The draw for the Europa League took place today as we embark on our first foray into the competition since we got to the final in 2000. The competition was then called the UEFA Rumbelows Cup where you may remember we lost on penalties to Galatasaray in the final.

This time out, due to our poor league challenge last season we’ll be leaving behind the glamour of the Champions League to join Everton in the Europa League.

Vic Akers will have plenty of time to top up his air miles gold account, with a trip to Serbia, Germany and Belarus.

We were drawn in Group H to play against Bate Borisov (Belarus), FC Koln (Germany) and Red Star Belgrade (Serbia) in the competition’s group stages.

Yesterday’s draw preview | Liverpool team news

Everton were handed a harder draw with Lyon in their group.

Full draw:

Group A: Villarreal, Maccabi Tel-Aviv, Astana, Slavia Prague

Group B: Dynamo Kiev, Young Boys, Partizan Belgrade, Skenderbeu

Group C: Braga, Ludogorets, Hoffenheim, Istanbul Basaksehir

Group D: Milan, Austria Vienna, Rijeka, AEK Athens

Group E: Lyon, Everton, Atalanta, Apollon Limassol

Group F: Copenhagen, Lokomotiv Moscow, Sheriff Tiraspol, Zlin

Group G: Viktoria Plzen, Steaua Bucharest, Hapoel Beer-Sheva, Lugano

Group H: Arsenal, BATE Borisov, Cologne, Red Star Belgrade

Group I: Salzburg, Marseille, Vitoria, Konyaspor

Group J: Athletic Club, Hertha Berlin, Zorya Luhansk, Ostersunds

Group K: Lazio, Nice, Zulte Waregem, Vitesse Arnhem

Group L: Zenit St. Petersburg, Real Sociedad, Rosenborg

The match schedule should be announced this afternoon.