparta Prague (A), Omonia (H), Sturm Graz (A), OFI Crete (H), NEC (A).
Anderlecht v Lyon (H), Marseille (A), Salzburg (H), GNK Dinamo (A), Sunderland (H), Jagiellonia (A), Hoffenheim (H), OFI Crete (A).

So, that’s all the matches in pot one, but the new computer-powered draw format has wrong-footed me somewhat, and I’ll bring you the full run-down ASAP.

Marseille fixtures

Olympiacos H
Leverkusen A
Anderlecht H
Celtic A
Celta H
Sturm Graz A
Levski Sofia H
Besiktas A

Real Sociedad fixtures

Lyon H
Juventus A
Viktoria Plzen H
Union SG A
Bournemouth H
Crystal Palace A
Torreense H
Lillestrom A

Olympiacos fixtures

Milan H
Marseille A
Sparta Prague H
Rennes A
Jagiellonia H
Celje A
Hoffenheim H
Torreense A

AZ Alkmaar fixtures

Juventus H
Benfica A
GNK Dinamo H
Sparta Praha A
Sturm Graz H
Sunderland A
H. Beer-Sheva H
Ararat-Armenia A

Lyon fixtures

Leverkusen H
Real Sociedad A
Union SG H
Anderlecht A
Crystal Palace H
Jagiellonia A
Lillestrom H
Hoffenheim A

Matt Smith just mentioned that the full schedule will be confirmed by Sunday.

Milan fixtures

Benfica H
Olympiacos A
Ferencvaros H
Salzburg A
Sunderland H
Bournemouth A
Ararat-Armenia H
Levski Sofia A

Juventus fixtures

Real Sociedad H
AZ Alkmaar A
Rennes H
Ferencvaros A
Omonia H
Celta A
NEC H
H Beer-Sheva A

Benfica fixtures

AZ Alkmaar H
Milan A
Celtic H
Viktoria Plzen A
Lech Poznan H
Omonia A
OFI Crete H
NEC A

Leverkusen fixtures

Marseille H
Lyon A
Salzburg H
GNK Dinamo A
Celje H
Poznan A
Besiktas H
OFI Crete A

Here we go then. There are 144 fixtures to draw, so they say.

Chelsea finally have a shirt sponsor! They’ve been without a permanent one since 2023 but have today announced a deal with Circle Internet Group, an internet financial platform company.

A club statement says: “Founded in 2013, Circle is a pioneer in digital assets and is helping build the financial system for the internet. At its centre is USDC, the world’s leading regulated stablecoin. USDC is a trusted digital dollar that enables people and businesses to move money globally with internet speed and 24/7 availability.

“In the 2026/27 season, Circle and USDC brands will appear on the front of Chelsea’s Men’s, Women’s and Academy shirts, featuring for the first time at Chelsea FC men’s first Premier League home game of the season this Sunday against Brighton.”

Chelsea football club. Photograph: Adrian Dennis/AFP/Getty Images

Sebastian Rode, a man who needs no introduction, is the special guest. Or one of them.

Sebastian Rode. Photograph: Claudio Lavenia/UEFA/Getty Images

Rode led Eintracht Frankfurt to the trophy in 2022. He had spells at Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund before that.

Aston Villa did well to win it, of course, but those goals against Freiburg were some of the softest you will see in a European final.

The futuristic set looks like something off of Star Trek. Which, now I think of it, maybe isn’t futuristic at all.

Becky Ives mentions Aston Villa and Unai Emery and their triumph last season.

Run VT: a montage of LOADS of goals and stuff from last season.

The stage is set. Photograph: Sébastien Nogier/EPA

Live band! Strings! Brass! Drums! No expense has been spared. Well, this is Monaco.

And it’s only Matt Smith and Becky Ives presenting!

The opening titles are rolling, and the draw is beginning in Monaco. Strap yourselves in.

The Europa League and Conference League trophies. Photograph: Sébastien Nogier/EPA

Rangers, meanwhile, suffered their own ignominious defeat last night, a 1-1 aggregrate draw with Jabalonec and a 4-3 penalty shootout loss sending them crashing out of the Conference League.

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