Thursday 20 October 2011

Europa League Preview

Tottenham host Rubin Kazan in Europa League action on Thursday with Spurs looking to bounce back from their 2-2 draw with Newcastle at the weekend.

After defensive frailties let the Premier League side down once again on their trip to Newcastle, Harry Redknapp's team will need to curtail Rubin's former Newcastle striker Obafemi Martins if they are to claim the three points from the Russian outfit at White Hart Lane.

Spurs and Rubin are tied on top of Group A with four points each with Rubin ahead on goal difference.

Martins has proved somewhat of a thorn in Tottenham's side, having scored in his first four games against the club for Newcastle - all of them wins.

Greek side PAOK FC play host to Irish team Shamrock Rovers in the other Group A fixture.

Group I leaders Atletico Madrid travel away to take on Serie A side Udinese as both sides battle for top spot with four points each.

The Spanish club will be looking to Brazilian midfielder Diego to pull the strings with the side hosting what should prove to be one of the matches of the round.

Scottish giants Celtic travel across the channel to take on French team Stade Rennes in the group's other match with both clubs only managing to pick up a point so far in their respective campaigns.

AEK Athens travel north to battle Lokomotiv Moscow in Group L without star striker Eidur Gudjonsen, who broke his leg against Olympiakos on Saturday.

AEK have no points so far and new coach Nikos Kostenoglou must steel his men for a rough night as Lokomotiv attempt to seal qualification and continue their formidable record at home.

The other fixture in the group sees Belgian side Anderlecht travel away to Austria's SK Sturm Graz.

In Group E, Stoke, fresh from their 2-0 win over Fulham in the Premier League, host Israel side Maccabi Tel Aviv as Tony Pulis looks to maintain their position on top of the group.

Dynamo Kiev and Besiktas do battle in the other group match.

Lazio are on the road to Swiss side FC Zurich in Group D full of confidence following their morale-boosting derby win over Roma in the Serie A. Manager Edoardo Reja has star strikers Miroslav Klose and Djibril Cisse in form and will need both to get their campaign rolling after picking up just a point.

Sporting Lisbon host FC Vaslui in the other match.

In Group K, Polish club Wisla Krakow host Fulham while Odense face Dutch outfit FC Twente.

Fulham boss Martin Jol will seek to cement the Cottagers' passage into the next round of the Europa League with a win, with Andrew Johnson, fresh from a hat-trick in their 6-0 thrashing of QPR a week ago, fit and raring to go.

Twente will look to build on their 4-1 hammering of Krakow last round with danger man Marc Janko at the frontline of their attack, and confident with two goals against the Poles.

Swedish outfit Malmo is at home to Metalist Kharkiv while Dutch side AZ Alkmaar travel away to play Austria Wien in Group G.

In Group H Maribor play host to Portuguese side Braga with Club Brugge entertaining English Championship side Birmingham.

In Group J action, AEK Larnaca host Bundesliga side Schalke while Maccabi Haifa host Romanian team Steaua Bucharest.

Belgian club Standard Liege is at home to FC Vorska Poltava in Group B with German club Hannover playing host to Copenhagen.

In Group C, Rapid Bucuresti is at home to Legia Warsaw, with Hapoel Tel Aviv hosting PSV.

And in Group F, SV Salzburg travel to Spain to take on Athletic Bilbao, while Slovan Bratislava host Ligue 1 leaders PSG.

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