UEFA Europa League draw: English clubs avoid each other

The three remaining English clubs in the Europa League, in the form of Chelsea, Tottenham and Newcastle, were able to avoid each other in this year’s quarterfinal draw.

Tottenham don’t often play Swiss opponents, and it was in fact 40 years ago that they last did, when they mauled Grasshoppers Zurich 9-2 in the same competition. They will however expect a much sterner test against FC Basel, who knocked out the formidable Zenit St. Petersburg from the competition.

Chelsea will have the tough task of taming the chilly conditions of Russia, as they drew Rubin Kazan, while Newcastle managed to draw Portuguese outfit Benfica, who came into the competition after finishing 3rd in their Champions League group stage.

In the other quarterfinal, Turkish giants Fenerbahce were pitted against Serie A side Lazio.

The overall draw is as follows (teams named first will play home legs first):

Chelsea vs Rubin Kazan

Tottenham Hotspur vs FC Basel

Fenerbahce vs Lazio

Benfica vs Newcastle United

The first legs will be on 4 April, and the return legs will be on 11 April.