Newcastle faces tough task as UEFA Cup groups announced

Newcastle were handed a daunting task in the UEFA Cup draw in Nyon, Switzerland.

The Magpies were drawn with Celta Vigo, Palermo – conquerors of West Ham in the first round – Fenerbahce and Eintracht Frankfurt in Group H.

Tottenham were handed a kinder draw despite being among the lowest seeds and were drawn with Bayer Leverkusen, Bruges, Besiktas and Dinamo Bucharest in Group B.

Blackburn face a tough task to progress from Group E containing Feyenoord, Basle, Wisla Krakow and Nancy.

Rangers will come up against Auxerre, Partizan Belgrade, Livorno and Maccabi Haifa.

The draw for the UEFA Cup Group Stage is as follows:

Group A Auxerre Rangers Partizan Belgrade Livorno Maccabi Haifa

Group B Bayer Leverkusen Club Brugge Besiktas Dinamo Bucuresti Tottenham

Group C Sevilla AZ Slovan Liberec Grasshoppers Braga

Group D Parma Lens Heerenveen Osasuna Odense BK

Group E Feyenoord Basle Wisla Krakow Blackburn AS Nancy

Group F Ajax Sparta Prague Espanyol Austria Magna Zulte Wagerem

Group G Panathinaikos PSG Rapid Bucuresti Hapoel Tel-Aviv Mlada Boleslav

Group H Newcastle Celta Vigo Palermo Fenerbahce Eintracht Frankfurt.