Europa League Preview
So just who are Unirea Urziceni?.
As the last 32 teams in the draw included some more famous names, such as Juventus and Atletico Madrid, some may have breathed a sigh of relief when Unirea Urziceni was chosen as our first opponents in the knockout stages but we would do well not to discount them out of hand.
Although this relatively unknown Romanian team only attained a first division place in 2006 they quickly progressed to their first ever Liga 1 title in 2009 and with that came admission into the Champions League.
Despite the shock departure of their manager and national hero Dan Petrescu just a week after they had been handed the draw against Liverpool they currently hold second place in the league under new manager Ronny Levy.
Levy, who was given an 18-month contract with the club in January worth a reported 600,000 dollars is committed to maintaining the run of success instigated by Dan Petrescu whilst being acutely aware that he will be compared to the former manager.
Rafa Benitez will also be feeling the pressure on Thursday evening, although having previously won this cup whilst manager of Valencia in 2004 perhaps a little less so and will be buoyed by the fact that Liverpool are quoted as 7/1 favourites.
Europa League round of 32 draw:
Rubin Kazan v Hapoel Tel Aviv; Athletic Bilbao v Anderlecht; FC Copenhagen v Marseille; Panathinaikos v Roma; Atletico Madrid v Galatasaray; Ajax v Juventus; Club Brugge v Valencia; Fulham v Shakhtar Donetsk; Liverpool v Unirea Urziceni; Hamburg v PSV Eindhoven; Villarreal v Wolfsburg; Standard Liege v Salzburg; FC Twente v Werder Bremen; Lille v Fenerbahce; Everton v Sporting; Hertha Berlin v Benfica.
Round of 16 draw:
Hamburg/PSV Eindhoven v Athletic Bilbao/Anderlecht; Rubin Kazan/Hapoel Tel Aviv v Villarreal/Wolfsburg; Atletico Madrid/Galatasaray v Everton/Sporting; Hertha Berlin/Benfica v FC Copenhagen/Marseille; Panathinaikos/Roma v Standard Liege/Salzburg; Lille/Fenerbahce v Liverpool/Unirea Urziceni; Ajax/Juventus v Fulham/Shakhtar Donetsk; Club Brugge/Valencia v FC Twente v Werder Bremen
So just who are Unirea Urziceni?.
As the last 32 teams in the draw included some more famous names, such as Juventus and Atletico Madrid, some may have breathed a sigh of relief when Unirea Urziceni was chosen as our first opponents in the knockout stages but we would do well not to discount them out of hand.
Although this relatively unknown Romanian team only attained a first division place in 2006 they quickly progressed to their first ever Liga 1 title in 2009 and with that came admission into the Champions League.
Despite the shock departure of their manager and national hero Dan Petrescu just a week after they had been handed the draw against Liverpool they currently hold second place in the league under new manager Ronny Levy.
Levy, who was given an 18-month contract with the club in January worth a reported 600,000 dollars is committed to maintaining the run of success instigated by Dan Petrescu whilst being acutely aware that he will be compared to the former manager.
Rafa Benitez will also be feeling the pressure on Thursday evening, although having previously won this cup whilst manager of Valencia in 2004 perhaps a little less so and will be buoyed by the fact that Liverpool are quoted as 7/1 favourites.
Europa League round of 32 draw:
Rubin Kazan v Hapoel Tel Aviv; Athletic Bilbao v Anderlecht; FC Copenhagen v Marseille; Panathinaikos v Roma; Atletico Madrid v Galatasaray; Ajax v Juventus; Club Brugge v Valencia; Fulham v Shakhtar Donetsk; Liverpool v Unirea Urziceni; Hamburg v PSV Eindhoven; Villarreal v Wolfsburg; Standard Liege v Salzburg; FC Twente v Werder Bremen; Lille v Fenerbahce; Everton v Sporting; Hertha Berlin v Benfica.
Round of 16 draw:
Hamburg/PSV Eindhoven v Athletic Bilbao/Anderlecht; Rubin Kazan/Hapoel Tel Aviv v Villarreal/Wolfsburg; Atletico Madrid/Galatasaray v Everton/Sporting; Hertha Berlin/Benfica v FC Copenhagen/Marseille; Panathinaikos/Roma v Standard Liege/Salzburg; Lille/Fenerbahce v Liverpool/Unirea Urziceni; Ajax/Juventus v Fulham/Shakhtar Donetsk; Club Brugge/Valencia v FC Twente v Werder Bremen
