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Galatasaray lead UEFA Cup way
Tuesday 14 August 2007
Former
winners Galatasaray SK are among the 64 clubs who will compete in the
2007/08 UEFA Cup second qualifying round when the first legs are played
on Thursday.
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Galatasaray's Hakan Sükür celebrates in 2000 (©Getty Images)Contenders
The Turkish giants
are among 27 teams entering the competition at this stage, eleven via
the UEFA Intertoto Cup including Hamburger SV, Club Atlético de Madrid
and UC Sampdoria. Galatasaray, who lifted this trophy in 2000, are up
against European debutants NK Slaven Koprivnica of Croatia. Slaven were
one of 37 teams to win through from the first qualifying round and will
stage the first leg.
'Be brave'
With such
attractive opposition and an impressive 8-4 aggregate defeat of KS
Teuta of Albania in the previous round, Slaven coach Krunoslav Jurčić
has a tough task to keep his players' feet on the ground. "Football is
very popular in the city again, but I am trying to decrease that
euphoria," he said. "It's not easy when such a big team is coming to
the city. My philosophy is to play aggressively and be brave and I told
my players that they have to be like this against Galatasaray. If so,
anything is possible."
Galatasaray bid
While
Galatasaray have claimed European club football's second biggest prize
in the past, former European champions Hamburg will meet Hungary's
Budapest Honvéd FC over two legs. Three teams that lifted the defunct
UEFA Cup Winners' Cup are also in action; Atlético will face FK
Vojvodina of Serbia, Sampdoria have been paired with HNK Hajduk Split
and FC Dinamo Tbilisi are to play SK Rapid Wien. Surprise Luxembourg
qualifiers UN Käerjéng 97 have been rewarded with a tie against R.
Standard de Liège.
Road to Manchester
Once
this stage is completed on 30 August, the first-round draw will be held
the following day in Nyon, with the ties to be held over two legs on 20
September and 4 October. Lying in wait for the 32 victors from the
final qualifying round will be 48 other clubs including the four-time
European champions and 1996 UEFA Cup winners FC Bayern München and the
16 sides eliminated in the third qualifying round of the UEFA Champions
League. The 40 first-round winners will participate in the UEFA Cup
group stage, with the eventual goal a place in the final at the City of
Manchester Stadium on Wednesday 14 May 2008.