Europa League draw: Arsenal and Chelsea learn their group stage opponents

Both the Gunners and Blues face arduous trips to eastern Europe but will be confident of progressing

Arsenal will take on Sporting Lisbon in the group stage of the Europa League.

The Gunners, last season's semi-finalists, were drawn in Group E alongside the Portuguese club, Azerbaijan champions Qarabag and Ukrainian outfit Vorskla.

Portuguese club Sporting have started their domestic campaign unbeaten despite a troublesome summer that saw seven players cancel their contracts following an attack by fans at the training ground last season.

Arsenal boss Unai Emery has won the competition three times as manager of Sevilla.

Arsenal have been handed a favourable draw (UEFA via Getty Images)

Chelsea face some long trips on their return to Europe's second-tier competition for the first time since they lifted the trophy in 2013.

Maurizio Sarri's Blues have been drawn with Greek side PAOK, Belarusian champions BATE Borisov and Hungarian title winners Vidi in Group L.

Scottish giants Celtic and Rangers both face difficult draws as they aim to negotiate the group stages.

Celtic are in Group B with Austrian champions Red Bull Salzburg, Bundesliga side RB Leipzig and Norwegian title holders Rosenborg, who the Celts beat in a Champions League qualifier this summer.

Steven Gerrard's Rangers have a tough-looking draw (PA)

Rangers are back in a European group stage for the first time since the 2010-11 Champions League following their play-off win against Ufa.

They will return to Russia to face Spartak Moscow in Group G, which also contains LaLiga side Villarreal and Austrian's Rapid Vienna.

The final of this season's Europa League takes place in Baku on May 29.

Full draw:

Group A: Bayer Leverkusen, Ludogorets, FC Zurich, AEK Larnaca

Group B: Salzburg, Celtic, RB Leipzig, Rosenborg

Group C: Zenit St Petersburg, FC Copenhagen, Bordeaux, Slavia Prague

Group D: Anderlecht, Fenerbahce, Dinamo Zagreb, Spartak Trnava

Group E: Arsenal, Sporting CP, Qarabag, FC Vorskla Poltava

Group F: Olympiakos, AC Milan, Real Betis, Dudelange

Group G: Villareal, Rapid Wien, Spartak Moscow, Rangers

Group H: Lazio, Marseille, Eintrackt Frankfurt. Apollon Limassol

Group I: Besiktas, Genk, Malmo, Sarpsborg

Group J: Sevilla, Krasnodar, Standard Liege, Akhisar Belediyespor

Group K: Dynamo Kiev, Astana, Stade Rennais, Jablonec

Group L: Chelsea, PAOK, BATE Borisov, Vidi