Seven-time European champion AC Milan was handed a comfortable UEFA Cup assignment yesterday when it was drawn with Heerenveen, Braga, Portsmouth and Wolfsburg in the competition's group stage.

English Premier League strugglers Tottenham Hotspur will take on Spartak Moscow, Serie A joint leaders Udinese, Dinamo Zagreb and Dutch side Nijmegen.

In a tough Group C, 2006 and 2007 UEFA Cup winner Sevilla was drawn against German side Stuttgart, Sampdoria, Partizan Belgrade and Belgian champion Standard Liege.

Group F brought together three former European champions with Hamburg, Ajax and Aston Villa being pitted against each other, along with Czech champion Slavia Prague and Slovakian side Zilina.

"We are playing clubs from strong football leagues in the Netherlands, Portugal, England and Germany so it will be interesting," AC Milan's organizing director Umberto Gandini said.

"Serie A remains our priority but at the end of the day this is still an international trophy, and one we haven't won before. Winning it also gets you into the UEFA Super Cup so in that sense it's worth a lot to us."

Milan will begin the group stage with an away trip to Heerenveen on October 23, with its other away match coming against European newcomer Portsmouth.

"It's fantastic for all our fans, being the first time in Europe and getting drawn against AC Milan," said Portsmouth chief executive Peter Storrie. "Overall, it's a good balanced group and the fact that it's a group format rather than a knock-out match against AC Milan means we've got half a chance."

Tottenham hopes a good run in Europe could help to revive its domestic fortunes, having taken just two points from this season's opening seven matches.

"I'm sure we will do well and will use the UEFA Cup to get our confidence back," said Tottenham's director of football Damien Comolli. "I think if there is any positive result that gives us confidence we will take it."

Spurs face a difficult start to their group with a visit to Udinese but they avoided a trip to Moscow - instead playing Spartak at home in its final group match on December 18.

"I wouldn't have minded going to Moscow - I like the city and as people know I like the players," said Comolli who was instrumental in Tottenham's signing of cup-tied striker Roman Pavlyuchenko from Spartak.

Seville board member Manuel Vizcaino Fernandez was optimistic that his club would secure one of the top three places needed to progress.

"We knew this year's draw would be especially difficult but I think if we play in our normal way we can get to the next round," he said. "We are considered one of the big teams in Europe now thanks to what we achieved in the UEFA Cup, so although we treat all competitions equally this one has special importance in terms of our history."

(Agencies via Shanghai Daily October 8, 2008)