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Juventus and Milan Face Tough Europa League Draws

UEFA Europa League trophy on display
Football

Juventus and Milan handed demanding Europa League slates in Montecarlo draw

The names came out in Montecarlo and, with them, a clear message for Italian football: if Serie A wants to matter in Europe this season, Juventus and Milan will have to earn it the hard way.

They are the league’s only standard-bearers in the 2026-27 Europa League. By the end of the draw, both clubs knew they had been given routes laced with traps, awkward trips and nights where reputation alone will not be enough.

Juventus: tradition against turbulence

Juventus, sixth in Serie A last season and still rebuilding under Luciano Spalletti, emerged with a schedule that looks as uncomfortable as it is intriguing.

Real Sociedad come to Turin. A side that moves the ball quickly, presses high and has made a habit of unsettling bigger names on European nights. That home tie will carry weight: start well there, and the group immediately feels different. Slip, and the pressure spikes.

Then comes a trip to AZ Alkmaar, a club that has turned its compact stadium into a furnace for visiting teams. Rennes in Turin adds another layer: a technically sharp French side, dangerous between the lines, that will test Juventus’ defensive structure.

The calendar does not relent. There is Ferencváros away, always backed by a fierce Budapest crowd, and Omonia at home, the sort of fixture Juventus simply must control if they want to avoid late drama in the league phase.

Celta Vigo away stands out. A long journey, a tricky pitch, a team that can keep the ball and drag opponents into uncomfortable shapes. NEC at home and Hapoel Beer Sheva away round out the slate, the latter another demanding trip in terms of logistics, conditions and intensity.

For Spalletti, photographed looking dejected during Juventus’ Serie A opener in Frosinone on August 23, this competition now offers both risk and opportunity. The format is unforgiving: finish in the top eight of the league phase and you go straight to the Round of 16. Drop anywhere from ninth to 24th, and the path detours into a knock-out play-off, with extra games and extra jeopardy.

Juventus’ list:

  • Real Sociedad (H)
  • AZ Alkmaar (A)
  • Rennes (H)
  • Ferencváros (A)
  • Omonia (H)
  • Celta (A)
  • NEC (H)
  • Hapoel Beer Sheva (A)

No obvious “group of death.” No obvious comfort zone either.

Milan’s gauntlet of big names and awkward journeys

If Juventus’ draw feels testing, Milan’s looks like a full European tour.

Ruben Amorim’s side, fifth in Serie A last term, opens with a heavyweight clash: Benfica at San Siro. Two giants with rich continental histories, a match that could set the tone not just for Milan’s Europa League, but for the Amorim era itself. The stakes will be clear the moment the players walk out.

Olympiacos away follows, and anyone who has visited Piraeus on a European night knows what that means. Noise, colour, and a home team that feeds off every decibel.

Ferencváros at home and Salzburg away add a distinctly Central European flavour to the schedule. Salzburg, in particular, bring energy and youth, the kind of side that punishes any lapse in concentration.

Then comes a distinctly English twist. Sunderland at San Siro, Bournemouth on the south coast. Very different clubs, very different contexts, but both fixtures carry danger. Sunderland bring history and a fanbase desperate for a European scalp. Bournemouth offer Premier League tempo and a tight ground where big clubs can quickly feel claustrophobic.

Ararat at home and Levski Sofia away complete Milan’s programme, fixtures that will demand professionalism more than glamour. Drop points there, and the earlier marquee wins lose their shine.

Amorim, animated on the touchline during Milan’s Serie A opener in Turin against Torino on August 23, now has a clear map of what lies ahead. Every choice — rotation, tactics, squad management — will be judged against this demanding run.

Milan’s list:

  • Benfica (H)
  • Olympiacos (A)
  • Ferencvaros (H)
  • Salzburg (A)
  • Sunderland (H)
  • Bournemouth (A)
  • Ararat (H)
  • Levski Sofia (A)

A long road to Frankfurt

The new-style league phase kicks off on September 16 and 17 and runs deep into winter, wrapping up on January 28, 2027. From there, the competition narrows, the stakes climb, and the calendar tightens around domestic campaigns.

The equation is stark. Top eight and you breathe, stepping straight into the Round of 16. Anywhere from eighth to 24th, and the knock-out play-off looms, with two more high-pressure games added to an already packed schedule.

All of it points towards one night: May 26, 2027, in Frankfurt, where the Europa League Final will be staged.

UEFA will publish the full fixture list on Saturday, August 29. Only then will Juventus and Milan know the exact rhythm of their European weeks — who comes early, who waits for the winter, where the decisive away days fall.

For now, they have a draw, a path, and a responsibility. Two Italian clubs, one competition, and a continent watching to see whether Serie A’s last men standing can carry the weight.

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