Spurs Handed Tasty Russian Tie.

Harry Redknapp will not be too happy about having to make a winter trip to Russia to face Rubin Kazan in the Europa League group stages.

Spurs were placed in Group A from the opening pot of the draw that took place midday Friday in Monaco. Pot two, from which Kazan were draw, contained big sides such as Lazio, Udinese and Athletic Bilbao, but Rubin Kazan will be no push over for the Londoners, especially when Spurs have travel to Russia to play in near Arctic temperatures.

Spurs will also face a trip to Greece to meet PAOK and a short journey across the Irish sea to play Shamrock Rovers in Dublin.

Former Europa League finalists Fulham, drawn from pot two, will face Dutch side Twente in group K as well as having trips to Denmark and Poland for ties against Odensk and Wisla Krakow.

Stoke and Birmingham were drawn from the third Pot, both sides looking to avoid Group D, containing Sporting Lisbon and Lazio, Group I, containing Atlético Madrid and Udinese, and Group F containing PSG and Athletic Bilbao

Stoke's group sees them play Dynamo Kiev, Turkish side Besiktas and Israeli side Maccabi Tel-Aviv in Group E, while Birmingham were placed in Group H to face last year's semi-finalists Braga, Club Brugge and Slovenian side MK Maribor.

Arguably the toughest Group in the draw will be Group I, where Atlético Madrid and Udinese were joined by French side Rennes and Swiss side Sion, although Sion could be replaced next week by Celtic if UEFA deems that the Swiss side fielded ineligible players due to a 12 month transfer ban placed on them in January.