• Draw starts at 5pm BST (6pm CET)

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The draw is pretty straightforward. Each team is allocated eight opponents, with four home games and four away games. Two opponents are taken from each seeding pot and teams cannot meet a team from their own country.

Then we have the matches, played between September and January. Goals are scored, hearts are broken, stuff happens. When it’s all said and done, the top eight teams in the 36-team table go straight through to the last 16.

Uefa is preparing to make a criminal complaint against Gianni Infantino for alleged “criminal mismanagement” in connection with his failed Fifa Forward Enterprise plan and has applied for the release of documents related to its conception.

In an explosive escalation of the war engulfing football’s governing bodies, Uefa has made separate applications in the United States for information, including from Fifa.

• Messi’s father, ⁠Jorge, died last week at age of 68

• Argentinian suggests he may not play on much longer

Lionel Messi has hinted that the end of his career may be near after ­admitting to “quite a few doubts” about his football future following the death of his father.

Jorge Messi died last week at the age of 68 in Rosario, Argentina, after a long illness, with his health during this summer’s World Cup appearing to take a toll on Argentina’s 39-year-old captain.

• Players held banner after semi-final against England

• Paredes and Molina investigated over brawl after final

Fifa has opened disciplinary ­proceedings against Argentina over the Falkland Islands banner ­displayed after their World Cup semi‑final win against England in Atlanta.

As Argentina celebrated ­reaching the final with their dramatic 2-1 ­victory, several players held a sign ­proclaiming “Las Malvinas son ­Argentinas” – the ­Malvinas are Argentinian – in ­reference to the ­British overseas territory in the south Atlantic.

• Italy have missed three consecutive World Cups

• Gattuso: ‘It has been an honour to lead national team’

Italy’s chaotic and miserable week on and off the pitch reached a ­predictable conclusion on Friday with the head coach, Gennaro Gattuso, leaving the role after the Azzurri’s failure to reach the World Cup.

Italy were beaten by Bosnia and Herzegovina in their World Cup ­playoff on Tuesday, the home side winning on penalties in Zenica, meaning the four-time winners have now missed out on the finals for three successive editions.

• Chair says ‘staff are hurting’ after ‘difficult week’

• Reform UK leader visited club on Monday

The Ipswich Town chair and chief executive, Mark Ashton, has apologised for “any hurt, pain or distress” caused by Nigel Farage’s visit to Portman Road this week.

Farage visited the club on Monday, and footage of his trip – including images of the Reform UK leader holding up an Ipswich No 10 shirt with his name on the back – was used by the political party on social media.

Villa dominate first half and hold to deepen the misery for Thomas Frank and Tottenham

Peep! Off we go then. Spurs get things under way.

Before we kick-off the players, fans and a throng of Spurs legends on the touchline observe a minute’s applause for Martin Chivers and Terry Yorath.