Trabzonspor’s Fatih Ozturk had a tough night in goals last night, conceding a very unfortunate own goal after previous brilliant saves.

Everton may be returning to European football in the continent’s secondary competition, but they have been drawn in a group worthy of the Champions League, according to one of the men plotting their downfall.

Hull’s first Europa League campaign ended in disappointment at the play-off stage after a vital away goal for Lokeren saw the Belgian side through at the KC Stadium last night — despite Ireland’s Robbie Brady’s best efforts.

Manchester City insist UEFA sanctions limiting spending on transfers next season to £49m will not have a major impact on their campaign.

Manchester City have been fined €60m and handed a reduction in their Champions League squad for next season from 25 to 21 players for breaching UEFA’s financial fair play rules.

Tottenham 3 Dnipro 1 (Spurs win 3-2 on agg)

Ireland rugby captain Paul O’Connell says he’s looking forward to visiting Parkhead to see his cousin Eoghan O’Connell line out for Celtic.

El City — No! was the headline in El Mundo Deportivo before the Champions League draw yesterday.

Managerless Tottenham face a reunion with former boss Juande Ramos’ after yesterday’s Europa League last-32 draw pitted the north London outfit with Ukrainian side Dnipro.

As they prepare to end the Republic of Ireland’s World Cup dream in Vienna tomorrow night, Austria believe sacking Giovanni Trapattoni would be a crazy move.

WORLD CUP 2014 GROUP C QUALIFIER:

The summary of this summer's transfers after deadline day, club-by-club.

The latest club-by-club transfer guide of all the happenings in the transfer window.

A club-by-club transfer guide of the happenings on transfer day so far.

Swansea’s Spanish stars face a daunting trip to Valencia in their first-ever Europa League group stage campaign as long-haul journeys to Russia, Moldova and northern Norway beckon for Tottenham.

Substitute David McDaid hit a second half winner as Derry City bounced back from two league defeats and their Europa League exit to Trabzonspor midweek to beat Limerick 1-0 at Thomond Park to move back up to third place in the Premier Division table.

Derry City 0 Trabzonspor 3

Derry City 0 Trabzonspor 3

Derry City boss Declan Devine will have his fingers firmly crossed that top hitman, Rory Patterson, will pass a pre-match test for tonight’s Europa League home fixture against Trabzonspor (kick-off 7.45pm).

Trabzonspor (Turkey) 4 Derry City 2

Derry City 4 Trabzonspor 2

Champions League fever in Sligo means there are now only 700 tickets left for sale for home fans for their second qualifying round first leg game against Norwegian champions Molde which, the club have confirmed, will take place on Wednesday, July 17 at the Showgrounds.

Cork City bid to stretch their unbeaten run in all competitions this season to seven when they take on Bray Wanderers at the Carlisle Grounds this evening, but manager Tommy Dunne will have to plan without key defender Dan Murray, ruled out because of work commitments.

Swedish coach Erik Hamren has warned that Ireland will set out to be party poopers in Stockholm when the countries meet in a World Cup qualifier on Friday week.

Wales 2 Austria 1

Joe Cole’s return to boyhood club West Ham on a free transfer from Liverpool has been confirmed.

Neil Lennon believes it is “grossly unfair” that the Scottish Football Association have named the three-man panel who are to hear Rangers’ appeal against SFA sanctions next Wednesday.

Atletico Madrid 3 Athletic Bilbao 0

Motherwell 0 Celtic 3

Champions Celtic showed six changes for their Clydesdale Bank Premier League clash with Motherwell at Fir Park.

Stoke manager Tony Pulis reflected on a thrilling seven-month adventure to the corners of the continent after his side’s Europa League run was finally brought to an end by Valencia in the last 32 last night.

Stoke will have to win in the Mestalla next week if their European adventure is to continue after Valencia shaded the first leg of their Europa League last-32 clash at the Britannia Stadium tonight.

Everton have been in touch with Rangers regarding Nikica Jelavic but it is understood no official bid has yet been made.

MANCHESTER CITY manager Roberto Mancini is preparing for a Europa League outing which “feels like a Champions League game” after his side’s drop into the secondary continental competition.

Manchester City and Manchester United will both face difficult matches in the last 32 of the Europa League after Roberto Mancini's side drew holders Porto and their neighbours were paired with fellow Champions League dropouts Ajax.

BAFETIMBI GOMIS struck four times as Lyon routed 10-man Dinamo Zagreb 7-1 in Zagreb and completed a remarkable nine-goal swing to qualify for the last 16 of the Champions League ahead of Group D rivals Ajax.

THE Champions League group stage has become such a formality for English clubs in the past few years that it comes as shock to realise Arsenal could be the only English club left in the competition by Thursday morning.

Inter Milan coach Claudio Ranieri praised his players for overcoming a Champions League “handicap” to reach the knockout stages as Group B winners last night.

BAYERN MUNICH and Inter Milan joined Benfica in the Champions League knockout stages last night as the qualification picture became clearer.

REAL MADRID joined Barcelona in guaranteeing their qualification for the Champions League knockout stages as two Cristiano Ronaldo goals gave Jose Mourinho’s men a 2-0 victory at Lyon last night.

REAL MADRID made it two wins from two in Champions League Group D with a clinical dismissal of Ajax at the Bernabeu last night.

‘JESUS seeks fourth victory over dragon’ is one of those headlines which most journalists can only dream of — except in Portugal, where the dragon is the symbol of Porto and Jorge Jesus is manager of Benfica.

Gian Piero Gasperini is on the brink of being sacked as coach of Inter Milan just five matches into his reign.

ACCEPTED wisdom throughout the football world, from Moscow to Munich, is that it is unrealistic to pay muchattention to the league table early on — especially when only three games have been played, as is the case with Milan and Madrid.