Lucky draw for Greek clubs in Europa League

Last season saw Spanish side Sevilla take down Portuguese side Benfica in a shootout that Sevilla won 4-2. The reigning champions will have to wait one more round to find out their fate in this years competition though, as they are qualified in to the group stages already.

Greek clubs could barely have expected a more favorable draw. The most difficult one was dealt for Asteras Tripolis, who will be playing against Maccabi Tel Aviv, a relatively weak Israeli side which has repeatedly achieved upsets against Greek clubs in the past, though (with Olympiacos Piraeus the most notable one).

PAOK Salonika will be facing Zimbru from Moldavia, one of the weakest sides in the tournament, while Panathinaikos, who were eliminated by Standard Liege from the Champions League qualification round earlier this week, are playing Danish side Midtjylland, a club which should not be much of a challenge for the Greek Cup holders.

The first leg of all games will be held on August 21 and the second leg on August 28. PAOK Salonika's first match is away, while Panathinaikos and Asteras Tripolis are playing the first leg at home. Here is the full list of games for the Europa League playoff round:

Sarajevo vs Borussia Monchengladbach

Apollon vs Lokomotiv Moscow

Astana vs Villarreal

Young Boys vs Debrecen

PEC Zwolle vs Sparta Prague

Spartak Trnava vs FC Zurich

Asteras vs Maccabi Tel-aviv

AEL vs Tottenham

Dnipro vs Hajduk Split

Dinamo Minsk vs Nacional

Qarabag vs FC Twente

Petrolul vs Dinamo Zagreb

HJK vs Rapid Vienna

Trabzonspor vs FC Rostov

Zimbru vs PAOK

Hajduk Split vs Torino

Omonia vs Dinamo Moscow

Aktobe vs Legia Warsaw

Lyon vs Astra

Lokeren vs Hull

Neftci vs Partizan Belgrade

Ruch vs Metalist

Elfsborg vs Rio Ave

PSV Eindhoven vs Shakhtyor

Karabukspor vs Saint-Etienne

Stjarnan vs Inter Milan

Panathinaikos vs Midtjylland

Feyenoord vs Zorya

Grasshoppers Zurich vs Club Bruges

Real Sociedad vs Krasnodar

Rijeka vs Sherif