TOTTENHAM travel to Greece for the opening matches of the Europa League group stages today but given the noises coming from manager Harry Redknapp (pic), there is none of the enthusiasm that surrounded their impressive debut in the Champions League last term.

Redknapp's priority is Sunday's Premier League match with Liverpool which he says rules him out of taking the players who played in the 2-0 victory over Wolves last Saturday.

"The problem I've got on Thursday is I can't really take this lot who've played at Wolves," he said.

"It is a nuisance. There won't be too many of these going to Greece," he added.

Aside from that selection problem Redknapp will also have to smooth the ruffled feathers of Dutch star Rafael van der Vaart, who expressed his annoyance at not being included in the Europa League squad which ruled him out of the group stages.

Celtic may have breathed a sigh of relief at getting a place in the group stages because of Sion's ejection over fielding several ineligible players in their qualifying round match but that will have been tempered by the quality of their group opponents.

First up the Scottish side the only one remaining in European competition travel to crack Spanish outfit Atletico Madrid while impressive Italian side Udinese host France's Rennes.

Celtic captain Scott Brown is not intimidated by the challenge the Hoops are facing and indeed is relishing the task in hand as nobody is expecting them to do much.

"It's going to be a big game for us, especially going over there for the first game, but we will take it as it comes," said Brown, who is fighting to be fit as he has an ankle injury.

"We are going to take it as one of the biggest games of our season so far.

"We want to be in Europe and play in big in big matches that's why we signed for a club like Celtic. It's a major occasion."

If fit Brown and his fellow defenders could face a tough night as despite the sales of Sergi Aguero and Diego Forlan to Manchester City and Inter Milan respectively they have the formidable presence of big summer buy Colombian striker Falcao up front.

AFP