Europa League Draw: Quarter-Final Fixtures, Confirmed Dates and Venues & Routes to Final
It may have started a year ago, but the 2019/20 Europa League is still going strong. Not because it's an incredibly long competition, but the circumstances are a such that we've had to wait a little bit longer for European football this time around.
An eventful, goal-laden round of 16 is now behind us, with eight sides left to battle it out for a major trophy on the continental stage.
Wolves are three wins away from Champions League football. ? pic.twitter.com/5E7INADEfC
— 90min (@90min_Football) August 6, 2020
Here's your full breakdown of who, what and when.
Format
Before diving in to the fixtures, it's best to run through the new format once more. As we've seen in the Champions League too, all matches from hereon in will be played in a one-off knockout style clash. To minimise the spread of COVID-19 as much as possible, neutral venues will host the remaining seven matches. It's a bit like the World Cup, and it's great.
The Europa League quarter-finals will be played at four venues across Germany. They are: Schalke's Arena AufSchalke, Koln's Rhein Energie Stadion, the MSV-Arena in Duisburg and the Merkur Spiel-Arena in Dusseldorf.
Originally, Gdansk in Poland was due to host the 2020 final, but that will now be changed to Koln's RheinEnergieStadion, with next season's final to be played in Gdansk instead.
Quarter-Final Fixtures
The draw has already been made for the quarter-finals, with conflicting results for both Premier League sides involved.
Wolves reached this stage with a 2-1 aggregate victory over Olympiakos, meanwhile Manchester United brushed aside LASK with a thumping 7-1 aggregate triumph.
Quarter-final fixtures are:
Monday 10 August: Manchester United vs Copenhagen - RheinEnergieStadion
Monday 10 August: Inter vs Bayer Leverkusen - Dusseldorf Arena
Tuesday 11 August: Shakhtar Donetsk vs Basel - Arena AufSchalke
Tuesday 11 August: Wolves vs Sevilla - MSV Arena
Route to the Final
As mentioned, on paper it is United who have the easier draw compared to Wolves. However, if both teams win their ties, then it confirms that at least one English side will compete in the Europa League final as the two will have to come face to face.
That, of course, means that the winners of Inter against Leverkusen with take on either Shakhtar Donetsk or Basel for a place in the final.
Remaining Europa League Dates
? The quarter-finals are set!
— UEFA Europa League (@EuropaLeague) August 6, 2020
? Who will reach the last 4?#UEL pic.twitter.com/1NjZwCdYYU
With the quarter-finals taking place on 10/11 August, there is no let up for the sides left in the competition as the new format aims to conclude the tournament as soon as possible to leave adequate time for clubs to prepare for the coming campaign.
That means the sides who reach the semi-finals will have just six days to prepare, with even less time before the final takes place.
Semi-final dates and venues:
Sunday 16 August: Wolves / Sevilla vs Manchester United / Copenhagen - Stadion Koln
Monday 17 August: Inter / Leverkusen vs Shakhtar Donetsk / Basel - Dusseldorf Arena
Final date and venue:
Friday 21 August: Winner of first semi-final vs Winner of second semi-final - Stadion Koln
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