Spurs were drawn in Group J with Monaco, Anderlecht and FK Qarabag, who play matches in Azerbaijan’s capital Baku and are 16/1 to win the competition with Sky Bet.
Liverpool’s task is also not straightforward with games against Russian side Rubin Kazan, Bordeaux and Swiss club Sion in Group B, although Sky Bet make them more likely than Spurs to hoist the trophy at 14/1.
Celtic have the prospect of facing Robin van Persie and Nani’s new side Fenerbahce plus Ajax and Molde from Norway in Group A.
The financial rewards of the Europa League have been increased by UEFA this season – and there is the carrot of the winners qualifying automatically for next season’s Champions League.
Celtic’s head of operations Ronnie Hawthorn said: “I think the stature of the Europa League is growing and the competition is getting more and more difficult. It’s good for fans who wants to watch European competition but it is a tough competition these days.
“There is an increase in Europa funding – something like a 63 per cent increase which is quite significant – and that is an important step forward for the competition, and there are lots of good groups here including our own.
“To see players like Van Persie will be so attractive for the fans and how they are coped with in terms of our own team. That can make the match all the more interesting.
“It is also an important step for the competition that the Europa winners now access the Champions League – as Sevilla have shown last season.”
Europa League group stage
Group A
Ajax
Celtic
Fenerbahce
Molde
Group B
Rubin Kazan
Liverpool
Bordeaux
FC Sion
Group C
Borussia Dortmund
PAOK Salonika
Krasnodar
Gabala
Group D
Napoli
Club Brugge
Legia Warsaw
FC Midtjylland
Group E
Villarreal
Plzen
Rapid Vienna
Dinamo Minsk
Group F
Marseille
Braga
Liberec
FC Groningen
Group G
Dnipro
Lazio
St Etienne
Rosenberg
Group H
Sporting Lisbon
Besiktas
Lokomotiv Moscow
Skenderbeu
Group I
Basel
Fiorentina
Lech Poznan
Belenenses
Group J
Tottenham Hotspur
Anderlecht
Monaco
FK Karabakh
Group K
Schalke 04
APOEL
Sparta Prague
Asteras
Group L
Athletic Bilbao
AZ
Augsburg
Partizan Belgrade
Spurs face tough task
Date published: Wednesday 28th January 2015 2:19
