Euro draw not kind to Pochettino
EUROPA LEAGUE GROUP STAGE DRAW
MAURICIO POCHETTINO’S Tottenham tackle two sides who shocked Arsenal in the Champions League last year in their tough Europa League group.
Belgium’s Anderlecht came back from 3-0 at the Emirates last November to draw 3-3. And Monaco knocked the Gunners out in the last 16 after a stunning 3-1 win in London.
Azerbaijan side Qarabag, who were knocked out of Champions League qualifying by Celtic this summer, are also in Group J. It will be a five-and-half hour flight to Baku to play them.
“Tottenham and Anderlecht are top teams and we will also discover Qarabag,” said Monaco vicepresident Vadim Vasilyev.
“It’s a group worthy of the Champions League. It’s a good answer to all of those who claim the Europa League is inferior.”
There was crowd trouble
the last time the Londoners played Anderlecht in Brussels in December 2007.
Like Spurs, Brendan Rodger’s men will travel to the edge of Europe with a 4,000-mile round trip to face Rubin Kazan in central Russia on Bonfire Night.
But Liverpool have the compensation of facing two sides they have beaten before in Europe. The Reds start their campaign next month against Bordeaux, who they twice overcame in the Champions League group stage in 2006-07.
And they thrashed Swiss side Sion 6-3 at Anfield in the Cup Winners’ Cup second round in 1996/97.
Celtic, who lost to Malmo on Tuesday night, face three other sides who failed to qualify for the Champions League – Ajax, Fenerbahce and Molde.