Newcastle must do it the hard way
By Giles Mole
(Filed: 03/10/2006)
Newcastle United must play Palermo in UEFA Cup
Newcastle have been handed a tough task if they are to progress beyond the group stage of the Uefa Cup after being drawn in Group H alongside Celta Vigo, Palermo, Fenerbahce and Eintracht Frankfurt.
Palermo comfortably defeated West Ham in the first round of matches, while Celta Vigo are considered one of the strongest sides in the Spanish Primera Liga.
Euro glory: Tottenham Hotspur's Berbatov will face his old club Leverkusen
Newcastle coach Terry McDermott said: "I don't think it's daunting. I think it's a very difficult draw we've got, but there's two home games and two away games, and if you win your home games you'd expect to qualify.
"They are never going to be easy, Fenerbahce at home and Celta Vigo at home. We know that but we'll go there with a bit of confidence.
"I think the key is keeping everyone fit. We've got a lot of games coming up, with the League Cup as well. If we keep everyone fit and free from suspension then you'd like to think we could qualify and go through."
Tottenham, hoping to lift the trophy for the third time in their history, have been placed in Group B, but they too will have to do it the hard way as Bayer Leverkusen and Turkish team Besiktas have plenty of European experience to call upon.
Bulgarian striker Dimitar Berbatov faces a quick return to his former club. Berbatov was signed from Bundesliga side Leverkusen in the summer for £10.8 million and Spurs manager Martin Jol has earmarked the Germans as favourites to top Group B.
Jol said: "It is a difficult one because we were in the last pot so it was always going to be a hard group.
"Normally the top three teams would be big favourites, but there are no weaker teams in our group and we will not be viewed as such by the other clubs.
"It will be an exciting journey for us. Leverkusen is a club with a great history, Dimitar Berbatov played there and they reached the Champions League final in 2002.
"They will probably be favourites to win the group. Besiktas are not the strongest team in Turkey at the moment but what you are guaranteed over there is a passionate crowd.
"I think we have done okay, we have Club Brugges at home and if we can get a good result in that it would set us up for the difficult trip to Leverkusen."
Blackburn can be pleased with the outcome of their pool with only Dutch side Feyenoord likely to challenge them for top spot.
Blackburn chairman John Williams said: "We're determined to do well and I think the group gives us a chance. My first thought is that it's a good group for us. I hope (manager) Mark Hughes thinks so as well."
Rangers, meanwhile, will come up against Auxerre, Partizan Belgrade, Livorno and Maccabi Haifa.
The winners, runners-up and third-placed sides from each group progress to the last 32. They will be joined by the eight third-placed teams from the Champions League group stage.
Uefa Cup Groups (British teams shown in bold)
Group A:
Auxerre
Glasgow Rangers
Partizan Belgrade
Livorno
Maccabi Haifa
Group B:
Bayer Leverkusen
Club Brugge
Besiktas
Dinamo Bucharest
Tottenham Hotspur
Group C:
Sevilla
AZ Alkmaar
Slovan Liberec
Grasshoppers Zurich
Braga
Group D:
Parma
Lens
Heerenveen
Osasuna
Odense BK
Group E:
Feyenoord
Basel
Wisla Krakow
Blackburn Rovers
Nancy
Group F:
Ajax
Sparta Prague
Espanyol
Austria Vienna
Zulte Waregem
Group G:
Panathinaikos
Paris Saint Germain
Rapid Bucharest
Hapoel Tel-Aviv
Mlada Boleslav
Group H:
Newcastle
Celta Vigo
Palermo
Fenerbahce
Eintracht Frankfurt
telegraph.co.uk
By Giles Mole
(Filed: 03/10/2006)
Newcastle United must play Palermo in UEFA Cup
Newcastle have been handed a tough task if they are to progress beyond the group stage of the Uefa Cup after being drawn in Group H alongside Celta Vigo, Palermo, Fenerbahce and Eintracht Frankfurt.
Palermo comfortably defeated West Ham in the first round of matches, while Celta Vigo are considered one of the strongest sides in the Spanish Primera Liga.
Newcastle coach Terry McDermott said: "I don't think it's daunting. I think it's a very difficult draw we've got, but there's two home games and two away games, and if you win your home games you'd expect to qualify.
"They are never going to be easy, Fenerbahce at home and Celta Vigo at home. We know that but we'll go there with a bit of confidence.
"I think the key is keeping everyone fit. We've got a lot of games coming up, with the League Cup as well. If we keep everyone fit and free from suspension then you'd like to think we could qualify and go through."
Tottenham, hoping to lift the trophy for the third time in their history, have been placed in Group B, but they too will have to do it the hard way as Bayer Leverkusen and Turkish team Besiktas have plenty of European experience to call upon.
Bulgarian striker Dimitar Berbatov faces a quick return to his former club. Berbatov was signed from Bundesliga side Leverkusen in the summer for £10.8 million and Spurs manager Martin Jol has earmarked the Germans as favourites to top Group B.
Jol said: "It is a difficult one because we were in the last pot so it was always going to be a hard group.
"Normally the top three teams would be big favourites, but there are no weaker teams in our group and we will not be viewed as such by the other clubs.
"It will be an exciting journey for us. Leverkusen is a club with a great history, Dimitar Berbatov played there and they reached the Champions League final in 2002.
"They will probably be favourites to win the group. Besiktas are not the strongest team in Turkey at the moment but what you are guaranteed over there is a passionate crowd.
"I think we have done okay, we have Club Brugges at home and if we can get a good result in that it would set us up for the difficult trip to Leverkusen."
Blackburn can be pleased with the outcome of their pool with only Dutch side Feyenoord likely to challenge them for top spot.
Blackburn chairman John Williams said: "We're determined to do well and I think the group gives us a chance. My first thought is that it's a good group for us. I hope (manager) Mark Hughes thinks so as well."
Rangers, meanwhile, will come up against Auxerre, Partizan Belgrade, Livorno and Maccabi Haifa.
The winners, runners-up and third-placed sides from each group progress to the last 32. They will be joined by the eight third-placed teams from the Champions League group stage.
Uefa Cup Groups (British teams shown in bold)
Group A:
Auxerre
Glasgow Rangers
Partizan Belgrade
Livorno
Maccabi Haifa
Group B:
Bayer Leverkusen
Club Brugge
Besiktas
Dinamo Bucharest
Tottenham Hotspur
Group C:
Sevilla
AZ Alkmaar
Slovan Liberec
Grasshoppers Zurich
Braga
Group D:
Parma
Lens
Heerenveen
Osasuna
Odense BK
Group E:
Feyenoord
Basel
Wisla Krakow
Blackburn Rovers
Nancy
Group F:
Ajax
Sparta Prague
Espanyol
Austria Vienna
Zulte Waregem
Group G:
Panathinaikos
Paris Saint Germain
Rapid Bucharest
Hapoel Tel-Aviv
Mlada Boleslav
Group H:
Newcastle
Celta Vigo
Palermo
Fenerbahce
Eintracht Frankfurt
telegraph.co.uk
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