Italian and German UEFA Cup trips for Magpies

Hard route through Europe: Newcastle boss Glenn Roeder
14 April 2012

Newcastle coach Terry McDermott believes the club have landed a "very difficult draw" in the UEFA Cup group stages.

However McDermott insists Glenn Roeder's team should be positive ahead of their matches against Celta Vigo, Palermo, Fenerbahce and Eintracht Frankfurt.

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Newcastle must travel to face Italian Serie A high-flyers Palermo - who knocked out West Ham in the first round - and German outfit Frankfurt.

McDermott said: "I don't think it's daunting. I think it's a very difficult draw we've got, but there's two home games and two away games, and if you win your home games you'd expect to qualify.

"They are never going to be easy, Fenerbahce at home and Celta Vigo at home. We know that but we'll go there with a bit of confidence.

"I think the key is keeping everyone fit. We've got a lot of games coming up, with the League Cup as well. If we keep everyone fit and free from suspension then you'd like to think we could qualify and go through."

Newcastle's last major trophy was the Fairs Cup in 1969 - the forerunner to the UEFA Cup - and McDermott is desperate for that barren spell to end.

"Newcastle haven't won anything for 40, 50 years and any trophy will do," he added. "(We'd like to) emulate what Middlesbrough did last year, get to the final and win that final because these fans have been starved of success over the years, and if any fans deserve a trophy it's these Newcastle fans because they are the best.

"I think it's a fantastic draw. We're certainly capable, and the games that we've got - Palermo away from home and Frankfurt away from home - are very, very difficult games but games as a player you should be looking forward to."

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 will find it hard to to progress from Group E containing Feyenoord, Basle, Wisla Krakow and Nancy.

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

Leverkusen are likely to represent Spurs' stiffest competition in Group B although their place in the top three, which ensures progression to the third round, is far from guaranteed.

Blackburn face far less hostile trips abroad though Feyenoord, Basle and Nancy are more experienced European campaigners.

Sevilla, AZ Alkmaar, Slovan Liberec, Grasshopper and Braga were drawn together in Group C while Italian outfit Parma feature in Group D with Lens, Heerenveen, Osasuna and Odense.

Ajax will be confident of advancing from Group F containing Sparta Prague, Espanyol, Austria Vienna and Zulte Waregem while Paris St Germain and Panathinaikos will meet in Group G with Rapid Bucharest, Hapoel Tel Aviv and Mlada Boleslav.

UEFA Cup draw in full

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

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