Against All Odds: Legacy Of A Football King
Chapter 194: Europa League Group Stage Draw—Live 2

Chapter 194: Europa League Group Stage Draw—Live 2

The draw continued.

"Group C... Olympique de Marseille."

"Group D... FC Girondins de Bordeaux."

"Group E... VfB Stuttgart."

One by one, the first seeds filled the groups, each name carrying its own history, and its own expectations.

"Group F... PSV Eindhoven."

Ashley, who had been casually scrolling through her phone, glanced up at the name on the screen.

"That’s who we just played, right?"

Adam smirked. "And very well beat."

Benjamin didn’t respond, his focus glued to the TV.

"Group G... Sporting CP."

"Group H... Inter Milan."

"Oh boy," Adam said with a low chuckle. "Whoever lands there is in trouble."

The draw for the first seedings neared its end.

"Group I... Olympique Lyon."

"Group J... Tottenham Hotspur."

"Group K... Bayer 04 Leverkusen."

And finally...

"Group L... FC Twente."

The first seeds were locked in. The board on the screen now displayed twelve groups, each with a giant at its helm.

The murmurs in the hall grew louder, as club officials leaned in to discuss the potential matchups forming in their minds.

Benjamin exhaled slowly, his fingers flexing. The real tension was still to come.

Ashley, still half-distracted, leaned back into the couch. "So, when do we find out who we’re stuck with?"

Adam checked the time. "Soon enough."

Benjamin said nothing. He didn’t need to. His mind was already racing through possibilities.

Their fate was still inside that glass bowl, waiting to be revealed.

The camera panned back to the stage, where the UEFA official, Giorgio Marchetti, adjusted his microphone.

The atmosphere inside the hall was thick with anticipation, the kind that made even seasoned club representatives sit a little straighter. The second seedings were about to be drawn.

Patrick Kluivert dipped his hand into the glass bowl, swirling the balls around before selecting one. He cracked it open and unfolded the slip of paper.

"Group A... Udinese Calcio."

A ripple of reaction spread through the audience.

Udinese was a strong Italian side, one that had made its mark in Europe before. A tough challenge for anyone in Group A.

Benjamin shifted in his seat, his eyes locked on the screen as the next name was drawn.

"Group B... Hapoel Tel-Aviv FC."

Ashley glanced at Adam. "They’re from Israel, right?"

Adam nodded. "Yeah. Tricky team. They’ve had some big wins in Europe before."

The draw continued.

"Group C... Fenerbahçe SK."

A murmur ran through the crowd. The Turkish giants were always a dangerous opponent, especially in their own backyard.

Adam whistled lowly. "That’s not a group you want to be in."

Benjamin didn’t comment. His focus remained on the screen.

"Group D... Club Brugge KV."

Club Brugge was a solid Belgian side, one that had consistently challenged for European spots.

"Group E... FC

Ashley leaned forward. "Danish team?"

"Yeah," Adam replied. "They’re no pushovers either."

Patrick Kluivert reached in again, the tension only growing with each name that was called out.

"Group F... SSC Napoli."

That one drew a reaction. Napoli was a team stacked with talent, their attacking prowess were capable of overwhelming any opponent.

"Group G... FC Basel."

Benjamin’s fingers tapped against his knee. FC Basel was a Swiss side with a reputation for making life difficult for the bigger teams.

"Group H... FC Rubin Kazan."

Adam let out a small chuckle. "Tough away days for that group."

Ashley frowned. "Why?"

"Because playing in Russia is a nightmare, but we lived to tell the tales." Adam explained. "Extreme cold, long exhausting travel, and they know how to defend."

The draw continued.

"Group I... Athletic Bilbao."

A Spanish team with a unique identity—only fielding Basque players. They were relentless, pressing with an intensity that wore teams down.

"Group J... PAOK FC."

A Greek team known for their passionate fanbase. Adam simply nodded. "Another place you don’t want to visit as an away team."

"Group K... FC Metalist Kharkiv."

A Ukrainian side that had been on the rise in recent years. Tough, physical, and capable of playing some excellent football.

And finally, the last name for the second seedings.

"Group L... Hannover 96."

The German club completed the second layer of teams in the tournament, the board now showing each group with its first two teams locked in.

***

[Group A]

1. Liverpool FC (ENG)

2. Udinese Calcio (ITA)

[Group B]

1. Club Atlético de Madrid (ESP, holders)

2. Hapoel Tel-Aviv FC (ISR)

[Group C]

1. Olympique de Marseille (FRA)

2. Fenerbahçe SK (TUR)

[Group D]

1. FC Girondins de Bordeaux (FRA)

2. Club Brugge KV (BEL)

[Group E]

1. VfB Stuttgart (GER)

2. FC (DEN)

[Group F]

1. PSV Eindhoven (NED)

2. SSC Napoli (ITA)

[Group G]

1. Sporting Clube de Portugal (POR)

2. FC Basel 1893 (SUI)

[Group H]

1. FC Internazionale Milano (ITA)

2. FC Rubin Kazan (RUS)

[Group I]

1. Olympique Lyonnais (FRA)

2. Athletic Club (ESP)

[Group J]

1. Tottenham Hotspur FC (ENG)

2. PAOK FC (GRE)

[Group K]

1. Bayer 04 Leverkusen (GER)

2. FC Metalist Kharkiv (UKR)

[Group L]

1. FC Twente (NED)

2. Hannover 96 (GER)

***

The murmurs in the hall grew louder again, and the club officials were already analyzing potential matchups.

Benjamin exhaled, eyes still fixed on the screen.

The tension in the room thickened as the third seedings were set to be drawn. This was where groups could shift from competitive to outright brutal. A strong third-seed team could change everything.

Giorgio Marchetti gestured toward Patrick Kluivert once more. The Dutch legend reached into the glass bowl, his fingers swirling the remaining balls before selecting one. He cracked it open, revealing the next name.

"Group A... BSC Young Boys."

They were a solid Swiss side, known for their relentless pressing and pace. They wouldn’t be favorites, but they had caused upsets before.

Benjamin’s knee bounced slightly in anticipation. His feelings were conflicted. On one side he hoped they’ll be drawn into an easy group but on the other, he was looking forward to a competitive group.

"Group B... FC Viktoria Plzeň."

Adam exhaled through his nose. "Czech side. Tough at home, but beatable."

Ashley hummed, only half paying attention.

"Group C... VfL Borussia Mönchengladbach."

That one drew murmurs from the crowd.

"That just made Group C way more interesting," Adam muttered. "Gladbach can play."

Benjamin nodded subtly.