Everton handed Young Boys test in Europa League draw

Lyndon Lloyd , 15 December, 63comments | Jump to most recent

Everton will face Young Boys of Bern, Switzerland, in the Europa League Round of 32 after being paired with them in today's draw in Nyon.

The two teams were the first balls drawn from the pots and it will be the first time the two clubs have met in competition.

The two legs will be played on 19th and 26th February, with the Blues away from in the home 32,000 capacity Stade de Suisse first.

Everton were seeded for the draw and kept apart from the four best teams dropping out of the Champions League, Group H runners up, Wolfsburg, and rivals teams from the Premier League.

Holders Sevilla were drawn against Borussia Moenchengladbach, Tottenham face Fiorentina, Celtic play Internazionale, and Liverpool play the winner of Spurs' group, Besiktas.

Reader Comments (63)

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Gerry Quinn
3 Posted 15/12/2014 at 12:18:49

Stade de Suisse, Wankdorf, Bern - 32,000 capacity

Ste Traverse
4 Posted 15/12/2014 at 12:18:02

Got to be happy with that.

Mark Taylor
6 Posted 15/12/2014 at 12:25:44

Plastic Pitch... Fun..

Les Newsham
7 Posted 15/12/2014 at 12:25:10

How good are Young Boys? Who could they be compared to in the Premier League?

Mike Childs
8 Posted 15/12/2014 at 12:23:34

They must be decent or in a weak league. They seem to be in this competition every year. IÂ’m glad we dodged Seville. I hope we play them in the final.

Guy Hastings
10 Posted 15/12/2014 at 12:30:17

We could well be the only British side left in the following round. And if that isnÂ’t tempting fate, I donÂ’t know what is.

Liam Reilly
11 Posted 15/12/2014 at 12:36:09

The Dark side will get past Besiktas, Guy; reckon the gods have us down to draw them in the latter stages of this competition.

If we can’t beat Young Boys over two legs then we don’t deserve to be in Europe.

Chris Leyland
12 Posted 15/12/2014 at 12:41:34

If Roberto goes for some of his trusted regulars, it will be Young Boys versus old men.

Tony J Williams
13 Posted 15/12/2014 at 12:41:11

All the draws are bent, what were the odds that Citteh would get either Madrid/Barca AGAIN.

In regards to Young Boys, glad of the travel time and not the greatest of teams...

Stu Green
14 Posted 15/12/2014 at 12:42:25

@Mark #6

Are you sure about the plastic? Info I just found suggests its long since been replaced.

Stade de Suisse has had an artificial pitch since 2006, though it was replaced with a natural one for the European Championships.
Link

Andrew Ellams
15 Posted 15/12/2014 at 12:41:03

Besiktas are no pushovers. Arsenal and Spurs have both struggled against this year and it is of course the return of Demba Ba to Anfield, Stevie Me will be having nightmares over that one.

Mark Frere
17 Posted 15/12/2014 at 12:40:00

Very happy with that draw. I’m sure they will be no mugs but I doubt they are as good as any of the teams we faced in the group stages. Think we got the best tie out of all the British clubs and we deserve it after being drawn in the group of death.

Mark Rimmer
18 Posted 15/12/2014 at 12:44:19

Something strange going on here, it appears we’ve been handed a favourable draw and Liverpool haven’t! Someone from the footballing world needs to step in and sort out this abomination!

Christopher Wallace
19 Posted 15/12/2014 at 12:46:53

Demba Ba making a glorious return to Anfield.

Happy with draw. They’re not a bad team, but we should progress quite comfortably.

Mike Hughes
20 Posted 15/12/2014 at 12:46:08

Just looked at the Europa outright odds:-

The Mighty Blues 12/1
The shite 11/1
Besiktas 25/1
Young Boys 100/1

Looks like we got the better draw on the face of it.

If we’re good enough ......

Phil Roberts
21 Posted 15/12/2014 at 12:39:50

There is a winter break in the Swiss league. They have played their last game now until 7th Feb. So they will have had only 2 games between now and playing us.

So the question - will they be fit and rested or will they be rusty?

They are 3rd in the Swiss league, 8 points adrift of FC Basel - and we know they are not a great side from their recent performance on Merseyside when they could only get a draw against 10 men.

They finished 2nd in their Europe League group behind Napoli thanks to beating Sparta Prague in the last match to leapfrog them. They won all their 3 home matches by a combined 9-0 but lost 2 of the 3 away games, only winning at Slovan Bratislava, who lost all 6 matches.

So it would seem KITAP1 in Bern and then European Night at GP

Thomas Surgenor
23 Posted 15/12/2014 at 12:54:05

Didn’t they cause Spurs a lot of problems a few years back?

