By: Peter Katsiris
Friday's draw for the UEFA Europa League group stages in Monaco has set up stiff tests for Greek sides Panathinaikos FC and AEK Athens FC.
A total of forty-eight clubs from across Europe took part in the draw, which eventually formed twelve groups of four.
After being dumped out of the UEFA Champions League by Clube Atletico de Madrid 5-2 on aggregate, Panathinaikos' attention shifts to Europe's second-hand club competition in the tournament's first running season since being renamed from the UEFA Cup.
One of the clubs found in the first pot, Panathinaikos were paired with Turkish side Galatasaray SK, FC Dinamo 1948 Bucuresti, and SK Sturm Graz in Group F.
The group is highlighted by one of the more intriguing matchups of the round, the Greco-Turkish battle on the football scene finding its newest instalment this season. Having played Olympiacos CFP at this point of the competition last season, a new-look Galatasaray looks stronger than last year and are favourites to vie for first place in the group.
Dinamo Bucuresti, however, will also provide a challenge, the Romanian giants overcoming an awarded 3-0 deficit to SK Slovan Liberec on Thursday night to progress to the newly-moderated group stages.
SK Sturm Graz may not have the prestige of Panathinaikos and Galatasaray, but the Austrian side defeated the Athenian giants twice during the 2000/2001 edition of the UEFA Champions League, but have progressed past the qualifying rounds of the Europa League for the first time since the 2002/2003 season.
Meanwhile, AEK Athens will face-off against SL Benfica, Everton FC, and FC Bate Borisov in Group I. A 3-0 win for Dusan Bajevic's side on Thursday night sees AEK return to the group stages after a one-year absence.
Portugal's Benfica are tipped tobe in the running for one of the two available spots in the first knockout round, but their most recent trip to Greece ended in embarrassing fashion as the Lisbon side went down 5-1 to Olympiacos at this stage of the competition last season.
Everton, despite early struggles in the English Premier League thus far this season, are also favourites to progress as they return to the group-stage scene after being knocked out in the final qualifying round last season.
Belarusian side Bate Borisov raised eyebrows with their qualification for the Champions League last season, but they'll have to settle for Europa League football this season; a 4-1 aggregate defeat of PFC Litex Lovech earning them a group stage ticket.
Matchday 1 of the group stages is schedule for 17 September and the competition carries on through until 16/17 December.
2009/2010 UEFA Europa League Group Stage:
Group A:
AFC Ajax (Netherlands)
RSC Anderlecht (Belgium)
NK Dinamo Zagreb (Croatia)
FC Timisoara (Romania)
Group B:
Valencia CF (Spain)
LOSC Lille Mιtropole (France)
SK Slavia Praha (Czech Republic)
Genoa CFC (Italy)
Group C:
Hamburger SV (Germany)
Celtic FC (Scotland)
Hapoel Tel-Aviv FC (Israel)
SK Rapid Wien (Austria)
Group D:
Sporting Clube de Portugal (Portugal)
SC Heerenveen (Netherlands)
Hertha BSC Berlin (Germany)
FK Ventspils (Latvia)
Group E:
AS Roma (Italy)
FC Basel 1893 (Switzerland)
Fulham FC (England)
PFC CSKA Sofia (Bulgaria)
Group F:
Panathinaikos FC (Greece)
Galatasaray SK (Turkey)
FC Dinamo 1948 Bucuresti (Romania)
SK Sturm Graz (Austria)
Group G:
Villarreal CF (Spain)
S.S. Lazio (Italy)
PFC Levski Sofia (Bulgaria)
FC Salzburg (Austria)
Group H:
FC Steaua Bucuresti (Romania)
Fenerbahηe SK (Turkey)
FC Twente (Netherlands)
FC Sheriff (Moldova)
Group I:
SL Benfica (Portugal)
Everton FC (England)
AEK Athens FC (Greece)
FC BATE Borisov (Belarus)
Group J:
FC Shakhtar Donetsk (Ukraine)
Club Brugge KV (Belgium)
FK Partizan (Serbia)
Toulouse FC (France)
Group K:
PSV Eindhoven (Netherlands)
FC Kψbenhavn (Denmark)
AC Sparta Praha (Czech Republic)
CFR 1907 Cluj (Romania)
Group L:
Werder Bremen (Germany)
FK Austria Wien (Austria)
Athletic Club Bilbao (Spain)
CD Nacional (Portugal)
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