Uefa Cup draw

[dww]

From the BBC:

Portsmouth's players will get the chance to take on AC Milan

Portsmouth have been drawn in the same Uefa Cup group as AC Milan, while Aston Villa, Tottenham and Manchester City have also been given tough opposition.

Aston Villa will play Ajax and Hamburg and Spurs' main threat is likely to come from Spartak Moscow and Udinese.

Pompey must also overcome Heerenveen, SC Braga and Vfl Wolfsburg.

But City, who play Schalke O4, Paris St Germain, Racing Santander and former England boss Steve McClaren's FC Twente side, will face the stiffest test.

Each team is in a five-team group and will play two opponents at home and the other two away, with the opening games to be played on 23 October.

Three teams from each group qualify for the next knockout round.

The final is in Istanbul on 20 May.

McClaren, whose side lost to Arsenal in the qualifying rounds for the Champions League, is looking forward to facing more English opposition.

"I've just come back to England to catch up on football here, and the signings City have made are massive and they are expected to do very well," the former Middlesbrough boss said. "It should be a fantastic occasion for us.

"We weren't ready for Arsenal, that shows the gap. We are a young side, inexperienced, especially in Europe, but we will just enjoy it. It is about the future for these young players."

More follows.

Group A
Schalke 04
Paris St Germain
MANCHESTER CITY
Racing Santander
FC Twente

Group B
Benfica
Olympiakos
Galatasaray
Hertha Berlin
Metalist Kharkiv

Group C
Sevilla
Stuttgart
Sampdoria
Partizan Belgrade
Standard Liege

Group D
TOTTENHAM
Spartak Moscow
Udinese
Dinamo Zagreb
NEC Nijmegen

Group E
AC Milan
Heerenveen
SC Braga
PORTSMOUTH
Vfl Wolfsburg

Group F
Hamburg
Ajax
Slavia Prague
ASTON VILLA
MSK Zilina

Group G
Valencia
Club Brugge
Rosenborg
FC Copenhagen
Saint-Etienne

Group H
CSKA Moscow
Deportiva La Coruna
Feyenoord
Nancy
Lech Poznan

[tommyg]

both villa and spurs have some pretty decent opposition in their groups

[dww]

both villa and spurs have some pretty decent opposition in their groups

You'd fancy Villa to get top three though. Spurs too on personnel alone but at the minute they would struggle to get out of a group containing AFC Liverpool and a selection of arbitrarily chosen under 12s teams.

[PTP]

great draw for pompey with Ac Milan -

[bobbyfallon]

great draw for pompey with Ac Milan -

always liked redknapp

[tommyg]

You'd fancy Villa to get top three though. Spurs too on personnel alone but at the minute they would struggle to get out of a group containing AFC Liverpool and a selection of arbitrarily chosen under 12s teams.

ROFLMAO

also city have got a pretty tough draw but i accidently missed them when skimming down the list, shame on me for overlooking the richest club in the world!!! :bird:

[peekay]

You'd fancy Villa to get top three though. Spurs too on personnel alone but at the minute they would struggle to get out of a group containing AFC Liverpool and a selection of arbitrarily chosen under 12s teams.

[Pablo]

Theres a few teams in the UEFA Cup this year that are better than some of the dross in the Champions League. Seems a particularly weak Champions League this year to me. Citehs group in particular is very interesting, five pretty strong teams in there, very even group on paper.

[Joe King]

All the groups seem very good. Milan and Valencia are the stand out favourites, more Valencia on current form but you can't discount Milan in european competitions. Hamburg and Galatasaray to go far too.

[Big Dave]

Who did the bitters get

[Sisterstiffticket]

"Portsmouth have been drawn in the same Uefa Cup group as AC Milan, while Aston Villa, Tottenham and Manchester City have also been given tough opposition."

SPURS GIVEN TOUGH OPPOSITION IN THE FORM OF 'ANOTHER TEAM ON THE PITCH'!

[Vermilion]

"Portsmouth have been drawn in the same Uefa Cup group as AC Milan, while Aston Villa, Tottenham and Manchester City have also been given tough opposition."

SPURS GIVEN TOUGH OPPOSITION IN THE FORM OF 'ANOTHER TEAM ON THE PITCH'!

I know it hurts really, but admire your spirit, er..that's 'your' spirit, Not Spurs. Humour is always the best way to deal with disappointment of this sort, it's a game after all, yes we are dedicated to our clubs, but what's that saying.......'Worse things happen at sea', and they really do.

If we can laugh, laugh with, and be laughed at without offence, then it can't be so bad.