John Raftery
24 Posted 15/12/2014 at 12:55:35

The pitch is artificial. From what I can see on TV it is a fast surface which will give them an advantage in the first leg. We will need to be up for it.

Julian Exshaw
25 Posted 15/12/2014 at 13:01:21

I live in Switzerland and the general level of the league here is Championship level. FC Basel is an exception, as we have seen. Games are generally badly attended and only Basel has anything like good gates. Things are improving though, clubs like YB have new stadiums and the national team has been pretty consistent. I would not expect us to have any problems however.

Patrick Murphy
26 Posted 15/12/2014 at 13:07:17

Tweet from John Aldridge reported in the Echo "Demba Ba comes back to haunt us while them lot across the park get the easy tie"...my how times are changing.

Amit Vithlani
27 Posted 15/12/2014 at 13:09:26

This will do for me, though as usual much depends on what form, injuries and frame of mind we are in come Feb. the much vaunted second half of the season will be in full swing so we should be ok (laughs nervously to himself)

Denis Richardson
28 Posted 15/12/2014 at 13:13:14

No games will be easy but that is a really good draw for us. Mighty glad we dodged the two Spanish and two Dutch sides.

Brent Stephens
29 Posted 15/12/2014 at 13:15:00

Wankdorf! Anders Limpar used to play for them.

Patrick Murphy
30 Posted 15/12/2014 at 13:14:17

ItÂ’s a decent draw as itÂ’s a pretty low-key game so there is no reason for Everton to be distracted from the Premier League fixtures between now and February. The aim should be to win as many league points as is possible before we return to the Europa League.

Tony J Williams
31 Posted 15/12/2014 at 13:21:20

Tweet from John Aldridge reported in the Echo "Demba Ba comes back to haunt us while them lot across the park get the easy tie"

And that prick wonders why he gets trolled on twatter?

Mark Taylor
33 Posted 15/12/2014 at 13:30:50

@Stu 14.. They played Napoli in Oct at home on an artificial surface.. I think they only put grass down for the EuroÂ’s..

Mike Green
34 Posted 15/12/2014 at 13:47:22

Makes February a fun filled month - LFC at home, Chelsea and Arsenal away with Leicester thrown in for good measure, 2 Europa League ties and the 5th Round Proper of the FA Cup if weÂ’re still in it.

Our squad will be creaking like anything after all of that - 7 games in 21 days if were still in the Cup. Ouch!

Jeff Beaumont
35 Posted 15/12/2014 at 14:01:34

Bet your life Redshite and Spurs games will be televised and not ours.

Donald Neville
36 Posted 15/12/2014 at 14:03:50

Mike Green #34:

ThatÂ’s why this January window will be important.

1. CanÂ’t let any talent walk.
2. Got to bring in cover here.
A GK that can carry a few games, Robles is good but we need someone else to cover Howard in case something happens. And a few teams are looking for keepers right now.

Also I still want a left side player. Pienaar just doesnÂ’t have it and McGeady, IMO, is best served as a sub. Mirallas is the only winger worth anything.

Donald Neville
37 Posted 15/12/2014 at 14:17:53

12/15: home to QPR
12/20: away to Southampton
12/26: home to Stoke City
12/28: away to Newcastle Utd
Should take all 3 from QPR; Newcastle should be at least a draw
Southampton (playing very good football)
Stoke (could just be tough game)

1/1: away to Hull
1/6: home to West Ham
1/10: home to Man City
1/19: home to West Brom
1/31: away to Palace
Should take 3 from: West Ham, West Brom & Palace. We will probably lose that City game on only 4 days rest.

We should pick up 19 points between now and February.

James Hughes
38 Posted 15/12/2014 at 14:26:39

Mike Â– 7 games in 21 days, Jeez H.

LetÂ’s hope the run of injuries end and all those affected are now rested and more importantly match fit.

Tony Abrahams
39 Posted 15/12/2014 at 14:34:32

In the words of our manager, "LetÂ’s embrace it, Mike".

February was always going to be a difficult month, but it looks like this draw could really help us, letÂ’s hope we are still in the FA Cup by then as well!

James Joseph
40 Posted 15/12/2014 at 15:08:19

They kick off at different times to us Jeff - 1st leg we kick-off at 18.00 and they start at 20.05, 2nd legs vice versa

Joseph Terrence
41 Posted 15/12/2014 at 15:43:18

First off, great draw!
Now I have a somewhat odd question, lets put aside everything and say Roma wins the Scudetto, and the Blues were to lose to them in the Euro League final, would we then go into the Champions League by way of Roma already qualifying?

