Koeman to return to Vitesse with Southampton

Ronald Koeman will return to one of his former clubs for his first European game with Southampton after they were drawn against Vitesse in the third qualifying round of the UEFA Europa League.

Koeman led Southampton into Europe in his first season in charge as the south-coast club finished seventh in the Premier League. 

And his immediate reward is a tie with Vitesse, a club he managed from 2000 to 2001 and one that qualified for the competition via the Eredivisie’s play-off system.

Southampton’s domestic rivals West Ham may not have to leave the British Isles if they make it to the next round, having taken a 1-0 first-leg advantage against Birkirkara.

Should the London club progress they could meet Inverness Caledonian Thistle, providing the Scottish side come through a tie with Astra of Romania, who are ahead 1-0 from the opening fixture.

Thomas Tuchel’s first competitive game as Borussia Dortmund coach will be versus Shakhtyor Soligorsk of Belarus or Wolfsberger, with the Austrian side 1-0 up after the first leg.

Athletic Bilbao, finalists in 2011-12, are set to meet either FH or Inter Baki, while Serie A side Sampdoria have been handed a tie against Vojvodina or Spartaks.

Saint-Etienne will take on Targu Mures and their Ligue 1 rivals Bordeaux are to face Cypriot outfit Larnaca. AZ start their campaign against Istanbul Basaksehir.

The first legs are scheduled for July 30, with the return fixture set for August 6.

The draw in full:

Zurich v Cherno More 

Varna/Dinamo Minsk

Kairat Almaty/Alashkert v Rijeka/Aberdeen

Dacia Chisinau/Zilina v Poltava

AZ v Istanbul Basaksehir; Bordeaux v Larnaca

Lokomotiv Zagreb/PAOK v Spartak Trnava/Linfield

Sampdoria v Vojvodina/Spartaks

Slovan Liberec v Hapoel Kiryat Shmona

Athletic Bilbao v FH/Inter Baki

Targu Mures v Saint-Etienne

Kukesi/Mladost Podgorica v Legia Warsaw/Botosani

Cukaricki/Qabala v Apollon/Trakai

Jelgava/Rabotnicki v Trabzonspor/Differdange

Skonto/Debrecen v KR/Rosenborg

Charleroi/Beitar Jurusalem v Zorya

Shakhtyor Soligorsk/Wolfsberger v Borussia Dortmund

Beroe/Brondby v Jagiellonia Bialystok/Omonia

Jablonec v Copenhagen/Newtown

Sturm Graz v Rubin Kazan

Solna/Shirak v Atromitos

Altach v Vitoria Guimaraes

Hapoel Beer Sheva/Thun v Vaduz/Nomme Kalju

Randers/Elfsborg v Shamrock Rovers/Odd

Standard Liege v Ferencvaros/Zeljeznicar

Koper/Hajduk Split v Mlada Boleslav/Stromsgodset

Belenenses v Slask Wroclaw/Gothenburg

Southampton v Vitesse

West Ham/Birkirkara v Inverness Caledonian Thistle/Astra

Krasnodar v Slovan Bratislava/UCD