European football’s secondary club competition is back this week and you can follow all the key action from matchday four of the 2013-14 UEFA Europa League live on ITV4 and BT Sport.
Last season’s competition was won by Chelsea, the last club standing in a competition that featured 193 clubs from 53 nations.
The final was the 479th match of the tournament and Branislav Ivanovic’s dramatic injury time winner against Benfica, practically the last action of the entire competition, was the 1,270th goal scored.
This season, Tottenham Hotspur, Wigan Athletic and Swansea City are English football’s representation in the competition, which also features some of the biggest and well-known clubs in Europe.
ITV and new rights holders BT Sport will share live coverage of the 2013-14 UEFA Europa League season with up to six live games each matchday during the competition.
ITV4 will be the place to watch the majority of the top matches as ITV Sport has all first and second pick games during the group stage and the entire knockout phase.
Most of ITV’s live games will be shown on digital channel ITV4, with matches featuring British teams from the quarter final stages onwards to be screened on ITV in the new year.
ITV will also screen live and exclusive coverage of the 2014 UEFA Europa League final in Turin.
On matchday four, ITV4’s double bill of live Europa League games again focuses on Tottenham Hotspur and Swansea City.
First up at 4.45pm, Swansea City make the long journey to Russia where they face Kuban of Krasnodar visitors to the Liberty Stadium a fortnight earlier.
Then at 8.00pm, Tottenham Hotspur host Sheriff Tiraspol of Moldova in their latest Group K clash.
Spurs have made a strong start to their Europa League campaign and will be hoping for a good performance in front of the White Hart Lane faithful.
Gordon Strachan and Les Ferdinand will provide analysis in the studio alongside presenter Matt Smith.
Commentary comes from Jon Champion and Clark Carlisle in Russia, while Clive Tyldesley and Andy Townsend will be at White Hart Lane.
BT Sport takes over from ESPN as pay-TV rights holders to the competition and will broadcast at least four live matches during the group phase across BT Sport 1 and ESPN, plus a selection of matches during the knockout stages.
Jake Humphrey presents BT Sport’s coverage, with commentary and analysis from Ian Darke, Darren Fletcher, Steve McManaman and David James.
Both broadcasters will screen a dedicated highlights package on Fridays during every matchweek.
Wigan Athletic’s latest Europa League encounter will be shown by BT Sport as it presents action from five games during matchday four.
Owen Coyle’s Latics are second in their group and head to Russia having held Rubin to a 1-1 draw in Wigan two weeks ago.
Three other live matches will be shown in full across the BT Sport network on the night, featuring the other clash in Swansea’s group between St Gallen and Valencia, plus Sevilla and Lazio are also in action.
In between BT Sport 1’s two live games, the channel will also screen the second half of NK Maribor v Zulte Waregem, the two other teams in Wigan’s Group D.
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Thursday 7th November
Kuban Krasnodar v Swansea City – Group A
Kick-off: 17:00 LIVE: 4.45pm-7.30pm ITV4
Rubin Kazan v Wigan Athletic – Group D
Kick-off: 17:00 LIVE: 4.30pm-7.00pm BT Sport 1
St Gallen v Valencia – Group A
Kick-off: 18:00 LIVE: 6.00pm-8.00pm ESPN
NK Maribor v Zulte Waregem – Group D
Kick-off: 18:00 LIVE: 7.00pm-8.00pm BT Sport 1 (2nd half only)
Tottenham Hotspur v FC Sheriff – Group K
Kick-off: 20:05 LIVE: 7.30pm-10.30pm ITV4
Sevilla v Slovan Liberec – Group H
Kick-off: 20:05 LIVE: 8.00pm-10.30pm BT Sport 1
Lazio v Apollon Limassol – Group J
Kick-off: 20:05 LIVE: 8.00pm-10.00pm ESPN
Friday 8th November
UEFA Europa League Highlights
6.00pm-7.00pm ITV4
ITV4′s live match coverage, as well additional video clips, interviews and analysis, is available to watch for free via the ITV football website.
BT Sport subscribers can watch the channel’s live matches on BT Sport 1 and ESPN via its online streaming service at btsport.com or on the BT Sport app for mobile and tablet devices.
Keep up to date with all the latest UEFA Europa League reports, goal flashes and results by following ITV Football on Twitter (@itvfootball) and BT Sport’s feed (@BTSport).
Online streaming available to UK users only.
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