Parma expect tough tie

'Never easy' 
Parma beat the Polish side in the same competition in 1998/99 - edging the tie 3-2 on aggregate - and they expect another close contest this time around. Parma official Salvatore Scagia told uefa.com: "It won't be easy, it's never easy against teams from eastern Europe."

'Lack of experience' 
Still, the Gialloblù were relieved to have avoided what they considered the stronger teams in the draw pool. "Our coach [Cesare Prandelli] said that the first two clubs to avoid were Fulham [FC] and Besiktas [JK] and we managed that," said Scagia, who admitted his team's "lack of experience could prove crucial" following the summer sale of key players. "But we'll see what happens," he added.

Danish connection 
FC Midtjylland's reward for knocking out NK Varteks is a meeting with RSC Anderlecht, tournament winners in 1983. At the time Anderlecht featured three Danes in Morten Olsen, Frank Arnesen and Per Frimann - and Midtjylland secretary Jimmy Lauersen believes his countrymen could help the Superliga club achieve another upset. "There is a chance we could contact some of these former players and of course we will do all we can to get a result," Lauersen said.

Pushed to the limit 
One of Belgium's foremost clubs, Anderlecht had to come from behind to defeat Stabæk IF of Norway 2-1 in the first round, and Lauersen thinks the Brussels side far from infallible. "Anderlecht are a great side with big traditions so we very much look forward to meeting them," he said. "I think we stand a good chance of matching them in both games."

Sole survivors 
Midtjylland are Denmark's sole European survivors after Brøndby IF, Odense BK and FC København exited in round one. København lost a Scandinavian showdown against Djurgårdens IF, with the Swedish league leaders advancing to a plum tie with FC Girondins de Bordeaux.

Proved their class 
The French challengers may have made an indifferent start to the Ligue 1 season - winning four of the opening ten games - but Bordeaux proved their class last time out by hammering ŠKM Púchov of Slovakia 10-1 on aggregate. Djurgården director of football Bo Andersson is aware of the task facing his side as they bid to win the Allsvenskan and impress in Europe.

'Very hard challenge' 
"The next three weeks will be very hard for us with a lot of important matches but we have a great side and are well prepared for the challenge," Andersson said. "Also, we haven't played in Europe for ten or eleven years and that could certainly be an important factor against Bordeaux." Second-round games will take place on 31 October and 14 November.