If Albion don’t beat Olympique Marseille this evening and finish second in Europa League Group B, they will be randomly drawn against one the of the teams who finished third in the Champions League groups.
However, they will be kept separate from Manchester United and Newcastle.
The Seagulls could end up playing Italian giants AC Milan or experience the cauldron-like atmosphere of Galatasaray.
Benfica and Braga are two Portuguese outfits that Albion could also take on in the play-off round
Lens from northern France and the Swiss side Young Boys are two other candidates.
Finally, Albion could avenge Feyenoord tricking them into signing Mark Farrington in 1991 as the Dutch club are also a lucky Champions League loser.
But perhaps the most fitting encounter would be a tie against Roberto De Zerbi’s former team Shakhtar Donetsk the Ukrainian Champions.
However, this is all academic. If Albion keep Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang at bay and beat Marseille, the Seagulls will go straight through to the round of 16 in March.
The play-off round for the Europa League is on Thursday 15 February. A top of the group finish would mean that thousands of Valentine trips would no longer be required – such a shame that PSG stayed in the Champions League or perhaps a relief for some.
