The Europa League is back, featuring intriguing matchups as Nottingham Forest makes its return to European competition after a 30-year absence, facing Real Betis in their opening game. Meanwhile, Celtic travels to Belgrade to take on Red Star.

Real Betis vs. Nottingham Forest

Nottingham Forest's return to European football after three decades culminates in a trip to Spain to face Real Betis. The Premier League team last reached the UEFA Cup quarterfinals, the predecessor to the Europa League, in the 1995-96 season.

Real Betis, who finished sixth in La Liga last season and reached their first-ever European final in May, losing to Chelsea in the Conference League showpiece, will host the match. Manuel Pellegrini's side has only lost once in six league games this season, despite missing captain Isco due to a fractured leg.

Ange Postecoglou, who previously led Tottenham Hotspur to a Europa League title, is now at the helm for Nottingham Forest. Forest is looking for their first win under Postecoglou, having suffered two losses and a draw since his arrival.

Forest qualified for the Europa League after initially securing a Conference League spot by finishing seventh in the Premier League last season. They benefited from Crystal Palace's demotion by UEFA due to ownership issues.

Both teams will participate in the Europa League's league phase, which has been expanded to 36 teams. Each club will play eight games against different opponents to determine the overall league standings.

Manuel Pellegrini acknowledged Nottingham Forest's strength, noting their fight for a Champions League place last season and their experienced coach, Ange Postecoglou. Giovani Lo Celso also praised Postecoglou's coaching abilities and winning mentality.

Nikola Milenković highlighted the difficulty of playing against Real Betis in their stadium and emphasized the need for focus and motivation. He also noted Postecoglou's winning mentality and the team's adaptation to his demands.

Red Star Belgrade vs. Celtic

Celtic is set to face Red Star Belgrade at the Rajko Mitic Stadium in Serbia. After failing to qualify for the Champions League, Celtic is aiming for a strong performance in the Europa League. Brendan Rodgers, the Celtic manager, acknowledged the disappointment of missing out on the Champions League but expressed enthusiasm for the Europa League.

Red Star Belgrade, despite not being a high-profile name, presents a challenging away trip for Celtic. The Serbian team also failed to qualify for Champions League after being defeated by Pafos.

UEFA has confirmed the officials for the match, with Radu Petrescu as the referee.

Vladan Milojević, the Red Star coach, recognized the significance of the game and the strength of Celtic as a team.

The game will start at 3:00 PM ET. TNT Sports 2 will broadcast the match live.