Source: Daily_Mail
Tottenham play Hearts in Europa League
[LNB]Tottenham and Hearts will go head-to-head for a place in this season's Europa League after being drawn together in the play-offs.[LNB]Harry Redknapp's men, in the competition after a successful foray into the Champions League last season, qualified for the play-offs automatically and will travel to Edinburgh on August 18, with the return leg at White Hart Lane a week later.[LNB] Star: Gareth Bale (left) will lead Spurs' Europa League campaign[LNB] Hearts, who booked their place in the play-offs with a 4-1 win over PAKS last night, are now under the management of Paulo Sergio, who took the job earlier this week followingthe shock exit of Jim Jefferies.[LNB]EUROPA LOWDOWN [LNB]NACIONALFinished sixth in the Portuguese top flight last season, 42 points behind runaway champions Porto. The Madeira-based club progressedthrough to the play-off round with victories over Icelandic side FH andHacken of Sweden.SION Swiss champions in 1992 and 1997, Sion won their domestic cup competition last season - their 12th success in 12 final appearances - whilst finishing fourth in the league. This campaign they are currently in third spot after taking six points from their opening three games.[LNB]It will be the first ever competitive meeting between the two sides and, in drawing each other, they avoided tricky-looking ties against the likes of Spartak Moscow and Trabzonspor.[LNB]And Sergio said: 'This is a very interesting draw for us, for sure.[LNB]'No matter who we were drawn against it was going to be a very difficult tie, but it is a match which I am sure will capture the imagination.[LNB]'There is not much travelling involved for the supporters and of course there will be the Scotland-England rivalry as well.'[LNB]Fulham's reward for getting past RNK Split with a comfortable 2-0 home win is a clash against Ukrainian outfit Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk.[LNB]Euro adventure: Fulham beat RNK Split at Craven Cottage to progress[LNB] EUROPA LOWDOWN DNIPROCoached by former Real Madrid and Tottenham boss Juande Ramos, who led Sevilla to back-to-back UEFA Cup crowns in 2006 and 2007.The Ukrainian outfit finished fourth last season.MARIBORWon a record ninth Slovenian league title last season after finishing eight points clear at the summit, while they were runners-up in the cup after losing to Domzale in the final. This term Darko Milanic's side are second in the league standings with a 100% record after three games. [LNB]Martin Jol's side, who have been in action in the competition since qualifying started at the end of June, will play the first leg at the Dnipro Arena, before returning to Craven Cottage.[LNB]Scottish champions Rangers will look to put their Champions League disappointment behind them against Slovenian side Maribor.[LNB]Darko Milanic's team won the Slovenian title for a ninth time last season, while Rangers were surprise casualties from the Champions Leaguewhen they went out to Malmo in a two-legged play-off.[LNB]Rangers' Old Firm rivals Celtic will need to get the better of Swiss side FC Sion.[LNB]Living the dream: Stoke impressed in seeing off Hajduk Split [LNB] [LNB] Winning start: Hearts' manager Paulo Sergio won his first game in charge[LNB] [LNB]EUROPA LOWDOWNFC THUNCurrently leading the Swiss standings after the opening three games, having last season finished in fifth spot. FC Thun took part in the group stages of the 2005-06 Champions League, where they played Arsenal, losing both games.[LNB]Managed by former France international Laurent Roussey, Sion lifted their 12th Swiss Cup last season, while Celtic finished runners-up to Rangers.[LNB]Stoke are also facing a trip to Switzerland after being paired with FC Thun, with the first leg at Arena Thun.[LNB]Tony Pulis' men, making their first appearance in Europe after reaching the FA Cup final last season, while Thun finished fifth and are coached by the veteran Swiss Bernard Challandes.[LNB] [LNB] Next best: Rangers missed out on the Champions League after losing to Malmo[LNB] Carling Cup winners Birmingham, who will compete despite their relegation to the Championship, will juggle their second-tier slog with a clash against Portuguese club Nacional.[LNB]They finished sixth in the Portuguese Liga last season, while Birmingham, who will head to Portugal for the first leg, have endured a summer of turbulence, with manager Alex McLeish and a number of key players moving on.[LNB]Adventure: Birmingham qualified for Europe after winning the Carling Cup[LNB]Meanwhile, Irish side Shamrock Rovers were given a tough assignment after being drawn out against Partizan Belgrade, with the first game due to be played at the Tallaght Stadium.[LNB]Rovers were knocked out of the Champions League qualifying stages by FC Copenhagen on Wednesday[LNB] CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR FREE FANTASY FOOTBALL GAMEHajduk Split 0 Stoke 1 (agg 0-2): Woodgate back in old routine as Potters reach Europa League play-offsFulham 2 RNK Split 0 (agg 2-0): Johnson and Murphy secure safe passage into final qualifying roundAll the latest Fulham news, features and opinionAll the latest Stoke news, features and opinionAll the latest Tottenham news, features and opinionAll the latest Celtic news, features and opinionAll the latest Rangers news, features and opinion[LNB] [LNB]
