UEFA Cup takes shape

Three from France
The two teams that contested the 2001/02 UEFA Cup final, winners Feyenoord and BV Borussia Dortmund, were among the high-profile casualties as the second round concluded. The German club were humbled 6-2 on aggregate by FC Sochaux Montbéliard - one of three French teams in the hat along with AJ Auxerre and FC Girondins de Bordeaux.

Match postponed
There will also be at least three Spanish sides in the 12 December draw, a figure which will increase if Valencia CF defeat Maccabi Haifa FC in a second leg still to be played after its original venue, Izmir, was ruled out due to the security situation in Turkey. England, Norway and Turkey each have two clubs involved.

New mark
Feyenoord were beaten 3-1 on aggregate by FK Teplice. The Czech challengers are in the third round for the first time along with Villarreal CF - UEFA Intertoto Cup survivors alongside AC Perugia - Debreceni VSC, Groclin Grodzisk Wielkopolski and Gaziantepspor. PFC Levski Sofia will compete in the third round for the first time since 1974/75, while FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk last featured at this stage in 1985/86.

Eight left
FC Schalke 04, winners in 1996/97, were knocked out by Brøndby IF, a fine way for the Danish club to celebrate a century of matches in UEFA competition. Portugal, Russia and Ukraine are the other countries still to have a representative in the tournament, while the remaining berths will be filled by the clubs who finish third in the eight UEFA Champions League groups.