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5 things to know about the Europa League

Manchester, England: The Europa League returns on Thursday with the first round of matches in the group stage. Here are five things to know about the continent's second-tier club competition this season:WINNERS TO COME FROM


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Wigan is one of four teams — along with Estoril (Portugal), Kuban Krasnodar (Russia) and CS Pandurii Targu Jiu (Romania) — taking part in their first European campaigns after surprisingly winning the FA Cup in England last season.


However, it will be competing out of the second tier of English football after getting relegated from thePremier League.

That's nothing new for England, though — Millwall was at the same level when the London team took its place in the UEFA Cup in the 2004-05 campaign as a reward for being the beaten finalists in the FA Cup the previous season.