A guide to our eight Europa League opponents
Our 2024/25 Europa League campaign gets under way on Thursday night with Qarabağ the first of eight fixtures in the competition's new-look league phase.
In the year that marks the 40th anniversary of our second UEFA Cup glory in 1984, our return to Europe after one season out sees us take on eight different opponents - four home and four away - with the draw producing six sides we'll be facing for the first time in a competitive fixture.
Starting with more familiar opposition in the Azerbaijani champions at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, we will also be travelling to reigning Hungarian and Turkish league winners as well as teams from Holland, Italy, Scotland, Germany and Sweden for the first time in our history of this competition.
Here's a guide to our eight Europa League opponents as we vie for a place in the knockout stages:
Qarabağ
Fixture: Thursday 26 September, 8pm KO, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
How they qualified: Azerbaijani champions
Best performance in Europe: Europa League Round of 16 (2023/24)
Last season: Europa League R16
Head-to-head record: P2 W2 D0 L0
Feeling a sense of déjà vu? Well, just like we did in the 2015/16 season, we begin our Europa League campaign with a home tie against the experienced Azerbaijani outfit.
Perennial domestic champions in recent years, the Azeri side won a record-extending 11th Azerbaijan Premier League title last term – winning 10 in the last 11 seasons – and enter the competition having lost their UEFA Champions League play-off to Dinamo Zagreb.
In last year’s edition they made the last 16 – their best performance to date – only to be knocked out by two stoppage-time goals from eventual runners-up Bayer Leverkusen who won the tie 5-4 on aggregate.
Qarabag's Julio Romao and Leverkusen's Florian Wirtz
Qarabag's Julio Romao and Leverkusen's Florian Wirtz
Other fixtures: Malmö, Ajax, Bodø/Glimt, Lyon, Elfsborg, Steaua București (FCSB) and Olympiacos.
Son shines to light up the Lane
What a way to introduce yourself at White Hart Lane!
Four days on from his debut at Sunderland, Heung-Min Son’s first appearance in N17 saw him open his account with two goals in two minutes to inspire a comeback 3-1 win on 17 September 2015.
We went on to complete the double with Harry Kane scoring the only goal of the game 12 minutes from time away in Azerbaijan.
Heung-Min Son celebrates with Harry Kane following our winner in Qarabag
Heung-Min Son celebrates with Harry Kane following our winner in Qarabag
Ferencváros
Fixture: Thursday 3 October, 5.45pm KO, Ferencváros Stadion, Budapest
How they qualified: Hungarian champions
Best performance in Europe: UEFA Cup semi-final (1971/72)
Last season: Europa Conference League knockout round play offs
First time facing each other: First time facing each other
Our maiden voyage this campaign sees us take on Hungarian opposition for the first time in European competition history.
Despite that, it won’t be our first foray into the country’s capital of Budapest, defeating Austrian outfit Wolfsberger 4-1 with Sonny, Gareth Bale, Lucas Moura and Carlos Vinicius on target in the last 32 first leg at the Puskas Arena Park due to Covid-19 restrictions in the 2020/21 edition.
The Greens won their 35th top-flight trophy (Nemzeti Bajnoksag I) to qualify for the Europa League play-offs where they beat Bosnia & Herzegovina side Borac Banja Luka on penalties.
Did you know?
Ange Postecoglou and former Juventus trio Dejan Kulusevski, Rodrigo Bentancur and Radu Dragusin all have previous in this fixture.
Our Head Coach guided former club Celtic to home and away wins in the 2021/22 Europa League group stage.
The others also did the double over Ferencváros in the 2020/21 Champions League groups – Rodrigo played in both, Deki featured at home and Radu an unused substitute in Turin.
Other fixtures: Anderlecht (L 2-1), Nice, Dynamo Kyiv, Malmö, PAOK, Eintracht Frankfurt and AZ Alkmaar.
