Spurs and Greeks on Russian club’s Europa League agenda

Russian sides Rubin Kazan and Lokomotiv Moscow have learned the names of their rivals in the Europa League group stages.

­At the draw, which took place in Monaco on Friday, Rubin got English Premier League big guns Tottenham Hotspur, Greek side PAOK and Shamrock Rovers of Ireland as their Group A rivals.

Lokomotiv found themselves in Group L, together with Belgian side Anderlecht, another Greek league representative AEK and Sturm Graz of Austria.

The Europa League action resumes on August 15, with two of the best sides from each group qualifying to the playoffs.

Russia were originally represented by three clubs in the competition, but Spartak Moscow and Alania Vladikavkaz failed to join Lokomotiv in making it through the qualification stage.

Rubin Kazan appeared among the Europa League contesters only after losing their battle for a Champions League spot to French side, Lyon.

UEFA Europa League 2011/12 group stage:

Group A
Tottenham Hotspur FC (ENG)
FC Rubin Kazan (RUS)
PAOK FC (GRE)
Shamrock Rovers FC (IRL)

Group B
FC Kobenhavn (DEN)
R. Standard de Liège (BEL)
Hannover 96 (GER)
FC Vorskla Poltava (UKR)

Group C
PSV Eindhoven (NED)
Hapoel Tel-Aviv FC (ISR)
FC Rapid Bucuresti (ROU)
Legia Warszawa (POL)

Group D
Sporting Clube de Portugal (POR)
S.S. Lazio (ITA)
FC Zurich (SUI)
FC Vaslui (ROU)

Group E
FC Dynamo Kiev (UKR)
Besiktas JK (TUR)
Stoke City FC (ENG)
Maccabi Tel-Aviv FC (ISR)

Group F
Paris Saint-Germain FC (FRA)
Athletic Club (ESP)
FC Salzburg (AUT)
SK Slovan Bratislava (SVK)

Group G
AZ Alkmaar (NED)
FC Metalist Kharkov (UKR)
FK Austria Wien (AUT)
Malmo FF (SWE)

Group H
SC Braga (POR)
Club Brugge KV (BEL)
Birmingham City FC (ENG)
NK Maribor (SVN)

Group I
Club Atletico de Madrid (ESP)
Udinese Calcio (ITA)
Stade Rennais FC (FRA)
FC Sion (SUI)

Group J
FC Schalke 04 (GER)
FC Steaua Bucureşti (ROU)
Maccabi Haifa FC (ISR)
AEK Larnaca FC (CYP)

Group K
FC Twente (NED)
Fulham FC (ENG)
Odense BK (DEN)
Wisla Krakow (POL)

Group L
RSC Anderlecht (BEL)
AEK Athens FC (GRE)
FC Lokomotiv Moscow (RUS)
SK Sturm Graz (AUT)

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