Europa League Draw
First Team

Europa League Draw

20th July 2021

Europa League Draw

Saints draw two of Europe’s Biggest Clubs in their fight to the Europa League Group Stages

 St Johnstone will face either one-time Champions League Winners PSV Eindhoven or one-time UEFA Cup winners Galatasaray in their first European bout since 2017.
 
Both PSV and Galatasaray face each other Wednesday night in the first leg of their Champions League qualifier. The loser of the tie will go on to face the Saints for a spot in the Europa League play-off.
 
The 24 times Eredivisie winners finished runners-up behind Ajax. PSV have a long successful history when it comes to continental football. The Lampen won their first European trophy in 1977-78 when they beat French side Bastia in the UEFA Cup final. 10 years later and the Dutch giants would go on to win the biggest competition in European football in the final against Benfica. Many of the greatest players to ever lace up a pair of boots have donned the red and white stripes. The likes of Ronaldo Nazario, Ronald Koeman, Ruud Van Nistlerooy, Arjen Robben, Georginio Wijnaldum and Memphis Depay have all cut their teeth at the Philips Stadion. Their current squad boasts the likes of World Cup winner Mario Gotze who scored the goal that brought the Jules Rimet trophy to Germany and Denzel Dumfries, who impressed during this year's Euros for the Dutch.
 
Galatasaray is the most successful club in Turkey with 22 titles to their name. Last season they finished runners-up to Besiktas. The Aslanar has also had previous success in Europe, they beat English side Arsenal in the 1999-2000 UEFA cup final on penalties. Since that success, the Turkish side has been a mainstay in continental football. Gheorghe Hagi, Wesley Sneijder, Felipe Melo and Burak Yilmaz have all previously played for the Istanbul side. Currently, the Galatasaray squad includes the likes of former Atletico Madrid, AS Monaco, Chelsea and Manchester United striker Radamel Falcao, Champions League runner-up Arda Turan and World Cup runner-up Ryan Babel.

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