Boro & Bolton learn Uefa Cup fate

Lok Plovdiv 1-2 Bolton (2-4) Xanthi 0-0 Boro (0-2)

Middlesbrough and Bolton were both handed difficult draws for the group stage of the Uefa Cup.

Steve McClaren's Boro have been drawn in Group D, along with Dutch club AZ Alkmaar, who reached the semi-final stage of the tournament last season.

Dnipro, Grasshopper Zurich and Litex Lovech are the other sides in Group D.

Bolton, in their first European campaign, have been drawn in Group H, along with Besiktas, Sevilla, FC Zenit and Vitoria Guimaraes.

Three teams qualify from each group, with Boro hopeful of repeating last season's form when the club reached the last 16 before losing to eventual finalists Sporting Lisbon.

It's not a bad draw for Boro - AZ Alkmaar are a good team but our group looks better than Bolton's From VE Have your say on 606

"Alkmaar are an attack-minded team and are top of the Dutch league and going great," said McClaren.

"They have got a talented manager and some very good players.

"Grasshoppers have a strong reputation in European football. We don't know as much about the other two, but we will certainly be doing our homework."

In the group phase, each club plays two matches at home and two away - with Boro hosting Dnipro and Litex Lovech and away to Grasshopper and Alkmaar.

Ukrainian side Dnipro thrashed Scottish side Hibernian in this season's qualifying round, winning the home leg 5-1 after a goalless draw at Easter Road.

We are in an excellent group with some very good sides Bolton boss Sam Allardyce

Swiss club Grasshoppers beat MyPa of Finland and Bulgarian outfit Litex Lovech defeated Belgian side Genk.

Middlesbrough defeated FC Xanthi to secure their passage to the group stage, while a late goal from Kevin Nolan ensured Bolton saw off the challenge of Bulgaria's Lokomotiv Plovdiv.

Bolton manager Sam Allardyce said he is looking forward to testing his side against some strong opposition.

"We are in an excellent group with some very good sides who will make it difficult for us," said Allardyce.

"At this level all matches will be hard but we are here on merit and we look forward to seeing where we might be travelling in Europe."

Turkish side Besiktas are the top seeds in Bolton's group, having thrashed Malmo with Souleymane Youla scoring a hat-trick in the away leg.

Spanish side Sevilla beat Mainz, Russian team FC Zenit St Petersburg saw off AEK Athens and Portuguese outfit Vitoria won a tight tie against Wisla Krakow. Bolton play their two home games against Sevilla and Zenit, travelling to Besiktas and Vitoria.

Bolton chairman Phil Gartside said: "I think we're lucky because we don't have to tell the players about European football - most of them have already been there. They're excited about it."

The top three sides from each group progress to the last 32, where they are joined by the eight third-placed teams from the Champions League group stage.

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Group A

AS Monaco
Slavia Prague
Hamburg
CSKA Sofia
Viking Stavanger

Group B

Lokomotiv Moscow
Espanyol
Palermo
Brondby
Maccabi Petah-Tikva

Group C

Hertha Berlin
Lens
Sampdoria
Steaua Bucharest
Halmstad

Group D

AZ Alkmaar
Middlesbrough
FC Dnipro
Grasshopper Zurich
Litex Lovech

Group E

AS Roma
Basel
C Zvezda
Strasbourg
Tromso

Group F

CSKA Moscow
Marseille
Heerenveen
Levski Sofia
Dinamo Bucharest

Group G

Vfb Stuttgart
PAOK Salonika
Shakhtar Donetsk
Rennes
Rapid Bucharest

Group H

Besiktas
Sevilla
Bolton
St Petersburg
Vitoria Guimaraes

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Matches to be played on 20 October, 3 November, 24 November, 30 November-1 December, 14-15 December