WHEN ALEX Ferguson pondered Manchester United’s “penalty” for dropping into the Europa League, he probably had in mind trips to far-flung football outposts and what has become known as the “Thursday night thing” undermining the Premier League title defence.

What the manager got in the draw for the last 32 may have come as a pleasant surprise: the mighty Ajax Amsterdam, in a fixture that could comfortably have graced the first knockout round of the Champions League.

It is an extremely tough tie and it is in keeping with the luck of England’s Europa League representatives. Manchester City, who like United fell short in the Champions League to enter the competition via the back door, drew Porto, the holders.

Stoke City, the only English club to qualify through the group phase, were paired with Valencia. Ajax, Porto and Valencia are Champions League dropouts too.

If the Ajax tie was among the best that United could have hoped for in logistical terms – not to mention it providing a fun away trip for their fans – it is also a confrontation that Ferguson will relish. There would also be no embarrassment if United were to lose.

“I have never played Ajax before in competitive football in my managerial career,” Ferguson said. “They are a good team and we are looking forward to it.”

If United are asking themselves how they came to be in the competition, Ajax need a dose of smelling salts. They had one foot in the Champions League last 16, only to be overtaken on goal difference by Lyon when the French club scored six second-half goals to win 7-1 at Dinamo Zagreb.

The craziness of that scoreline felt in keeping with the soap opera that is Ajax at present. The club, who are fourth in the Eredivisie, have been beset by a boardroom power struggle.

Roberto Mancini, the City manager, has stated his desire to win the Europa League together with the Premier League and the club have not felt the sense of shame that has accompanied United into the tournament. Their draw is even more mouthwatering. Porto, who are still kicking themselves for their failure to beat Zenit St Petersburg at home in the final round of Champions League group ties, are unbeaten at the top of the Portuguese Primeira Liga.

“Porto is probably the toughest game we could have,” Mancini said. “Manchester City against Porto feels like a Champions League game. I have come up against them as a player before and also a manager, and they are a very strong club. They are used to playing in Europe, in a great stadium.

“Not too many years ago they won the Champions League. We know this game will be difficult, but also it will be difficult for them. We will be looking forward to it. It will be a hard match for us. When I looked at the teams we could face, I thought Porto would be the toughest. It is a good game for the fans, a big team coming to Manchester.”

Stoke succeeded in the Europa League group stage where Tottenham Hotspur, Fulham and Birmingham City failed, and they will go into their tie against Valencia, the third-best team in Spain, with tremendous credit. The matches will be their 11th and 12th in the competition this season.

“To be the only club in the country to qualify is a fantastic achievement,” said their manager, Tony Pulis. “I think it’s been recognised that we had the hardest group and also we travelled further than anybody else as well (to play in Kiev, Tel Aviv and Istanbul). It’s something everybody at the club should be proud of.”