Europa League draw: Man United set for Van Persie reunion in group ‘similar to Champions League’

Manchester United will come up against former striker Robin van Persie after being placed in the same group as Fenerbahce of the Europa League.

Jose Mourinho has said Manchester United’s Europa League group is “very similar” to playing in the Uefa Champions League after the draw was made on Friday.

United will take on Turkish giants Fenerbahce, meaning a reunion with former striker Robin van Persie, as well as Dutch club Feyenoord and Zorya Luhansk of Ukraine in Group A.

Van Persie, 33, spent three seasons at United having joined from Premier League rivals Arsenal in 2013. His first season at Old Trafford proved his most successful, spearheading the side by scoring 35 goals as United won the Premier League title.

Van Persie can also enjoy another reunion in the Europa League when he faces his boyhood club Feyenoord.

“It is a good draw for us. We think we are in the Champions League. There are very similar groups in the Champions League,” Mourinho said.

“It is a difficult group but it is good. If you have teams without expression, even fans wouldn’t enjoy Thursdays.

“We all know the competition is not the same as the Champions League but to have Manchester United playing against clubs with tradition like Fenerbahce and Feyenoord is good for us. I don’t have more vision about Ukraine.”

EUROPA LEAGUE DRAW

GROUP A: Manchester United, Fenerbahce, Feyenoord, Zorya Luhansk

GROUP B: Olympiakos, Piraeus Apoel Nicosia, Young Boys, Astana

GROUP C: Anderlecht, St Etienne, Mainz, Qabala

GROUP D: Zenit St Petersburg, AZ Alkmaar, Maccabi Tel Aviv, Dundalk

GROUP E: Viktoria Plzen, AS Roma, Austria Vienna, Astra Giurgiu

GROUP F: Athletic Bilbao, Genk, Rapid Vienna, Sassulo

GROUP G: Ajax, Standard Liege, Celta Vigo, Panathinaikos

GROUP H: Shakhtar Donetsk, Braga, Gent, Konyaspor

GROUP I: Schalke, Salzburg, Krasnodar, Nice

GROUP J: Fiorentina, PAOK, Slovan Liberec, Qarabag

GROUP K: Inter Milan, Sparta Prague, Southampton, Hapoel Be'er Sheva

GROUP L: Villarreal, Steaua Bucharest, Zurich, Osmanlispor

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