UEFA Cup draw

Celtic have been handed a tough clash with Spanish giants Barcelona in the fourth round of the UEFA Cup.

Thu, 04 Mar, 2004 - 14:31

Celtic have been handed a tough clash with Spanish giants Barcelona in the fourth round of the UEFA Cup.

Last season’s runners-up will tackle the Catalans in the first leg of tie at Parkhead next week.

Liverpool, who beat Auxerre at this stage of the competition last season, will again face French opposition in Marseille. Gerard Houllier’s side will play the first leg at home.

The Premiership’s other representatives in the last 16, Newcastle, will play Real Mallorca and must travel to Spain for the second leg.

Should Liverpool progress to the quarter-finals, they will face a tie against Inter Milan or Benfica.

Celtic would play Villarreal or Roma whilst Newcastle would come up against Auxerre or PSV Eindhoven.

And should Liverpool and Newcastle both make the semi-finals they would face each other in a last-four showdown.

Celtic manager Martin O'Neill is relishing the chance to take on one of the biggest names in world football, following his team's paring with Barcelona.

He said: “It’s a tough draw for us and one that we will probably be second favourites in.

“But it is great for us, and we will just go and play. We knew we were going to draw somebody big, because we were not seeded.”

1 SOCCER UEFA Draw

Draw for the fourth round, quarter-finals, semi-finals and final of the UEFA Cup.

Round 4:

1 Celtic (Sco) v Barcelona (Spa)

2 Genclerbirligi (Tur) v Valencia (Spa)

3 Bordeaux (Fra) v Club Brugge (Bel)

4 Newcastle (Eng) v Mallorca (Spa)

5 Auxerre (Fra) v PSV Eindhoven (Ned)

6 Inter Milan (Ita) v Benfica (Por)

7 Liverpool (Eng) v Marseille (Fra)