Key events
“One of the benefits of following Europa and Conference League football is that it keeps your brain challenged, especially the part that’s responsible for geography trivia,” writes Peter Oh.
“I had to look up where Union Saint-Gilloise are located and learned they hail from the outskirts of the Belgian capital. So Liverpool’s young guns will be flexing their muscles, er, near Brussels.”
It’s a good point – obscure football knowledge is the only reason I ever get a University Challenge question right.
There are also two 5.45pm kick-offs in the Women’s Champions League tonight, and they could be pivotal games in the group stage. Bayern Munich host Ajax in Group C, with both teams having already beaten PSG, who face group leaders Roma later.
In Group D, Paris FC welcome Real Madrid with both teams needing a win to keep pace with Häcken and Chelsea. The Swedish side visit Stamford Bridge later – Sarah Rendell will be here for live minute-by-minute coverage.
A definite “glamour friendly” feel to events at Pittodrie, with Mario Götze in the visiting XI. The hosts are out of the Conference League and Frankfurt are going through, so not much at stake. Incidentally, I’m taking the formations from Uefa’s site and some look a little funky – so if I’ve got it wrong, take it up with Ceferin.
Aberdeen (5-3-2): Roos; Milne, Rubezic, MacDonald (c), Gartenmann, McGarry; Polvara, Barron, Duncan; Morris, Lopes.
Subs: Devlin, Shinnie,Jensen, McGrath, Clarkson, Gueye, Hayes, Williams, Sokler, Dadia, Doohan, Marshall.
Eintracht Frankfurt (3-4-2-1): Trapp; Smolcic, Koch, Nkounkou; Baum, Gotze, Larsson, Hauge; Hasebe (c), Dina Ebimbe; Ngankam.
Subs: Pacho, Buta, Aaronson, Grahl, Tuta, Knauff, Gauer, Nacho.
So, Villa go with a shuffled but still pretty strong line-up as they seek a point to secure top spot in their group. Filip Marschall, who won the 2021 FA Youth Cup with Villa, makes his debut in goal.
For Liverpool, a whole host of youngsters get a runout including forward Ben Doak, midfielder Kaide Gordon and defender Conor Bradley, who becomes the first Northern Ireland player to start a European game for the Reds.
Union Saint Gilloise (3-4-3): Moris (c), Mac Allister, Burgess, Machida; Castro-Montes, Amani, Sadiki, Lapoussin; Puertas, Nilsson, Amoura.
Subs: Rasmussen, Eckert, Teklab, Rodríguez, Imbrechts, Terho, Sykes, Wenssens, Huygevelde, Leysen.
Liverpool (4-2-3-1): Kelleher; Quansah, Konaté, Bradley, Chambers; Endo, Jones (c); Gakpo, Gordon, Elliott; Doak.
Subs: Gomez, Diaz, Szoboszlai, Nunez, Tsimikas, Gravenberch, Marcelo, Scanlon, McConnell, Mrozek, Koumas, Hill.
Zrinjski Mostar (4-3-3): Marko Maric; Corluka, Jakoljevic, Radic, Memija; Canadjija, Ivancic, Zlomislic; Malekinusic, Bilbija (c), Cuze.
Substitutes: Sefo, Marin, Sabljic, Kis, Hrvanovic, Misic, Prskalo, Senic.
Aston Villa (4-1-3-2): Marschall; Cash, Konsa, Torres, Álex Moreno; Douglas Luiz (c); Zaniolo, Dendoncker, Diaby; Ramsey, Durán.
Subs: Martínez, Diego Carlos, McGinn, Watkins, Digne, Chambers, Kamara, O’Reilly.
The Europa League group stages come to a close tonight, and with it the final jostling for places in the last 16 and playoff rounds in next week’s draws.
Under the current format – which is set to change again next season – there is a big incentive to top the group. Those teams go straight into the last 16, avoiding a two-legged playoff with a jettisoned Champions League side.
Three British teams face their direct rival for top spot in their group in the 8pm kick-offs. West Ham host Freiburg, Brighton welcome Marseille while Rangers face a tricky trip to Real Betis.
In the early kick-offs, Liverpool face crack Belgian outfit Royal Union SG having already secured top spot in Group E. Over in the Europa Conference League, Aston Villa need a point at Zrinjski Mostar to guarantee winning their group, while Aberdeen end their campaign with a glitzy home tie against Eintracht Frankfurt.
All that, and plenty more to play for in both competitions – we’ll have more on the permutations, plus team news and build-up before the early games at 5.45pm GMT.