Uefa Cup Draws:Tottenham Hotspur were drawn against a side familiar in north London yesterday when they were paired with Slavia Prague in the last 32 of the Uefa Cup. Spurs saw off the Czechs in the first round of the competition last season and Arsenal beat them 7-0 in the Champions League in October.
Despite Slavia's record Tottenham will not be taking them lightly. "We played them last year in the Uefa Cup and know how difficult it was - it was tough, especially over there," their sporting director, Damien Comolli, said. "I think they just had a bad day at the Emirates. They also drew against Arsenal at home and that is what I will be keeping in mind."
Spurs are expected to make signings before the Uefa Cup resumes in February and began yesterday by agreeing a fee with Cardiff City for the Wales full-back Chris Gunter. The 18-year-old, primarily a right-back, was a target last summer for Everton and the fee is believed to be about €4.5 million.
He is set to become the first player delivered by Comolli to the coach Juande Ramos, who has won the past two Uefa Cups with Sevilla. Comolli is confident that Ramos's expertise in European competition is benefiting Spurs. "We are very ambitious," he said. "We are very happy with Juande and know his success in Europe, so he will bring a lot of that to us."
Should Tottenham get past Slavia they will face the winners of the tie between PSV Eindhoven and Helsingborg.
Last season's meeting between Tottenham and Slavia is not the only link between the sides. Enic, Spurs' majority shareholder, also owns a stake in the Czech club, though it is not a controlling interest so Uefa rules do not stop the clubs playing in the same competition.
When Tottenham faced the Czechs last season a goal from Jermaine Jenas in Prague and one from Robbie Keane at home secured a 2-0 aggregate win. They expect to be able to count on Dimitar Berbatov for goals in February after Comolli repeated Ramos's assertion that the Bulgarian will not be sold next month. Berbatov has been linked with Manchester United but he has said he is happy at Spurs.
"We have never had any talks with Manchester United," said Comolli. "We want him to stay. It's not an issue."
Bolton Wanderers face perhaps the toughest task of the English clubs, having been drawn against Atletico Madrid, third in La Liga. "It's a formidable challenge but one (the manager) Gary Megson will relish," said Allan Duckworth, Bolton's chief executive.
Everton's manager David Moyes admitted a degree of ignorance about Brann, his side's next opponents. "It is hard to tell whether it is a good or a bad draw. I don't know a lot about them," he said. "But they are the Norwegian champions so if you look at it from that angle it is a difficult game."
A win would see Everton face Fiorentina or Rosenborg.
UEFA CUP DRAWS
Round of 32: Aberdeen v Bayern Munich; AEK Athens v Getafe; Bolton v Athletico Madrid; Zenit St Petersberg v Villarreal; Galatasaray v Bayer Leverkusen; Anderlecht v Bordeaux SK; Brann v Everton; FC Zurich v Hamburg; Rangers v Panathinaikos; PSV Eindhoven v Helsingborgs; Slavia Prague v Tottenham; Rosenborg v Fiorentina; Sporting v Basle; Werder Bremen v Braga; Benfica v Nurnberg; Marseille v Spartak Moscow.
Games to be played: Feb 13th, 14th and 20th.
Round of 16: Anderlecht or Bordeaux v Aberdeen or Bayern Munich; Rangers or Panathinaikos v Werder Bremen or Braga; Bolton or Athletico Madrid v Sporting or Basle; Galatasaray or Bayer Leverkusen v FC Zurich or Hamburg; AEK Athens or Getafe v Benfica or Nurnberg; Rosenborg or Fiorentina v SK Brann or Everton; Slavia Prague or Tottenham v PSV Eindhoven or Helsingborgs; Marseille or Spartak Moscow v Zenit St Petersberg or Villarreal.
Games to be played March 6th, 12th and 13th.
