TRIPS TO ITALY, Switzerland and Russia await Liverpool FC and their fans following the draw for the Europa League group stages, made in Monaco on Friday morning.

Brendan Rodgers’ side have been drawn in Group A where they will meet Serie A’s Udinese, Young Boys of Bern and Russian giants Anzhi Makhachkala.

Currently fifth in the Russian Premier League, Anzhi are captained by one of the world’s richest footballers in Samuel Eto’o and managed by Guus Hiddink.

Newcastle United have been drawn in Group D alongside Bordeaux, Club Bruges and Maritimo of Portugal in Group J.

Andre Villas-Boas and Tottenham will face Panathinaikos, Lazio and Maribor of Slovenia.

The first round of games take place on Thursday 20 September.

Europa League 2012/2013 group stages

Group A: Liverpool (ENG), Udinese (ITA), Young Boys (SUI), Anzhi Makhachkala (RUS)

Group B: Atletico Madrid (ESP), Hapoel Tel-Aviv (ISR), Viktoria Plzen (CZE), Coimbra (POR)

Group C: Marseille (FRA), Fenerbahçe (TUR), Möenchengladbach (GER), AEL Limassol (CYP)

Group D: Bordeaux (FRA), Club Bruges (BEL), Newcastle (ENG), Maritimo (POR)

Group E: VfB Stuttgart (GER), FC Copenhagen (DEN), Steaua Bucharest (ROM), Molde (NOR)

Group F: PSV Eindhoven (NED), Naples (ITA), Dnipropetrovsk (UKR), AIK Solna (SWE)

Group G: Sporting Lisbon (POR), FC Basel (SUI), Genk (BEL), Videoton (HUN)

Group H: Inter Milan (ITA), Rubin Kazan (RUS), Partizan Belgrade (SRB), Neftçi PFK (AZE)

Group I: Lyon (FRA), Athletic Bilbao (ESP), Sparta Prague (CZE), Hapoel Kiryat Shmona (ISR)

Group J: Tottenham (ENG), Panathinaikos (GRE), Lazio (ITA), Maribor (SLO)

Group K: Bayer Leverkusen (GER), Metalist Kharkov (UKR), Rosenborg (NOR), Rapid Vienna (AUT)

Group L: FC Twente (NED), Hanover (GER), Levante (ESP), Helsingborgs (SWE)