Contenders await group stage draw

Forty teams await their fate in the draw for the UEFA Cup group stage which takes place at UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland, from 12.00CET.

Big wins
The first round was completed last Thursday, with the usual array of dominant wins, extra-time drama and giant-killings. FC Spartak Moskva and FC Basel 1893 were certainly in the first category, claiming commanding 8-1 aggregate triumphs against BK Häcken and FK Sarajevo, although they were not the most emphatic results of the opening round. That distinction went to Club Atlético de Madrid, who struck nine unanswered goals past Kayseri Erciyesspor.

Helsingborg achievement
There was a more equitable division of goals in the tie between Helsingborgs IF and SC Heerenveen, Henrik Larsson playing a starring role as the Swedish side overturned a 5-3 first-leg defeat to prevail 8-6 on aggregate. Along with Norway's SK Brann, Helsingborg are one of only two survivors from the first qualifying round that kicked off in mid-July – even before the group stage begins on 25 October, they have played eight games. That is six more fixtures than FC Bayern München required to book their place, and the Bundesliga giants are many people's favourites to go all the way to the Manchester final on 14 May.

Five winners
The four-time European champions are attempting to etch their name on the UEFA Cup trophy for the second time, having won the competition in 1995/96. They are one of five former winners involved, alongside Bayer 04 Leverkusen, RSC Anderlecht, Galatasaray SK and Tottenham Hotspur FC, who have claimed the title twice. There could have been a sixth past master in the hat but AFC Ajax's hopes were ended by NK Dinamo Zagreb, who will certainly be one to avoid as they lurk ominously in Pot 4 of five (based on UEFA coefficients) together with the stellar name of FK Crvena Zvezda.

Fixture draw
Serbia are one of 21 countries still represented in the tournament, up from 19 last term, though five alone hail from Greece. Clubs from the same national association cannot be pitted together, and when the draw concludes – with eight groups of five teams – a computer draw will determine the fixture schedule with factors such as stadium clashes and climatic conditions taken into account. Each club will play two matches at home and two away between the following dates: 25 October, 8 November, 29 November, 05/06 December and 19/20 December.

Progress
The winners, runners-up and third-placed sides from each group progress to the last 32 where they are joined by the eight third-placed teams from the UEFA Champions League group stage. At this point, the traditional two-game format is used with the exception of the final in Manchester.

To view the full list of seedings, click here.