United handed Norwegian test

Last updated : 12 December 2003 By Martyn Elliott

The first leg of the tie will be played at the Ulleval Stadium in Oslo on February 26, with the return leg at St James’ Park on March 3.

Valerenga aren’t regarded as one of Norway’s top club sides, finishing 12th out of 14 teams in the Premier League season that has just finished, and certainly represent a better draw than Spartak Moscow, Auxerre or Gaziantepspor who were the other three teams we could have been paired with.

In the first two rounds Valerenga beat Austrians Graz AK on away goals and Polish outfit Wisla Krakow on penalties.

A quick look down their squad list reveals two familiar names, in former Forest, Blackburn and Derby midfielder Lars Bohinen, together with former Hertha Berlin star Kjetil Rekdal.


Full draw:

Brondby v Barcelona

Parma v Genclerbirligi

Benfica v Rosenborg

Marseille v Dnipro

Celtic v FK Teplice

Perugia v PSV Eindhoven

Groclin v Bordeaux

Valencia v Besiktas

Galatasaray v Villarreal

Club Brugge v Debrecen

Sochaux v Inter Milan

Liverpool v Levski Sofia

Spartak Moscow v Real Mallorca

Gaziantepspor v AS Roma

Auxerre v Panathinaikos

Valerenga v Newcastle United