THE Barclays Premier League's three Europa League representatives will all face trips to Russia following the draw for the group stage in Monaco.
Tottenham Hotspur, among the top seeds, will face Anzhi Makhachkala plus Sheriff Tiraspol in Moldova and Tromso in Norway - 200 miles north of the Arctic circle and where the sun barely shines in winter.
Wigan Athletic will go to Rubin Kazan, Maribor of Slovenia and Zulte Waregem in Belgium while Swansea have a tough-looking group featuring the Spanish side Valencia, Kuban Krasnodar, the conquerors of Motherwell, and St Gallen of Switzerland.
The concern for all three clubs will be the length of the journeys and how it fits in with their domestic league matches. Spurs at least should not have to travel to Makhachkala, home city of one-time big spenders Anzhi who have shed many of their bug players in recent weeks in a drastic cost-cutting exercise.
Trouble with armed dissidents means that their home matches in Europe have been played in Moscow rather than at Anzhi's home stadium on the Caspian Sea.
Swansea City have arguably the toughest opponents of all in Valencia, but with seven Spaniards in the squad - and manager Michael Laudrup having been in charge of La Liga side Getafe before taking over at the Liberty Stadium - they will have some inside information.
The Welsh club's general manager Alun Cowie said: "From a football point of view Valencia is the team that stood out and for our Spanish contingent they are going to be two great games.
"We have Pablo Hernandez, formerly of Valencia, and six other boys who have played at the very highest level of La Liga and we are going to need that experience. All three of us from the UK have Russian opponents and, hopefully, the fixtures will be kind to us for the Premier League matches afterwards.
"We have a great squad with virtually two players for every position, but we can't take our eye off the ball in the Premier League."
The Wigan chief executive, Jonathan Jackson, said the Lancashire club will enjoy their first European adventure.
He said: "Playing in Europe is about experiencing new places and going to new clubs and it's something we are really looking forward to. It's a group where we can certainly compete and we won't take anyone likely but we have every chance."
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