Following last season’s fifth-placed finish in the Premier League, Liverpool have to play – whether they like it or not – in the 2015-16 UEFA Europa League.
As ever with this particular tournament, there are teams that fans have never heard of. So to make things easier, we’ve profiled each of Liverpool’s group opponents.
Rubin Kazan
Manager: Rinat Bilyaletdinov
Best place finish in the Europa League: Quarter-Finals (2012-13)
Travel distance from Anfield: 2536 miles
Brendan Rodgers and co face a trip to Russia. Rubin Kazan are one of the teams from pot one that the Reds would have been hoping to avoid before the draw, largely because of the lengthy flight across Europe that beckons. The two sides have never met before, but Liverpool, particularly at home, will be fancying their chances against a team who finished fifth in the Russian Premier League last season.
Bordeaux
Manager: Willy Sangol
Best place finish in the Europa League: Runners-up (1995-96)
Travel distance from Anfield: 866 miles
Liverpool will also face a short trip to France, to face the Ligue 1 side. The French outfit failed to get out of their group last year for the first time in their history. The Reds last faced Bordeaux in 2006 in the Champions League. Then managed by Rafael Benitez, Liverpool comfortably won 3-0 thanks to a double from Luis Garcia, and Steven Gerrard also getting on the scoresheet.
FC Sion
Manager: Didier Tholot
Best place finish in the Europa League: N/A
Travel distance from Anfield: 861 miles
The lesser-known team in Liverpool’s group, the Swiss side make their Europa group stage debut. It’s safe to say that they don’t have any dangerously recognisable players although Elsad Zverotic did play for Fulham until earlier this year. The Reds last faced the Swiss outfit in 1996; it was a nine-goal thriller with the Anfield club coming out on top in a 6-3 victory. FC Sion finished seventh in last season’s Swiss Super League.
