LIVERPOOL face a quick turnaround when they return from their 11-day tour of the USA, with the draw for the Europa League handing them a trip to either Belarus or Macedonia just days after their touchdown from the States.

Yesterday’s draw handed Liverpool a trip to either FC Gomel of Belarus or Macedonian side FK Renova on Thursday, August 2, for Brendan Rodgers’ first competitive match in charge of The Reds.

Liverpool are likely to be heading to Belarus for the first time, with FC Gomel winning 2-0 at FK Renova in the second qualifying round first leg on Thursday. The second leg will be played in Gomel’s 14,307 capacity Central Stadion next Thursday.

Liverpool will play Tottenham on Saturday July 28 in the final friendly of their US tour, before returning to Merseyside.

They will be home barely days before jetting out again, with UEFA regulations stipulating visiting teams must be in the host country at least 24 hours before kick-off.

Gomel is 1,400 miles from Merseyside, a five-hour journey by air.

The second leg will be played at Anfield on Thursday, August 9, with Liverpool expected to confirm the dates soon.

Dundee United, who were potential Liverpool opponents, have been drawn at home to Russian side Dynamo Moscow, while Inter Milan kick off their Europa League campaign with a home fixture against either Croatian side Hadjuk Split or Latvian outfit Skonto FC. Scottish side St Johnstone could face Marseille at home if they can negotiate a way past Eskisehirspor.

Liverpool secured their place in the draw after triumphing in last season’s League Cup final against Cardiff, but were forced to enter the competition a stage earlier than expected after Chelsea clinched the Champions League.

The knock-on effect was that Tottenham enter at the group stages of the tournament under the status of previous winners, while Newcastle are now forced to qualify from the play-off round stage.