The draw for the Europa League group stage was done on Friday in Monaco, and Liverpool has now learned their opponents.
Once Liverpool learns who its opponents in the Europa League group stage will be, it must take a step into the unknown.
On Friday at noon, the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco hosted the draw for the competition’s first round.
The top-ranked team in the competition, Liverpool, was placed in Group E where they would play Toulouse, Union Saint-Gilloise of Belgium, and LASK of Austria.
The Reds defeated Toulouse in the Champions League play-off in 2007, although LASK and Union Saint-Gilloise have never been opponents of the Reds in a meaningful match.
Based in Linz, Austria, LASK finished third in their domestic league last year. They play their home games in the Raiffeisen Arena, which can hold 19,081 spectators.
The Brussels-based Union Saint-Gilloise, who last year advanced to the quarterfinals of the Europa League, must travel to play their home matches because its Joseph Marien Stadium, which has a 9,400 capacity, does not exceed UEFA stadium standards.
Although Kevin Mac Allister, the brother of new Liverpool midfielder Alexis, will be in the Union squad, at least one Liverpool player will recognize him.
The first round of the Europa League will start on September 21; Liverpool’s subsequent group matches will be spread out over the remainder of the year.
