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Which British sides are in Europa League action this week?

Which British sides are in Europa League action this week?
© Reuters
British clubs are back in Europa League action on Thursday.

British clubs return to Europa League action on Thursday after last week's opening round of group matches.

Arsenal host Dundalk, Tottenham go to Royal Antwerp and Leicester travel to AEK Athens while Rangers welcome Lech Poznan and Celtic head to Lille.

Here, the PA news agency takes a closer look at the opposition clubs.

Coaches

Dundalk v KI Klaksvik – UEFA Europa League – Play-Off – Aviva Stadium
Dundalk manager Filippo Giovagnoli was appointed in August (Brian Lawless/PA)

Dundalk: Filippo Giovagnoli was only appointed in August after the Lilywhites parted company with Vinny Perth, following their Champions League exit against NK Celje.

Royal Antwerp: A former Croatia international, Ivan Leko guided the club to the Belgian cup last season and previously won the league with Club Brugge.

AEK Athens: Massimo Carrera is coming up to his one-year anniversary at AEK having previously managed Xanthi and Spartak Moscow.

Lech Poznan: A former centre-back who won one cap for Poland, Dariusz Zuraw has been at the club since April 2019, winning 27 of his 60 matches in charge.

Lille: Christophe Galtier has been with the club for three years since replacing Marcelo Bielsa and has won 55 of his 112 games.

European pedigree

Soccer – UEFA Europa League – Group A – Manchester City v Lech Poznan – City of Manchester Stadium
Poznan played Manchester City in the Europa League in 2010 (Martin Rickett/PA)

Dundalk: They made their European debut in the 1963–64 European Cup and their best performance came in 1979-80 when they reached the last 16.

Royal Antwerp: Antwerp were runners up in the Cup Winners' Cup in 1993 when they lost to Parma. They have only qualified for Europe twice since 1995.

AEK Athens: They were the first Greek team to compete in the group stage of the Champions League in 1994–95, reached the quarter-finals of the European Cup (1968–69) and UEFA Cup semi-finals in 1977.

Lech Poznan: The Polish side have pedigree in Europe having played in the Cup Winners' Cup and European Cup and regularly reach the Europa League but this is their first group stage for four years.

Lille: Lille qualified for Europe for the first time in the club's history in 2001-02, reaching the Champions League. They also finished bottom of Group H last season, twice losing to Chelsea.

Form

Lille v Chelsea – UEFA Champions League – Group H – Stade Pierre Mauroy
Lille are second in Ligue 1 this season (Joe Giddens/PA)

Dundalk: Third in the League of Ireland, they lost their opening Europa League game to Molde last week and were beaten 1-0 by Waterford at the weekend.

Antwerp: They have won their last five games in all competitions and top the Belgium First Division by a point.

AEK Athens: One win in the last four, which came in a 1-0 victory at Ioannina on Sunday.

Lech Poznan: They sit 11th in the Polish Ekstraklasa after two wins from seven and were beaten by Benfica last week.

Lille: Second in Ligue 1 and level on points with Paris St Germain, they are unbeaten in the league this term.

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Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Arsenal36265588286083
2Manchester CityMan City35257387335482
3Liverpool35229477364175
4Aston Villa35207873522167
5Tottenham HotspurSpurs341861067541360
6Newcastle UnitedNewcastle351751378562256
7Manchester UnitedMan Utd34166125251154
8Chelsea34149116559651
9West Ham UnitedWest Ham351310125665-949
10Bournemouth36139145263-1148
11Wolverhampton WanderersWolves36137164960-1146
12Fulham36128165155-444
13Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton341111125257-544
14Crystal Palace351010154557-1240
15Everton36129153849-1137
16Brentford3699185260-836
17Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest3689194563-1829
18Luton TownLuton3668224978-2926
19Burnley3659223974-3524
RSheffield UnitedSheff Utd36372635100-6516


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