UEFA Europa League Group Stage Predictions: Arsenal to ease through, Tricky for the Toffees

Group I

Red Bull Salzburg midfielder Amadou Haidara

Red Bull Salzburg are widely considered an up-and-coming side in Austria at present and will like their chances of qualifying after being drawn alongside experienced French outfit Marseille, Portuguese Vitoria and Turkish side Konyaspor.

Many of the fine talents which we are now seeing showcased at RB Leipzig were recruited from Red Bull Salzburg, including Liverpool target Naby Keita and young starlet Dayot Upamecano and the club are still producing top quality youngsters.

Consequently they are a team which play without fear which is part of the reason why they stormed to the Austrian Bundesliga title last term, winning it by a massive eighteen points.

Red Bull Salzburg should have no issues with qualifying but will likely come unstuck against a Marseille side used to competing in the Champions League until Monaco burst onto the scene. Marseille cruised past Slovenians NK Domžale in the qualifiers and have a squad blessed with attacking prowess such as Dmitri Payet, Rely Cabella and Lucas Ocampos, so should find no problems breaking down all three defences in the group.

Both Vitoria and Konyaspor could nonetheless prove unpredictable given that we are yet to see them regularly on a European stage, but expect the aforementioned two to progress for now.

1st - Marseille

2nd - Red Bull Salzburg

3rd - Vitoria

4th - Konyaspor

Group J

Ernesto Valverde may be gone but Athletic Bilbao nonetheless remain a very solid unit and are dark horses for the Europa League crown. The Basque club were unlucky to finish as low as seventh in the division last term and, with Barcelona and Real Madrid aside, they conceded the fewest goals in La Liga. Tasked with having to break down their defence in Europe are Hertha Berlin, Ukrainian side Zorya and the only Swedish side in Europe this season, minnows Östersund.

Athletic Bilbao's organisation should therefore see them through to the knockout phase, whilst Hertha Berlin, who finished sixth in the Bundesliga last campaign, are another side who have good squad depth and potent frontmen in Kalou and Ibiševi?. Top spot will likely be decided by the pair's meeting in the group.

Östersund, the only club in the competition to be managed by an Englishman in Graham Potter, have done remarkably well to qualify alone and although Zorya will test the stronger two logistically and physically, it's unlikely the Ukrainian's will do any real damage.

1st - Athletic Bilbao

2nd - Hertha Berlin

3rd - Zorya

4th - Östersund