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All five French clubs will fancy their chances of reaching the last 16 of the UEFA Cup after Friday’s draw. Marseille’s clash with Bolton is arguably the pick of the ties.
The 1993 European champions will have their work cut out against Sam Allardyce’s high-flying Premiership team, but given OM’s recent upturn in form – and their good record against English clubs – their supporters will be quietly confident.
Marseille’s star player Franck Ribéry (pictured) will be looking to pile more misery on English opponents, having inspired the France Under-21s to victory over England in the European Championship playoff last month.
Champions’ League outcasts Lille have a difficult tie against Shakhtar Donetsk, while Ligue 1 strugglers Strasbourg take on little-known Bulgarians Litex Lovech.
Monaco and Lens both have tough but surmountable tests. Les Sang et Or have landed another Italian side, Udinese, just hours after dumping Sampdoria out of the competition, while Monaco face Swiss champions Basel.
With five clubs through, France are better represented than any other nation. No French team has ever won the UEFA Cup.
Full draw for the last 32:
Liteks Lovetch v STRASBOURG
VfB Stuttgart v Middlesbrough
Slavia Prague v Palermo
Lokomotiv Moscow v Sevilla
Heerenveen v Steaua Bucharest
Bolton v MARSEILLE
Hertha Berlin v Rapid Bucharest
Basel v MONACO
Udinese v LENS
Rosenborg v Zenit St Petersburg
Club Brugge v AS Roma
Shalke 04 v Espanyol
LILLE v Shakhtar Donetsk
FC Thun v Hamburg
Real Betis v AZ
Artmedia Bratislava v Levski Sofia
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