Nyon (Switzerland) (AFP)

Lille inherited a strong Europa League group, with AC Milan and Celtic Glasgow in particular, unlike Nice, more spared by the draw made on Friday in Nyon (Switzerland) which placed the Aiglons in the Leverkusen hen.

Ciro Ferrara, the former Napoli player responsible for dividing the teams into the twelve groups of C3, spared the two French clubs from the biggest players in the competition (Arsenal, Tottenham, Naples), but did not for all that. reserved a single draw, in this event never won by any French club.

For Lille, a place among the first two will even be far from easy to obtain, with in Group H a seed named Celtic, and especially a Milanese favorite, the scarecrow of the hat N.3 that everyone dreaded.

Against the Czechs of Sparta Prague, who complete this group, the points will be essential.

"It is heavy. It's up to us to show that we deserve this place in the Europa League," said Lille defender Jérémy Pied on Téléfoot.

The Niçois are a little luckier in Group C: the seed is Bayer Leverkusen, a regular at the European Cups certainly less dangerous than AS Roma, Arsenal, Tottenham or Naples, all placed in the first hat.

The Israelis from Hapoel Beer-Sheva seem much more affordable, the Czechs from the other Prague club, Slavia, a little less.

- "Savor" -

"There are more difficult groups but it will not be easy. We will have to try not to miss it", reacted the president of the Aiglons Jean-Pierre Rivère on Téléfoot.

"We are going to savor it, we are not coming to play a Europa League to play it slowly, quietly. We fight for a whole year to have the chance to play it, we are not going to do it with the handbrake".

The French clubs could have been three to play in this group stage, but Reims, back in the European Cup after 57 years of absence, stalled in the third qualifying round, eliminated on penalties for the Hungarians of Fehervar .

Among the other beautiful posters delivered by this draw, Real Sociedad will challenge Naples in Group F.

The other favorites have been spared: Arsenal will face off against Rapid Vienna, Norwegians Molde and Irish Dundalk, while AS Roma will face Young Boys Bern, Romanians Cluj and CSKA Sofia.

Tottenham can see it coming too: their toughest opponents will be Bulgarian club Ludogorets.

The group stage, due to start on 22 October, can take place in front of the public: UEFA announced on Thursday that it would allow the return of local spectators, within a limit of 30% of stadium capacity and in agreement with national laws.

© 2020 AFP