AMSTERDAM – Ethan Horvath and Molde FK are set for some advanced education after drawing a firm Europa League group-stage challenge that will include two matches each against European brand names Ajax, Celtic and Fenerbahçe.
The Norwegian holders have yet to face any of the three giants, who are all well versed at European adventures. Ajax won the then-named UEFA Cup in 1992, Celtic were 2003 finalists in the same previous version of the tournament, and Turkish power Fener boast one of the most intimidating home grounds anywhere in Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium.
Counting both Champions League qualifying and the Europa League playoff-round win over Standard Liège, Horvath has gone 2-1-2 with two shutouts in European play on the current campaign.
Though Tottenham right-sider DeAndre Yedlin is still waiting to learn where he will play this season, his club have been drawn into Group J with Andy Najar's Anderlecht, Monaco and Azerbaijani champs Qarabağ.
Injured US winger
Joseph Gyau
is working his way back toward a Borussia Dortmund return that will have him interested in their Group C lot. The BvB crew were handed a relatively soft path for passage that includes home-and-away tilts with Greece's PAOK, Russian side Krasnodar and Azerbaijani mites Qäbälä.
Meanwhile, Desevio Payne is knocking on the door of a Groningen outfit that is set for Group F play against Marseille, Braga and Slovan Liberec.
Full draw:
Group A: Ajax, Celtic, Fenerbahçe, Molde FK
Group B: Rubin Kazan, Liverpool, Bordeaux, FC Sion
Group C: Borussia Dortmund, PAOK, Krasnodar, Qäbälä
Group D: Napoli, Club Brugge, Legia Warsaw, FC Midtjylland
Group E: Villarreal, Viktoria Plzeň, Rapid Vienna, Dinamo Minsk
Group F: Marseille, Braga, Slovan Liberec, Groningen
Group G: Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk, Lazio, Saint-Étienne, Rosenborg
Group H: Sporting CP, Beşiktaş, Lokomotiv Moscow, Skënderbeu
Group I: Basel, Fiorentina, Lech Poznań, Belenenses
Group J: Tottenham, Anderlecht, Monaco, Qarabağ
Group K: Schalke, APOEL, Sparta Prague, Asteras Tripolis
Group L: Athletic Bilbao, AZ Alkmaar, Augsburg, Partizan Belgrade
