United Set For 100th European Opponent

Zorya Luhansk will become Manchester United’s 100th European opponent in tonight’s Europa League match, 60 years after Matt Busby’s Reds made history by facing Anderlecht in 1956.

That means our list of continental challengers is literally an A to Z of clubs and that remarkable coincidence is the focal point for this evening's edition of United Review at Old Trafford.

As you can see in the image above, the cover of our match programme includes all 100 opponents alongside a number of historic issues from previous European matches. Readers will also find inside a four-page feature that takes you on an alphabetical journey through this continental century.

Of course, United’s history in Europe began in 1956/57 when the club became the first-ever English side to enter the European Cup with Busby keen to test his title-winning Babes on a bigger stage.

That iconic Reds team made light work of first opponents Anderlecht, too, securing a 2-0 win in Belgium before triumphing 10-0 at Old Trafford in what remains the club’s biggest ever victory.

Jose Mourinho’s current United side would snap up a scoreline close to that historic success, after the manager admitted Thursday's match against Zorya is a “must-win” following the defeat at Feyenoord.

Fans can buy Thursday's edition of United Review, the matchday programme, at various kiosks around Old Trafford. Single copies and subscriptions are also available to order via ManUtd.com/programme. 

UNITED’S A TO Z OF EUROPEAN OPPONENTS IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER

Anderlecht, Borussia Dortmund, Athletic Club, Real Madrid, Shamrock Rovers, Dukla Prague, Red Star Belgrade, AC Milan, Willem II, Tottenham Hotspur, Sporting Lisbon, Djurgardens, Everton, RC Strasbourg, Ferencvaros, HJK Helsinki, ASK Vorwarts, Benfica, Partizan Belgrade, Hibernians, FK Sarajevo, Gornik Zabrze, Waterford, Rapid Vienna, Ajax, Juventus, Saint-Etienne, Porto, Widzew Lodz, Valencia, Spartak Varna, Barcelona, Raba Vasas, Dundee United, Videoton, Pecsi Munkas, Wrexham, Montpellier, Legia Warsaw, Athinaikos, Atletico Madrid, Torpedo Moscow, Kispest Honved, Galatasaray, IFK Gothenburg, Rotor Volgograd, Fenerbahce, Kosice, Feyenoord, AS Monaco, LKS Lodz, Bayern Munich, Brondby, Internazionale, Lazio, Croatia Zagreb, Sturm Graz, Olympique Marseille, Fiorentina, Bordeaux, Dynamo Kiev, PSV Eindhoven, Panathinaikos, Lille OSC, Deportivo La Coruna, Olympiacos, Boavista, Nantes, Bayer 04 Leverkusen, Zalaegerszeg, Maccabi Haifa, Basel, Stuttgart, Rangers, Dinamo Bucharest, Olympique Lyonnais, Sparta Prague, Debreceni, Villarreal, Celtic, Copenhagen, AS Roma, Chelsea, Zenit St Petersburg, Aalborg, Arsenal, Besiktas, Wolfsburg, CSKA Moscow, Bursaspor, Schalke 04, Otelul Galati, CFR Cluj, SC Braga, Shakhtar Donetsk, Real Sociedad, Club Brugge, Midtjylland, Liverpool, Zorya Luhansk.

Credit: Manutd.com