Europa League draw 2016: Southampton will play Inter Milan, Sparta Prague and Hapoel Be’er Sheva in Group K
Manager Claude Puel will have a tough task of juggling the European campaign with domestic football
SOUTHAMPTON will face Inter Milan, Sparta Prague and Hapoel Be'er Sheva in Group K of the Europa League.
It is the first time in the club's history that they have reached the group stages of the competition and will be hoping to mount an impressive run on route to the final in Stockholm.
Manager Claude Puel will have the tough task of balancing their European campaign with domestic football.
Southampton will begin their first round of fixtures on September 15 before the second round takes place two weeks later.
The Saints have already gone one better than last season after they failed to progress past the playoffs following a 2-1 aggregate defeat against Midtjylland.
And their reward finishing sixth in the Premier League last season is a dream tie at the San Siro to face Italian giants Inter Milan.
They have won the European Cup on three occasions and the UEFA cup also three times.
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Puel's men will play their six games on the following dates:
Sparta Prague (h) - Thursday, September 15
Hapoel Be'er Sheva (a) - Thursday, September 29
Inter Milan (a) - Thursday, October 20
Inter Milan (h) - Thursday, November 3
Sparta Prague (a) - Thursday, November 24
Hapoel Be'er Sheva (h) - Thursday, December 8
Sparta Prague, who finished second in their league last season, will be a tough test whilst Hapoel Be'er Sheva were narrowly defeated by Brendan Rodgers' Celtic in the Champions League qualifiers.
Elsewhere Premier League rivals Manchester United will face Fenerbache, Feyenoord and Zorya Luhansk.