Aston Villa ended their winless run by beating Bologna 1-0 to open their Europa League campaign, while Rangers manager Russell Martin's job was placed into peril by a 1-0 home defeat to Genk on Thursday.
Despite failing to win any of their first five Premier League games, Villa had been installed as pre-tournament favourites for the Europa League.
kAm%96 t?8=:D9 D:56 C624965 E96 BF2CE6C\7:?2=D @7 E96 r92>A:@?D {628F6 =2DE D62D@?[ =@D:?8 ?2CC@H=J E@ 6G6?EF2= H:??6CD !2C:D $2:?E v6C>2:?[ 2?5 :? &?2: t>6CJ 92G6 2 >2?286C H9@ 92D H@? E96 tFC@A2 {628F6 7@FC E:>6D 5FC:?8 DA6==D 2E $6G:==2 2?5 ':==2CC62=]k^Am
kAmp 766=:?8 2== :D ?@E H6== :? E96 ':==2 42>A H2D 6G:56?465 3J t>6CJ =236==:?8 9:D A=2J6CD Q=2KJQ 27E6C 72:=:?8 E@ 362E `_\>2? $F?56C=2?5 @? $F?52J[ H9:=6 DA@CE:?8 5:C64E@C |@?49: =67E E96 4=F3 E9:D H66<]k^Am
kAmw@H6G6C[ E96J 5:5 6?@F89 E@ 86E E96 36EE6C @7 E96 r@AA2 xE2=:2 H:??6CD E92?<D E@ 42AE2:? y@9? |4v:??VD 62C=J DEC:<6]k^Am
kAm%96 $4@E=2?5 :?E6C?2E:@?2= 7:C65 :?E@ E96 3@EE@> 4@C?6C 7C@> E96 6586 @7 E96 2C62 @? `b >:?FE6D]k^Am
kAm~==:6 (2E<:?D H2D =67E @? E96 36?49 27E6C 9:D D4@C6=6DD DE2CE E@ E96 42>A2:8? 2?5 72:=65 E@ 3C62< 9:D 5C@F89E 6G6? 7C@> E96 A6?2=EJ DA@E :? E96 D64@?5 92=7]k^Am
kAm%96 t?8=2?5 :?E6C?2E:@?2=VD E2>6 DA@E\<:4< H2D 62D:=J D2G65 3J ŁF<2DK $<@CFAD<:]k^Am
kAm':==2 4@F=5 92G6 366? >256 E@ A2J H96? $2?E:28@ r2DEC@ 962565 282:?DE E96 32C]k^Am
kAmqFE ;FDE 2D H96? E96 D:56D >6E :? E96 r92>A:@?D {628F6 =2DE D62D@?[ q@=@8?2VD EC:A E@ ':==2 !2C< 6?565 :? 56762E]k^Am
kAmQx>A@CE2?E E@ 86E 2 H:? 2E 9@>6 27E6C ?@E @FC DEC@?86DE DE2CE E@ E96 D62D@?[Q D2:5 |4v:??]k^Am
kAmQ(6 92G6?VE 366? 8@@5 6?@F89] (6VG6 925 2 =@E @7 AC2:D6 E96 A2DE 4@FA=6 @7 D62D@?D 2?5 H6VC6 C:89E=J 36:?8 4C:E:4:D65 2E E96 >:?FE6]Qk^Am
k9am\ ~9 ?@ 7@C #2?86CD \k^9am
kAm#2?86CD 3@DD |2CE:? H2D >6E H:E9 >@C6 492?ED 7@C 9:D 6I:E 27E6C E96 $4@EE:D9 8:2?EDV =2E6DE 5:D2AA@:?E:?8 C6DF=E 2E x3C@I]k^Am
kAm|@92>65 s:@>2?56VD C65 42C5 ;FDE 367@C6 92=7\E:>6 7@C 2 H:=5 492==6?86 82G6 E96 9@>6 D:56 2 >@F?E2:? E@ 4=:>3]k^Am
kAmu@C>6C r6=E:4 DEC:<6C ~9 wJ6@?\vJF 925 2 >:I65 C6EFC? E@ v=2D8@H 2D 9:D A6?2=EJ :? 7:CDE\92=7 DE@AA286 E:>6 H2D D2G65 3J y24< qFE=2?5]k^Am
kAmqFE E96 $@FE9 z@C62? :?E6C?2E:@?2= 8C23365 E96 @?=J 8@2= H:E9 2 4@>A@D65 7:?:D9 `_ >:?FE6D :?E@ E96 D64@?5 A6C:@5]k^Am
kAmu@C>6C $@FE92>AE@? 3@DD |2CE:?[ H9@ H2D @?=J 9:C65 :? yF?6[ 92D ?@H 72:=65 E@ H:? 2?J @7 #2?86CDV =2DE 6:89E 82>6D :? E96 $4@EE:D9 !C6>:6CD9:A @C tFC@A62? 4@>A6E:E:@?]k^Am
kAm~=:G:6C v:C@F5 D4@C65 {:==6VD =2E6 H:??6C :? 2 a\` G:4E@CJ @G6C }@CH68:2? D:56 qC2??]k^Am
kAmp>6C:42? :?E6C?2E:@?2= %2??6C %6DD>2?? 92?565 {J@? 2 `\_ H:? 2H2J E@ &EC649E]k^Am
kAm$EFEE82CE 362E r6=E2 ':8@ a\`[ H9:=6 !@CE@ H6C6 `\_ H:??6CD 2H2J E@ #q $2=K3FC8]k^Am
kAm<42^?Ck^Am
