• Europa League draw

Tottenham handed tough Rubin Kazan test

Tottenham will be among the favourites to win this year's Europa League after demolishing Hearts © Getty Images

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Tottenham Hotspur were handed a tough clash with Champions League drop-outs Rubin Kazan during Friday's Europa League draw.

The Russian outfit have proven a difficult proposition for some of Europe's top sides in recent seasons, most notably when defeating Barcelona at Camp Nou. Harry Redknapp's side will also have to negotiate an encounter with PAOK.

Perhaps most tantalising though, is their match-up with Irish side Shamrock Rovers. Shamrock won at Partizan Belgrade and have been rewarded with a clash against Redknapp's men.

New Fulham boss Martin Jol gets an instant chance to return to his homeland after the Cottagers were paired with FC Twente. The west London club will also meet Odense and Wisla Krakow.

Europa League newcomers Stoke have been handed an extremely difficult examination, drawn in the same group as Besiktas, Dynamo Kiev and Maccabi Tel-Aviv.

And Birmingham face clashes with Portuguese and Belgian opposition in the shape of Braga and Club Brugge. In addition, Chris Hughton's side will have to succeed where Rangers failed, by beating Maribor.

Should Celtic replace FC Sion, who could be removed from the competition due to breaking UEFA rules, they would be entered into a group of death with Atletico Madrid, Udinese and Stade Rennes.

Group A
Tottenham Hotspur (ENG)
Rubin Kazan (RUS)
PAOK (GRE)
Shamrock Rovers FC (IRL)

Group B
FC Copenhagen (DEN)
Standard Liege (BEL)
Hannover (GER)
FC Vorskla Poltava (UKR)

Group C
PSV Eindhoven (NED)
Hapoel Tel-Aviv (ISR)
Rapid Bucharest (ROU)
Legia Warsaw (POL)

Group D
Sporting Lisbon (POR)
Lazio (ITA)
FC Zurich (SUI)
FC Vaslui (ROU)

Group E
Dynamo Kiev (UKR)
Besiktas (TUR)
Stoke City (ENG)
Maccabi Tel-Aviv (ISR)

Group F
Paris Saint-Germain (FRA)
Athletic Bilbao (ESP)
FC Salzburg (AUT)
Slovan Bratislava (SVK)

Group G
AZ Alkmaar (NED)
FC Metalist Kharkiv (UKR)
Austria Vienna (AUT)
Malmo (SWE)

Group H
Braga (POR)
Club Brugge (BEL)
Birmingham City (ENG)
NK Maribor (SVN)

Group I
Atletico Madrid (ESP)
Udinese (ITA)
Stade Rennes (FRA)
FC Sion (SUI)

Group J
Schalke 04 (GER)
Steaua Bucharest (ROU)
Maccabi Haifa (ISR)
AEK Larnaca (CYP)

Group K
FC Twente (NED)
Fulham FC (ENG)
Odense (DEN)
Wisla Krakow (POL)

Group L
Anderlecht (BEL)
AEK Athens (GRE)
Lokomotiv Moscow (RUS)
SK Sturm Graz (AUT)

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