Luzern and Hibernian lowdown after Aston Villa Europa League draw
Aston Villa now have some idea who they could be facing in the Europa Conference League play-off round later this month.
A seventh placed Premier League finish at the end of last season saw Unai Emery’s team secure their place in the competition for the new campaign. But before they can enter the group stages, they first have to go through the final play-off round.
The draw took place on Monday afternoon with Villa among the seeded teams. They were drawn to face either Hibernian or FC Luzern.
So, what do we know about Villa’s potential opponents? Here is a lowdown on both teams.
READ MORE:Why Aston Villa could face Europa Conference League play-off fixture issue
READ MORE:History on Aston Villa’s side as possible Hibs Europa Conference League clash looms
Hibernian
Hibernian, or Hibs as they are commonly known, play their football in the Scottish Premiership. They qualified for the tournament through a fifth place finish in the league.
Their campaign in the tournament started on July 27, in the second qualifying round against Inter Escaldes of Andorra. After a 2-1 loss in the away leg, Hibs came back with a 6-1 home win to make it through to the third qualifying round.
They are managed by former Barnsley, Bristol City and Sunderland boss Lee Johnson, who joined the club in May 2022. Of his 46 matches in charge of the club so far, he has won 18, drew seven and lost 21.
Hibs have a rich history in the Scottish game, winning the Scottish Championship four times, the final time coming in the 1951/52 season. They’ve also won the Scottish Cup on three occasions, and the Scottish Cup three times, the latest in the 2015/16 season.
A season later they returned to the Scottish Premiership, after falling into the second tier after a relegation play-off loss against Hamilton Academical at the end of the 2013/14 season.
Luzern
Luzern play their football in the Swiss first tier. A fourth placed finish last season led to them qualifying for the Europa Conference League.
Like Hibs, their Conference League journey also started at the end of last month when they took on Swedish team Djargarden in the second qualifying round. A 2-1 win in the first leg was followed by a 1-1 draw in the second as they secured their place in the next round.
Luzern are managed by former Liechtenstein international striker Mario Frick. The 48-year-old has been in charge since December 202, after joining from fellow Swiss side FC Vaduz. In his 66 games in charge of the club, Luzern have won 27, drawn 19 and lost 20.
Lurzen have been Swiss Champions on one occasion in their history, lifting the title at the end of the 1988/89 season. They have also won the Swiss Cup three times, most recently in 2021.
The club play their home games at the Swissporarena in the city of Lucerne. The stadium was built in 2011, and has a capacity of 16,800.
What do you think about the draw? Tell us in the comments section
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