AZ Alkmaar
Fixture: Thursday 24 October, 8pm KO, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
How they qualified: Fourth in Eredivisie
Best performance in Europe: UEFA Cup runners-up (1980/81)
Last season: Europa Conference League group stage
First time facing each other: First time facing each other
The two-time Dutch champions return to the Europa League after spending the last three seasons in the Europa Conference League, making the last four in 2022/23 where they were beaten by winners West Ham United.
The Cheese Farmers finished fourth in the Eredivisie last term to qualify for the league stage and have made an unbeaten start to the new campaign.
One to watch
Leading the line for Maarten Martens side is our former player Troy Parrott, who moved to north Holland from north London this summer, with the striker getting off the mark for his new side with four goals in a 9-1 demolition of Heerenveen in the league and scored the winner as they came from behind to beat Elfsborg 3-2 in their Europa League opener on Wednesday (25 September).
Republic of Ireland's Troy Parrott
Republic of Ireland's Troy Parrott
Other fixtures: Elfsborg (W 3-2), Athletic Club, Fenerbahçe, Galatasary, Ludogorets, Roma and Ferencváros.
Galatasary
Fixture: Thursday 7 November, 5.45pm KO, RAMS Park, Istanbul
How they qualified: Turkish champions
Best performance in Europe: UEFA Cup champions (1999/2000)
Last season: Europa League Round of 32
European head-to-head record: First time facing each other
This competition holds a special place in the hearts of Galatasary fans with their 1999/2000 UEFA Cup success the only major European trophy they have won to date.
Having knocked out English opponents Leeds United in the last four, they then beat our rivals Arsenal on penalties in the final with our former player Gheorghe Popescu netting the decisive spotkick to clinch the trophy.
Galatasary lift the 1999/2000 UEFA Cup
Galatasary lift the 1999/2000 UEFA Cup
One of the big three clubs in Istanbul, The Lion will be the second Turkish team we have faced competitively having played against their inner-city rivals Beşiktaş on three occasions in this competition in 2006 and 2014.
Managed by their former player Okan Buruk, the nation's most decorated side won their 24th Süper Lig title last season to qualify for the Champions League play-off round. Drawn against Swiss outfit Young Boys, the Yellow-Reds lost 4-2 on aggregate over the two legs to drop into the league phase of this competition.
Other fixtures: PAOK (W 3-1), Rīgas (RFS), Elfsborg, AZ Alkmaar, Malmö, Dynamo Kyiv and Ajax.
Roma
Fixture: Thursday 28 November, 8pm KO, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
How they qualified: Sixth in Serie A
Best performance in Europe: Europa Conference League champions (2022/23)
Last season: Europa League semi-final
European head-to-head record: First time facing each other
In what will be our first competitive match against Roma, our previous meeting came in pre-season ahead of the 2022/23 campaign where we lost 1-0 against former manager Jose Mourinho's side at the time in the I-Tech Cup in Haifa, Israel on 30 July 2022.
Cristian Romero challenges Tammy Abraham during our pre-season friendly with Roma
Cristian Romero challenges Tammy Abraham during our pre-season friendly with Roma
With runners-up medals in both the Champions League (1984) and UEFA Cup (1991), the Italian side ended their long wait for a European trophy with a 1-0 win over Feyenoord in the 2021/22 Europa Conference League. Turning into somewhat European cup specialists since, Mourinho's team then lost on penalties to record winners Sevilla in the Europa League final the following campaign before Daniele De Rossi guided them to the semi-finals last term.
Finishing sixth in Serie A to qualify for the league phase, there has been a change of management since with De Rossi's sacking on 18 September and new coach Ivan Jurić taking charge.
Other fixtures: Athletic Club, Elfsborg, Dynamo Kyiv, Union Saint-Gilloise, Braga, AZ Alkmaar and Eintracht Frankfurt.