Patrick Murphy
42 Posted 15/12/2014 at 15:45:46

Joseph - I donÂ’t believe so, but who knows, as there appears to be so many differing scenarios with Uefa competitions. However, even if Everton won the tournament it only gives the club entry to the CL play-off round, which I donÂ’t think is enough reward for the winners of the tournament it should be wild-card entry into the CL group stages at a minimum - unless of course we donÂ’t win it then it doesnÂ’t matter.

Paul Holden
43 Posted 15/12/2014 at 15:56:07

20,000 Evertonians will make that trip!

Andrew Ellams
44 Posted 15/12/2014 at 15:58:53

Donald, we wonÂ’t take any points from West Ham as itÂ’s a cup tie, 3 point is definitely no guaranteed at Palace (especially with our record vs them) and more than a point at Newcastle will be a huge bonus.

Despite all that, it will be a poor result if we lose to Young Boys.

Phil Weston
45 Posted 15/12/2014 at 16:08:15

Does anybody know if you can get tickets online from another country? I live in Germany. Maybe you Julian (Exshaw) - who posted above could enlighten me.

I’ll probably be alright for one from Everton, being a shareholder, but good to have a back-up.

Did people manage to buy tickets from England for the Wolfsburg (away) game. I got them of course because I’ve got a German address and bank account.
Looks a nice stadium - capacity 32000 - maybe get an allocation of about 4000?

Eddie Dunn
46 Posted 15/12/2014 at 16:10:28

Donald, " Robles is good"! Are you sure!

Denis Richardson
47 Posted 15/12/2014 at 16:06:25

Joeseph, 41, have tried to decipher the Uefa CL rules for 2016 and as far as I can work out, neither the runner up of the CL or EL get a place in the following seasons CL competition, regardless of what happens.

If the CL and/or EL winner already qualify for the CL through their respective league positions, then the spare places left open are filled by another club based on league performance. Runner up gets you nothing.

So for us, only route to CL is to win the EL(or get top 4). Both of which only gets ust to the play off rounds and not the group stages.

Uefa and the rich clubs have really succeeded in making it f'ing difficult for non-monied clubs to get onto the gravy train. Having gotten past the group EL stage, we are now in the 'round of 32', i.e. we will need to beat no less than 5 teams to lift the trophy. With the likes of Roma, Seville, Ajax, PSV, Napoli, Villareal and Inter in there, it's going to be a hell of a slog just to get to the quarter finals, nevermind winning it!

One round at a time I guess.

John Raftery
48 Posted 15/12/2014 at 16:45:41

If the winners of the Champions League also qualify by virtue of their position in their domestic league the Europa League winners will go straight into the Champions League Group Stage. If however the Champions League winners finish below their domestic league qualifying positions e.g. Man City win the Champions League but finish 5th in the Premier League, the Europa League winners will enter at the qualifying stage. Simple!

David Moran
49 Posted 15/12/2014 at 16:58:19

I live in Bern and have watched YB. On their day, they can be strong. As someone else has noted, they beat Napoli a few weeks ago. But consistency can be a problem. Shortly afterwards they lost to FC Vaduz from Liechtenstein. They will be fired up for the draw, so worth taking them seriously.

Sean Wafer
50 Posted 15/12/2014 at 17:13:22

Dennis, 47 - I think you're wrong mate. The Europa League is equal to finishing 1st-3rd in that you enter at the Group Stage of the Champions League.

Mark Frere
51 Posted 15/12/2014 at 17:42:44

I will have a go at trying to explain how qualifying places are aquired for the CL...

Lets say this is how the PL table will look at end of season:

1 Chelsea (Champions)
2 Man City
3 Man Utd
4 Spurs
5 Arsenal (Champions League Winners)
6 Everton (Europa League Winners)

Chelsea, Man City and Man Utd would go straight into the CL group stages because the top 3 in the Premier League automatically qualify for group stages. Arsenal would take Spurs's spot because they won the CL and Spurs would drop into the Europa League.

We would have to play a qualifying game over 2 legs (hopefully easier than Villareal last time out) to get into the CL group stages. There's nothing in the rules (as far as I understand them) that says they can't be 5 teams from 1 Country in the CL... now that the winners of the Europa League earn a CL place.

Hope Iv'e understood the rules correctly, and I hope this was helpful.

Colin Gee
52 Posted 15/12/2014 at 17:54:25

Top Tip:
Just be careful when googling Young Boys and Wankdhorf....

