MADRID, Aug. 24 -- Athletic Club Bilbao have qualified for the group stage of the Europa League without having to play the second leg of their qualifying round against Turkish side Trabzonspor.
The two sides drew the first leg 0-0 in Athletic's San Mames Stadium, leaving the Basque outfit with a seemingly complicated second leg in Turkey.
However, this Wednesday the governing body of European football, UEFA, issued a communique confirming that the return leg will not now take place.
The reason is that Fenerbahce, who were Champions of last season's Turkish League, will not take their place in the Champions League because of a match -fixing scandal.
"The UEFA Emergency Panel decided to replace Fenerbahce SK with Trabzonspor, runners-up in the 2010/11 Turkish league, in tomorrow's draw for the UEFA Champions League group stage."
"The UEFA Emergency Panel also decided that Trabzonspor would be replaced in the UEFA Europa League by its opponent in the play-off, Athletic Club. The UEFA Europa League play-off second-leg match between Trabzonspor AS and Athletic Club, scheduled for Thursday 25 August, is cancelled," explained UEFA in a press communique.
As a result, Athletic are now assured a place in the group stage return leg of the Europa League for the second time in the past three years.