Rangers
Fixture: Thursday 12 December, 8pm KO, Ibrox Stadium, Glasgow
How they qualified: Second in Scottish Premiership
Best performance in Europe: x2 Europa League runners-up
Last season: Europa League round of 16
European head-to-head record: P2 W2 D0 L0
Our second trip to Scotland this season, following our pre-season friendly at Hearts in Edinburgh, sees us take on Rangers for the first time since we met at Ibrox Stadium in pre-season of 2022/23 and in Europe since the 1962 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup.
Rangers fans at Euston Station, London, ahead of our Cup Winners' Cup tie in 1962
Rangers fans at Euston Station, London, ahead of our Cup Winners' Cup tie in 1962
A competition we made history in as the first English side to win a European trophy the following season, Rangers also lifted that piece of silverware in 1972 - having finished second on two occasions prior - which remains their sole European success to date.
Finishing runners-up to Zenit St Petersburg in the 2008 UEFA Cup, the Scottish side then produced a spirited cup run under former boss Giovanni van Bronckhorst to the 2021/22 Europa League final but agonisingly lost on penalties to Germany's Eintracht Frankfurt.
Rangers 2021/22 Europa League final squad
Rangers 2021/22 Europa League final squad
Now led by Philippe Clement, the Glasgow-based outfit finished second in the Scottish Premiership to qualify for the Champions League qualifiers but were defeated by Dynamo Kyiv in round three.
Other fixtures: Malmö, Lyon, FCSB, Olympiacos, Nice, Manchester United and Union Saint-Gilloise.
Hoffenheim
Fixture: Thursday 23 January 2025, 5.45pm KO, PreZero Arena, Sinsheim
How they qualified: Seventh in Bundesliga
Best performance in Europe: Europa League R32 (2020/21)
Last season: N/A
European head-to-head record: First time facing each other
Promoted to the Bundesliga for the first time in 2008/09, Hoffenheim have established themselves in the German top flight ever since and, a decade later, competed in the Champions League group stage under former head coach and current German national team boss Julian Nagelsmann where they faced English opponents Manchester City.
Former Spur Kyle Walker of Manchester City competes with Joelinton in 2018
Former Spur Kyle Walker of Manchester City competes with Joelinton in 2018
In what is only their fourth foray into European competition and third Europa League campaign, Pellegrino Matarazzo's side made the Round of 32 in this competition last season before qualifying for the league stage after a seventh-placed finish in the Bundesliga.
Situated to the west of the country, we head to Germany's Rhineland for the inaugural meeting between us and TSG in the New Year.
Other fixtures: Midtjylland (D 1-1), Dynamo Kyiv, Porto, Lyon, Braga, FCSB and Anderlecht.
Elfsborg
Fixture: Thursday 30 January 2025, 8pm KO, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
How they qualified: Allsvenskan runners-up
Best performance in Europe: Europa League group stage (2013/14)
Last season: N/A
European head-to-head record: First time facing each other
Our league stage concludes at home against Elfsborg who face English opposition for the first time and will become only the second team from Sweden we have played in Europe after we lost 2-1 to Östers in the now defunct UEFA Intertoto Cup in 1995.
Hailing from the city of Borås to the south of the Scandinavian nation, the Yellow Ones return to the Europa League proper 11 seasons on from their best performance on the continent when they made the group stage in 2013/14.
The six-time Allsvenskan champions were pipped to the league title by Malmö on the final day of the season under former manager Jimmy Thelin last term. With Thelin joining Aberdeen in the summer, they are now led by 32-year-old Oscar Hiljemark and currently sit seventh with the Swedish top-flight campaign ending in November 2024.
Other fixtures: AZ Alkmaar (L 3-2), Roma, Galatasary, Braga, Athletic Club, Qarabağ and Nice.
Elfsborg in action in their 2024/25 Europa League opener against AZ Alkmaar on 25 September
Elfsborg in action in their 2024/25 Europa League opener against AZ Alkmaar on 25 September
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