Friday, December 16, 2011

SPUDS NOT IN THE POT

This morning the draw for the last 16 of the UEFA Champions League and the rounds of 32 and 16 in the Europa League will be drawn in Nyon, and Tottenham Hotspurs will not be included.

In the end, despite hammering Shamrock Rovers and despite the pre-game expectation of elimination, it wasn't the most sedate of nights for Harry Redknapp in Dublin.

For a start, there was the fact PAOK Salonika's early lead over Rubin Kazan in the group's other game threatened to demand a late rally from Spurs in order to go through on goals scored. To finish, after Kazan equalised in Greece to put Spurs out, there was the constant goading by the home supporters about Redknapp's forthcoming court case.

To date, 15 teams are already assured of qualification to the last 32 of the Europa League, with nine further places up for grabs on Wednesday and Thursday as the competition's group phase is completed.

Already qualified: PAOK FC, Standard Liege*, Hannover 96, PSV Eindhoven*, Legia Warsaw, Sporting Lisbon, Stoke City, Athletic Club*, FC Metalist Kharkiv*, SC Braga, Atletico Madrid, FC Schalke*, FC Twente*, Anderlecht, Lokomotiv Moscow

*Group winners

Teams transferring from the UEFA Champions League: Holders Porto, Manchester City, Trabzonspor, Manchester United, Ajax, Valencia, Olympiakos and Viktoria Plzen.

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