Uefa Cup second round draw 2003/2004 season - NUFC/FC BASLE, L'POOL/ STEUA

Liverpool have been drawn to face Southampton's conqeurors Steaua
Bucharest in the second round of the Uefa Cup.

Newcastle have also been paired with tough opposition in the form of
FC Basle, while Manchester City boss Kevin Keegan will be happier
after drawing Polish unknowns Groclin.

Scottish representatives Hearts will meet French side Bordeaux. 

Bucharest will be hoping to repeat their success against the Saints
when they face Gerard Houllier's side, with the first leg in Romania.

Houllier admits it will be tough, saying: "I know we will not be
playing the same club this time, but for the first tie of the season
we won the trophy we had to overcome a difficult match there against
Rapid Bucharest.

"Maybe this is an omen because we ended up winning the tournament that
season.

"But we do accept that this is the the toughest tie we could have had
from our section of the draw.

"But it is an exciting game against a club with a fine history. They
are probably the best Romanian side in relation to European results
over the years.

"There is no doubt Steaua are a very skillful side with excellent
players.

"But if we want to progress in this competition we will have to
overcome them."

Sir Bobby Robson's side will be well-briefed about FC Basle after the
Swiss sent Celtic and Liverpool out of the Champions League last
season.

Former Spurs boss Christian Gross also saw his side take the lead
against Manchester United before they lost in Switzerland.

City will have high hopes of progress against Groclin, while Hearts
will hope to advance against Bordeaux, who are currently struggling in
the French first division.

However, Hearts' only other meeting with French opposition was in the
1984-85 season when they were defeated 6-2 on aggregate by Paris St
Germain in the first round of the Uefa Cup.



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Uefa Cup second round draw in full 

Dinamo Zagreb v Dnipro 
Borussia Dortmund v Socheaux 
Manchester City v Groclin 
Barcelona v Panionios 
Benfica v Molde 
Slavia Prague v Levski Sofia 
Rosenborg v Crvena Zvedzda 
Valencia v Maccabi Haifa 
Spartak Moscow v Dinamo Bucharest 
Gaziantepspor v Lens 
Brondby v Schalke 04 
Aris v Perugia 
Utrecht v Auxerre 
Steaua Bucharest v Liverpool 
Valerenga v Wisla Kracow 
PAOK Salonika v Debrecen 
FC Copenhagen v Real Mallorca 
Parma v Austria Vienna 
Basle v Newcastle United 
Hadjuk Split v AS Roma 
Genclerbirligi v Sporting Lisbon 
Torpedo Moscow v Villareal 
Feyenoord v Teplice 
Bordeaux v Hearts 


The first leg matches will be played on 6 November with the return
ties on 27 November.