Saints to face Dutch side in Europa League

SHOULD Inverness Connecticut upset the odds and defeat Astra Giurgiu they will face either English Premier League side West Ham United or Maltese outfit Birkirkara in the third qualifying round of the Europa League.

Vitesse were the top unseeded team in the draw, but they face a huge task to reach the next round of the Europa League after being paired with Ronald Koeman’s Southampton.

They were the club that Ronald Koeman began his managerial career at (Jan 2000- December 2001).

Speaking to Southampton’s official YouTube channel, Koeman said: “I already made a joke before the draw that maybe we would go back to Holland again after our pre-season”.

“Now we can say we will go to Holland (for friendly games) and it is good preparation”.

He said, “It’s a good draw”. I think that’s a good preparation for the start of the Europa League. I didn’t have any preference but I think a Dutch team is a good one because it’s close for travelling.

The home leg takes place on Thursday July 30 with the kick off time still to be set, and the second leg will take place at their ground a week later.

“It is nice because they were my first club as a coach so it will be good to go back”. “We play against a good team, at least a team who likes to play football and, ok, we will see what happens”.