16.12.2013 18:23 h

Football: Juve return to Turkey for Europa League

Emotionaler Trainer
Emotionaler Trainer

Italian champions Juventus return to Turkey as the Serie A giants were drawn against Trabzonspor in the Europa League last-32 on Monday.

Juve were knocked out of the Champions League by Turkish side Galatasaray last week and dropped into the second-tier European competition where they host Trabzonspor in Turin on February 20 before heading to the Black Sea side a week later.

The winners of the two-legged tie will play either Fiorentina or Esbjerg in the last 16, as Juve bid to reach the final which will be held at their own stadium on May 14.

Three other Serie A clubs featured in Monday's draw in Nyon, with Napoli drawn against Premier League side Swansea.

"Against Swansea it will be a big challenge," said Napoli coach Rafael Benitez.

"They've really progressed over the past few years."

Lazio host Ludogorets of Bulgaria while Fiorentina travel to Danish side Esbjerg.

Lazio coach Vladimir Petkovic said they were relieved by the draw.

"It could have been worse, but it's to be taken with a pinch of salt. Ludogorets is a good team who play nice, fast football and have a lot of foreign players.

"Several teams have had problems against them. They don't have our international experience but it's a worthy team. We're favourites, but we have to do our utmost to win."

Premier League side Tottenham, who sacked manager Andre Villas-Boas on Monday, will meet former boss Juande Ramos when they travel to Ukrainian side Dnipro.

Valencia, travel to Dynamo Kiev in the Ukraine, as fellow Spaniards Sevilla visit Maribor in Slovenia and Real Betis host Rubin Kazan of Russia.

France's Lyon visit Chornomorets Odessa in the Ukraine as Dutch giants Ajax, who dropped down from the Champions League, host Austria's Red Bull Salzburg in Amsterdam.

"I don't really know Chornomorets Odessa. We're going to discover this team," said Lyon coach Remi Garde.

"There are never easy matches. I have tremendous respect for all the teams. We're going to take this team which eliminated PSV Eindhoven seriously."

Elsewhere Bundesliga side Eintracht Frankfurt travel to Portuguese champions Porto, the 2003 and 2011 winners.

Draw for the last 32 and last 16 of the Europa League made on Monday in Nyon:

Dnipro (UKR) v Tottenham Hotspur (ENG)

Real Betis (ESP) v Rubin Kazan (RUS)

Swansea (ENG) v Napoli (ITA)

Juventus (ITA) v Trabzonspor (TUR)

Maribor (SVN) v Sevilla (ESP)

Viktoria Plisen (CZE) v Shakhtar Donetsk (UKR)

Chornomorets (UKR) v Lyon (FRA)

Lazio (ITA) v Ludogorets (BUL)

Esbjerg (DEN) v Fiorentina (ITA)

Ajax (NED) v Red Bull Salzburg (AUT)

Maccabi Tel-Aviv (ISR) v Basel (SUI)

Porto (POR) v Eintracht Frankfurt (GER)

Anzhi Makhachkala (RUS) v Genk (BEL)

Dynamo Kiev (UKR) v Valencia (ESP)

PAOK (GRE) v Benfica (POR)

Slovan Liberec (CZE) v AZ Alkmaar (NED)

(First legs on February 20; return legs on February 27)

Last 16 draw:

Slovan Liberec/AZ Alkmaar v Anzhi Makhachkala/Genk

Lazio/Ludogorets v Dynamo Kiev/Valencia

Porto/Eintracht Frankfurt v Swansea/Napoli

Chornomorets/Lyon v Viktoira Plisen/Shakhtar Donetsk

Maribor/Sevilla v Real Betis/Rubin Kazan

Dnipro/Tottenham Hotspurs v PAOK/Benfica

Maccabi Tel-Aviv/Basel v Ajax/Red Bull Salzburg

Juventus/Trabzonspor v Esbjerg/Fiorentina

(First legs on March 13; return legs on March 20)