Newcomers go for Intertoto glory

Valencia begin
Eight sides start their bid for a UEFA Cup place at this stage, including Valencia, winners of the 2004 tournament, who travel to Belgium for their first leg against KAA Gent. A possible tie with fellow newcomers Roda JC awaits in the semi-finals, provided the Dutch club overcome Czech team FC Slovan Liberec, who swept aside Beitar Jerusalem FC to reach this round.

Lokeren obstacle
French giants Marseille will hope to include new €7m signing Mamadou Niang in their starting lineup against BSC Young Boys, conquerors of KSC Lokeren OV, in Switzerland. A potential encounter with the last-ever UEFA Cup Winners' Cup winners Lazio looms for the winners, should the Italian side get past Finland's Tampere United, who have yet to concede a goal in four games, with the first leg at the Stadio Olimpico on Sunday.

German affair
Dortmund open their European season at home to Czech outfit SK Sigma Olomouc knowing they could face a semi-final against Bundesliga rivals and fellow former European champions Hamburger SV, who visit Portugal after defeating FK Pobeda to set up a meeting with newcomers UD Leiria.

Duo missing
Newcastle from England are missing €9.8m purchase Scott Parker and defender Titus Bramble for their first leg at Slovakia's FK ZTS Dubnica, due to injury. RC Deportivo La Coruña or NK Slaven Koprivnica of Croatia, who play each other in Saturday's first leg in Spain, will contest a place in the final against the winners.

Egaleo enter
Surprise package CFR Cluj, who eliminated Athletic Club Bilbao on penalties, will be aiming for another big-name scalp in the form of Ligue 1's AS Saint-Etienne when they meet in Romania for Sunday's first leg. Greece's Egaleo FC enter the fray at home to FK Žalgiris Vilnius of Lithuania with the victors getting the chance to tackle Cluj or St-Etienne in the last four.

Göteborg hunt
Finally, Croatian side NK Varteks will want to continue the prolific form which has made them the competition's eleven-goal top scorers against French club RC Lens on Saturday. Both teams will be keeping tabs on Sunday's first leg in Sweden between IFK Göteborg and Bundesliga outfit VfL Wolfsburg with the winners of the two games meeting in the semi-finals.