Juventus start road to final against Trabzonspor
Monday, December 16, 2013
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Trabzonspor AŞ are Juventus's first opponent in their bid to reach the final on home soil, with the round of 32 draw pairing Tottenham Hotspur FC with one of their former managers.
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Juventus will begin their bid to reach the UEFA Europa League final on home turf with a round of 32 tie against Trabzonspor AŞ following a draw which pitted 2013 runners-up SL Benfica against PAOK FC.
Helping to conduct proceedings in Nyon was Ciro Ferrara, the former Juve defender who won the UEFA Cup with SSC Napoli in 1989. His old clubs were among the eight sides to transfer from the UEFA Champions League, where Napoli had become the first team to be eliminated despite amassing 12 points.
While Juventus can start preparing for another Turkish outfit – having lost to Galatasaray AŞ in a decisive matchday six encounter – Napoli's one-time Chelsea FC and Liverpool FC boss Rafael Benítez faces English Premier League opposition in Swansea City AFC.
Tottenham Hotspur FC, who today dismissed André Villas-Boas, were paired with FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk, led by their former manager Juande Ramos. Ramos oversaw Sevilla FC's back-to-back UEFA Cup triumphs in 2006 and 2007 and his erstwhile employers will tackle NK Maribor, the first Slovenian club through to this juncture. PFC Ludogorets Razgrad, breaking ground at this stage for Bulgaria, were drawn against SS Lazio.
Salzburg, like Tottenham, won all six group games and the runaway Austrian Bundesliga leaders will journey to AFC Ajax for the first leg of their tie. FC Basel 1893 are also away first – against Maccabi Tel-Aviv FC, the side they beat 4-3 on aggregate in this season's UEFA Champions League third qualifying round.
The round of 16 draw was also made and has served up a potential city derby between Sevilla and Liga strugglers Real Betis Balompié and an all-Serie A meeting of Juventus and ACF Fiorentina.
Road to Turin
Quarter-finals: Draw 21 March, matches 3 & 10 April
Semi-finals: Draw 11 April, matches 24 April & 1 May
Final: Wednesday 14 May, Juventus Arena
Round of 32 draw
FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk (UKR) v Tottenham Hotspur FC (ENG)
Real Betis Balompié (ESP) v FC Rubin Kazan (RUS)
Swansea City AFC (ENG) v SSC Napoli (ITA)
Juventus (ITA) v Trabzonspor AŞ (TUR)
NK Maribor (SVN) v Sevilla FC (ESP)
FC Viktoria Plzeň (CZE) v FC Shakhtar Donetsk (UKR)
FC Chornomorets Odesa (UKR) v Olympique Lyonnais (FRA)
SS Lazio (ITA) v PFC Ludogorets Razgrad (BUL)
Esbjerg fB (DEN) v ACF Fiorentina (ITA)
AFC Ajax (NED) v FC Salzburg (AUT)
Maccabi Tel-Aviv FC (ISR) v FC Basel 1893 (SUI)
FC Porto (POR) v Eintracht Frankfurt (GER)
FC Anji Makhachkala (RUS) v KRC Genk (BEL)
FC Dynamo Kyiv (UKR) v Valencia CF (ESP)
PAOK FC (GRE) v SL Benfica (POR)
FC Slovan Liberec (CZE) v AZ Alkmaar (NED)
Round of 16 draw
Liberec/AZ v Anji/Genk
Lazio/Ludogorets v Dynamo/Valencia
Porto/Eintracht v Swansea/Napoli
Chornomorets/Lyon v Plzeň/Shakhtar
Maribor/Sevilla v Betis/Rubin
Dnipro/Tottenham v PAOK/Benfica
Maccabi Tel-Aviv/Basel v Ajax/Salzburg
Juventus/Trabzonspor v Esbjerg/Fiorentina