Spurs and Portsmouth face tough draws in UEFA Europa League

Posted on Monday, October 13th, 2008 at 5:06 pm and is filed under News.

The UEFA Europa League trophy is pictured during the draw for the group phase of the UEFA Europa League on October 7, 2008 at European football's ruling body headquarters in Nyon. Former European champions AC Milan were among the big names looking with optimism towards possible UEFA Europa League glory after landing in a comparatively manageable group following Tuesday's draw. AC Milan will play in Group E with SC Heerenveen, Sporting Braga, Portsmouth, VfL Wolfsburg. AFP PHOTO / FABRICE COFFRINI (Photo credit should read FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP/Getty Images)

Tottenham Hotspur and Portsmouth have been drawn into tough groups for the group stage of the 2008 UEFA Europa League.

Portsmouth has been drawn alongside AC Milan in group E, and will meet the Italian club at Fratton Park in November. Portsmouth will also play SC Heerenveen, Braga and Wolfsburg in its group stage matches.

“It is a good group all the way round,” Portsmouth chief executive Peter Storrie was quoted as saying by the Canadian Press. “But we will enjoy it and I am sure our fans will pinch themselves thinking Portsmouth Football Club are going to play AC Milan in European competition.”

Spurs, meanwhile, will be involved in some tough encounters in group D, which includes Serie A log leaders Udinese, Spartak Moscow, Dinamo Zagreb and NEC Nijmegen.

Despite watching his club tumble to their worst start to a season in decades, club director Damien Comolli was upbeat about his side’s prospects in the UEFA Europa League, saying: “I am sure we will do well. The players are highly motivated about the UEFA Europa League. We are not getting the results we thought we would get. But it is not time to be pointing fingers at anyone.”