AC Milan will continue their bid for a first UEFA Cup triumph against SC Heerenveen, SC Braga, debutants Portsmouth FC and VfL Wolfsburg after the group stage draw was made in Nyon on Tuesday.
Matches begin on 23 October and continue on 6 and 27 November, then 3/4 and 17/18 December with each club in action on four of those matchdays and fixtures to be confirmed shortly. In the Round of 32 draw on 19 December, the teams finish first and third will be paired, with the runners-up meeting the sides currently competing in the UEFA Champions League. This is the last year that the tournament will be in its current format before being relaunched as the UEFA Europa League.
The final is in Istanbul on 20 May.
| 2008/09 UEFA Cup group stage |
| Group A |
Group B |
| FC Schalke 04 (GER) |
SL Benfica (POR) |
| Paris Saint-Germain FC (FRA) |
Olympiacos CFP (GRE) |
| Manchester City FC (ENG) |
Galatasaray AŞ (TUR) |
| Real Racing Club (ESP) |
Hertha BSC Berlin (GER) |
| FC Twente (NED) |
FC Metalist Kharkiv (UKR) |
| Group C |
Group D |
| Sevilla FC (ESP) |
Tottenham Hotspur FC (ENG) |
| VfB Stuttgart (GER) |
FC Spartak Moskva (RUS) |
| UC Sampdoria (ITA) |
Udinese Calcio (ITA) |
| FK Partizan (SRB) |
NK Dinamo Zagreb (CRO) |
| R. Standard de Liège (BEL) |
NEC Nijmegen (NED) |
| Group E |
Group F |
| AC Milan (ITA) |
Hamburger SV (GER) |
| SC Heerenveen (NED) |
AFC Ajax (NED) |
| SC Braga (POR) |
SK Slavia Praha (CZE) |
| Portsmouth FC (ENG) |
Aston Villa FC (ENG) |
| VfL Wolfsburg (GER) |
MŠK Žilina (SVK) |
| Group G |
Group H |
| Valencia CF (ESP) |
PFC CSKA Moskva (RUS) |
| Club Brugge KV (BEL) |
RC Deportivo La Coruña (ESP) |
| Rosenborg BK (NOR) |
Feyenoord (NED) |
| FC København (DEN) |
AS Nancy-Lorraine (FRA) |
| AS Saint-Etienne (FRA) |
KKS Lech Poznań (POL) |
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