Sunderland have waited more than half a century for nights like this. Their first European campaign since 1973 will take them straight into the glare of the San Siro, after being paired with AC Milan in the Europa League league phase.
The Black Cats, who muscled their way to seventh in the Premier League last season, now step back onto the continental stage against the seven-time European champions in one of their eight group fixtures. For a fanbase raised on memories rather than modern European adventures, this is the kind of tie that rewires a club’s sense of its own possibilities.
And they will not be the only English side staring down Italian royalty.
Milan for Bournemouth, too – and a first taste of Europe
Bournemouth, preparing for their first-ever European campaign, have also been handed a meeting with Milan. Their version of the occasion comes on the south coast, not under the lights of San Siro, but the significance is no less sharp.
For a club that only recently escaped the lower leagues, welcoming Milan turns a historic season into something even more vivid. The Cherries will also face Real Sociedad among their eight league-phase games, a reminder that this competition will demand more than just soaking up the glamour.
Palace handed testing route
Crystal Palace arrive as last season’s Conference League winners, and their reward is a Europa League schedule loaded with pedigree.
They will face Lyon, Real Sociedad and Besiktas in a draw that offers little room for naivety. Palace have already proved they can handle knockout tension on the continent; now they must show they can live with established European names over a sustained run of fixtures.
Celtic’s redemption route after LASK collapse
For Celtic, the Europa League comes laced with frustration. The Scottish Premiership champions dropped into the competition after surrendering a four-goal lead against LASK in a chaotic Champions League play-off earlier this week.
Their response will play out against serious opposition. Celtic have been drawn to face Marseille, Benfica and Besiktas, a trio of clubs with European history and hostile atmospheres of their own. If that collapse against LASK stung, these games offer a hard, unforgiving route to redemption.
Brighton and Hearts set for Monaco tests
In the Conference League, Brighton’s draw underlines how quickly their European story has escalated. Among their fixtures are meetings with AS Monaco and Spanish side Getafe, ties that will test both their technical control and their growing European maturity.
Hearts, too, will see plenty of Monaco. The Scottish side have been drawn against the Ligue 1 club and will also travel to face Mohamed Salah’s Trabzonspor, a trip that promises a fierce atmosphere and a serious examination of their resilience.
From San Siro to the south coast, from Glasgow to Trabzon, the draws have scattered British clubs across some of Europe’s most charged stages. Now comes the real question: who will simply make up the numbers, and who will turn these fixtures into something their supporters talk about for decades?
