Victor Wanyama (left) in action against Swansea City in an EPL match. He’s eying a long Europa League run with the Saints.
NYON, August 7- English Premier League side Southampton have been drawn against the Danish champions Midtjylland in the play-offs for the Europa League as the draw was made on Friday.
The Saints’ reward for beating Dutch outfit Vitesse Arnhem 5-0 on aggregate in the third qualifying round is a meeting with a Mdtjylland side who lost on away goals to APOEL of Cyprus in the Champions League third qualifying round.
Meanwhile, Borussia Dortmund have been paired with Odds of Norway, while Ajax will take on Jablonec of the Czech Republic after being dumped out of the Champions League third qualifying round by Rapid Vienna.
Fenerbahce, who have invested big money this summer luring the likes of Robin van Persie, Nani and Simon Kjaer to Istanbul only to be beaten by Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League third qualifying round, will meet Atromitos of Greece.
The winners will join the 10 losers from the Champions League play-offs and 16 other sides who qualify directly — including Villarreal, Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool, Schalke 04, Fiorentina, Napoli and Marseille – in the group stage draw.
Draw for the Europa League play-offs, made on Friday:
Milsami Orhei (MDA) v Saint-Etienne (FRA)
Altach (AUT) v Belenenses (POR)
Zilina (SVK) v Athletic Bilbao (ESP)
Steaua Bucharest (ROM) v Rosenborg (NOR)
Zorya Luhansk (UKR) v Legia Warsaw (POL)
Viktoria Pilsen (CZE) v Vojvodina (SRB)
Jablonec (CZE) v Ajax (NED)
Young Boys (SUI) v Qarabag (AZE)
Molde (NOR) v Standard Liège (BEL)
PAOK (GRE) v Brondby (DEN)
Bordeaux (FRA) v Kairat Almaty (KAZ)
Lech Poznan (POL) v Videoton (HUN)
Dinamo Minsk (BLR) v Salzburg (AUT)
Panathinaikos (GRE) v Qäbälä (AZE)
Astra Giurgiu (ROM) v AZ Alkmaar (NED)
Rabotnicki (MKD) v Rubin Kazan (RUS)
Southampton (ENG) v Midtjylland (DEN)
Liberec (CZE) v Hajduk Split (CRO)
Odd (NOR) v Borussia Dortmund (GER)
Krasnodar (RUS) v HJK Helsinki (FIN)
Atromitos (GRE) v Fenerbahce (TUR)
FC Thun (SUI) v Sparta Prague (CZE)
