Boro avoid big guns

Middlesbrough boss Steve McClaren was relieved to avoid the “big guns” after the UEFA Cup draw opened up a route to the final.

Boro, now among the favourites to win the competition after eliminating fancied sides Stuttgart and Roma in the last two rounds, were today paired with Swiss outfit Basle in the quarter-finals.

Should they get past Christian Gross’ men, they will face the winners of the Bucharest derby between Rapid and Steaua in the semi-finals with a massive night in Eindhoven beckoning in May.

However, McClaren knows Basle will also fancy their chances after avoiding Sevilla, Schalke and Zenit St Petersburg.

“Both teams will look and say that’s a good draw,” he said. “We have avoided the big guns, Sevilla, Schalke and St Petersburg.

“It’s against a club we know a lot about. They have a good tradition and history, but they should hold no fears.

“We are quite confident. We know they have beaten very good sides to get where they are, and so have we.

“It’s an opportunity for both clubs to get to the semi-final.”

Boro will travel to the St Jakob Park stadium on Thursday, March 30, before welcoming Basle to the Riverside Stadium seven days later, and will also enjoy the advantage of playing the second leg at home if they progress.

McClaren admitted the excitement level is rising after the 2-1 defeat in Rome on Wednesday night which secured their passage.

“Once you reach the quarter-finals of any cup competition, there’s a smell and you start to think, ’If we just get through this one....’,” he said.

“There is that sense, especially after beating Stuttgart and Roma. The belief and confidence is there in the players.

“But there are still two very tough games that we have got to get through.”

Gross’ side reached the last eight with a 4-2 aggregate victory over Strasbourg, who along with Roma, had beaten them in the group stage of the competition.

They had put out fellow French outfit Monaco in the previous round, but Croatian striker Mladen Petric admits Boro, who beat Grasshoppers 1-0 in Switzerland earlier in the campaign, will be tough opponents.

“Middlesbrough have a very good team,” he told www.uefa.com. “We have seen their value this season against Grasshoppers and especially now against Roma.

“But we’re not satisfied yet with our UEFA Cup achievements and have a good chance to prevail over the two games.

“Beating the two French teams has given us a lot of confidence.”

Basle went out of the competition in the second round to Newcastle two seasons ago, but have drawn Champions League games against both Manchester United and Liverpool in the recent past.

Perhaps the tie of the round is the clash between former European champions Steaua Bucharest and city rivals Rapid.

Seville and Zenit will fight it out over two legs for the prize of a semi-final clash with either Levski Sofia or Schalke.