Colin Glassar
53 Posted 15/12/2014 at 17:59:38

Young boys of Berne eh? Evokes memories of hours of fun playing European football with a pen, piece of paper and a dice.
I used to do my own draws and we, Everton, would always get some crap team in the first round usually young boys, jeunesse d'esch (Luxembourg), or FC Reykjavik (Iceland). Then it was a case of rolling the dice and adding up the scores. Invariably we would win 12-0 on aggregate and advance to the next round. 9 times out of 10 Everton would win the European cup by beating Real Madrid or Benfica in the final.
This was in the days of subutteo, listening to games on the radio, playing footy in the street and light years before FIFA20.... Happy days.

Gerry Quinn
54 Posted 15/12/2014 at 18:33:07

Better keep COYB off the website - could mean either team!

Colin Glassar
55 Posted 15/12/2014 at 18:36:45

I love the coverage auntie beeb have given us, "Everton have never faced YBOB before". As per usual, with this gobshite corporation, we are a footnote to their report on the draw.

Mark Griffiths
56 Posted 15/12/2014 at 18:36:53

Colin 53: You bring back fond memories my friend! I used to do the same back when kids had to really make their own fun (not sure of your age but I am going back to the 80's). I also used to play games with my fingers and either a small snooker ball or a tin foil ball and some made up goal posts - taking turns with attacks from each team with one hand and the other hand being the goal keeper. My family would hear commentary all the time in either a clive tyldsley or brian moore voice! Great days they were, particularly with us winning things!

Denis Richardson
57 Posted 15/12/2014 at 18:37:38

Sean 50, not quite. The EL winner only goes straight into the CL group stage if the winner of the CL doesn't qualify for the CL through their league, which is highly unlikely.

Colin Glassar
58 Posted 15/12/2014 at 18:52:28

This was before the days of blanket tv coverage Mark when teams with names like Ferencvaros, Honved, Red Star Belgrade, Torpedo Moscow and Dynamo Leipzig invoked fear and awe. As they were all behind the iron curtain we didn't have a clue about them but they sounded scary.

Phill Thompson
59 Posted 15/12/2014 at 19:16:54

Yep any team with"Dynamo" in their name was scary, but sometimes not having a clue about a team meant they suddenly appeared from nowhere producing fabulous headlines - thank you Ajax :-)

Mike Green
60 Posted 15/12/2014 at 19:13:48

Colin 55 - I know, crap isn't it.

Not just a footnote either - they can't even be bothered to build any proper context around it either (i.e. Everton will play / have drawn Young Boys etc. who they have never played before / play for the first time in their history etc.).

Colin Glassar
61 Posted 15/12/2014 at 19:33:09

Dynamo, Spartak, Lokomotiv etc.. They sounded like supermen Phil.

Mike, they really do look on us as an unnecessary irritant.

Joe McMahon
62 Posted 15/12/2014 at 19:35:11

Patrick Murphy (26) someone should remind Aldridge that they are playing AFC Wimbledon in the FA Cup and we get an in-form West Ham Utd.

Tom Bowers
63 Posted 15/12/2014 at 22:09:40

Frankly any team knocked out of Champions League shouldn't crawl into the Europa League. Nuff said.

Charles Brewer
64 Posted 15/12/2014 at 22:08:17

Joe, didn't Wimbledon beat them in the FA Cup a while ago, 1988 and 1-0. Wanker Aldridge is probably expecting a re-enactment. And the rest of football would enjoy it too.

Dominic Tonge
65 Posted 15/12/2014 at 22:32:29

Of all the prefixes I always thought 'Torpedo' was class.

Steve Sweeney
67 Posted 15/12/2014 at 22:43:31

Didn't Aldridge have a penalty saved in that match?

I hate that twat.

Colin Glassar
68 Posted 15/12/2014 at 22:51:32

Torpedo Moscow, ahhh what a name. I think there were three Moscow teams (Dynamo, Torpedo and Spartak). One of them was army, one was KGB and the other was the militia if I remember well.

James Marshall
69 Posted 15/12/2014 at 23:21:10

Brilliant. And I thought it was just me who was terrified of the names Dynamo, Spartak, and Lokomotiv when I was a kid!

Torpedo is a great name for a football team too.

And I've always had a soft spot for Dukla Prague thanks to the Biscuits!

Brian Denton
72 Posted 16/12/2014 at 18:45:42

Phil #59. Yes, I guess you’re talking about 1967 - can’t forget how quickly "Ajax Kills all Known Germs" was doing the rounds at my primary school.

Paul Burns
73 Posted 18/12/2014 at 09:51:13

The only soft spot IÂ’ve got for Dukla Prague is a muddy hole at the bottom of our garden, they knocked us out of the UEFA cup in the 1970Â’s.

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