Tough route for Lyon, Lazio in UEFA Europa League group stage

The draw of the UEFA Europa League group stage that took place in Monte Carlo on Friday handed French football club Lyon and Lazio tough routes.

Lyon will play in group E that includes Everton and Atalanta, the other two clubs that are expected to compete for top spots, alongside with Cypriot Apollon Limassol, reports Efe.

Lazio will try their luck in group K, together with French outfit Nice, who lost a Champions League spot to Napoli; Belgian Zulte Waregem and Dutch Vitesse.

The groups are as follows:

Group A: Villarreal (Spain), Maccabi Tel-Aviv (Israel), Astana (Kazakhstan), Slavia Praha (Czech Republic).

Group B: Dynamo Kyiv (Ukrain), Young Boys (Switzerland), Partizan (Serbia), Skenderbeu (Albania).

Group C: Braga (Portugal), Ludogorets Razgrad (Bulgaria), Hoffenheim (Germany), Istanbul Basaksehir (Turkey).

Group D: AC Milan (Italy), Austria Wien (Austria), Rijeka (Croatia), AEK Athens (Greece).

Group E: Lyon (France), Everton (England), Atalanta (Italy), Apollon Limassol (Cyprus).

Group F: Kobenhavn (Denmark), Lokomotiv Moskva (Russia), Sheriff (Moldova), Zlin (Czech Republic).

Group G: Viktoria Plzen (Czech Republic), FC Steaua Bucuresti (Romania), Hapoel Beer-Sheva (Israel), Lugano (Switzerland).

Group H: Arsenal (England), BATE Borisov (Bulgaria), Koln (Germany), Crvena zvezda (Serbia).

Group I: Salzburg (Austria), Marseille (France), Vitoria SC (Portugal), Konyaspor (Turkey).

Group J: Athletic Club (Spain), Hertha Berlin (Germany), Zorya (Ukrain), Ostersund (Sweden).

Group K: Lazio (Italy), Nice (France), Zulte Waregem (Belgium), Vitesse (Netherlands).

Group L: Zenit (Russia), Real Sociedad (Spain), Rosenborg (Norway), Vardar (Macedonia).

--IANS

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