By CALEB SONNELAND
With the second half of the Europa League group stages kicking off today, the English Premier League quartet involved in the competition are sitting pretty in their respective groups.
Tottenham and Stoke City sit atop Groups A and E, respectively, on seven points, while Birmingham City is tied for the top spot with Club Brugge on six points — the two sides clash today.
Tottenham will line up against Russian side Rubin Kazan in an attempt to give ailing manager Harry Redknapp something to cheer about after being released from the hospital after heart surgery.
Stoke clashes with the winless Maccabi Tel-Aviv at Bloomfield Stadium in Israel to stay undefeated in the group.
The only exception to the group-toppers is Fulham, which is currently second best by three points to FC Twente in Group K, having won, lost and drawn its matches thus far. Tonight, the London-based club takes on basement-dwelling Wisla Krakow in an attempt to close the gap on Twente on the Eredivisie.
ATLETICO MADRID FACES UDINESE
In the marquee match-up of today's Europa games, Atletico Madrid will take on to Udinese at the Vicente Calderon in Spain as the hosts try to wrestle the top spot from the Italians.
Both sides boast talented rosters with Madrid coming in with players like Arda Turan, Diego Godin and Brazilian playmaker Diego to combat the obvious main threat of captain Antonio di Natale, who has eight goals in all competitions. Udinese also have power between the goal posts in Slovenian keeper Samir Handanovič.
The last time the two teams came together in Italy, Udinese walked out 2-0 victors with the two goals coming in the last two minutes. Mehdi Benatia broke the deadlock late in the 88th minute, and Antonio Floro Flores sealing the victory in the 90th.
GROUP B OPEN FOR TAKING
Group B, the most tightly-contested group in the competition, has Standard Liege and Hannover 96 tied for first on five points with FC Copenhagen just a point behind in third place.
While lowly Vorskla of the Ukrainian Premier League looks down and out of progressing, it has the all-important ability to upset. It plays host to Standard Liege today, and if there's any time for Vorskla to snag a result, it will have to be at home. The last time the two played earlier in the group, they slugged out a 0-0 draw in Belgium.
Hannover and Copenhagen battle in Denmark as the two sides look to gain the advantage in an open group to put themselves in pole position to advance into the next phase of the competition.
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Here's the schedule in full:
1:00PM EST
GROUP A
Rubin Kazan v. Tottenham
2:00PM EST
GROUP A
Shamrock Rovers v. PAOK Salonika
GROUP B
FC Copenhagen v. Hannover 96
Vorskla v. Standard Liege
GROUP C
Legia Warsaw v. Rapid Bucuresti
PSV Eindhoven v. Hapoel Tel-Aviv
GROUP D
FC Vaslui v. Sporting Lisbon
Lazio v. FC Zurich
GROUP E
Besiktas v. Dynamo Kiev
Maccabi Tel-Aviv v. Stoke City
GROUP F
Paris Saint-Germain v. Slovan Bratislava
SV Salzburg v. Athletic Bilbao
4:05PM EST
GROUP G
Austria Vienna v. AZ Alkmaar
FC Metalist Kharkiv v. Malmo FF
GROUP H
Birmingham v. Club Brugge
Braga v. NK Maribor
GROUP I
Atletico Madrid v. Udinese
Celtic v. Stade Rennes
GROUP J
Schalke 04 v. AEK Larnaca
Steaua Bucuresti v. Maccabi Haifa
GROUP K
Fulham v. Wisla Krakow
FC Twente v. Odense BK
GROUP L
AEK Athens v. Lokomotiv Moscow
Anderlecht v. SK Sturm Graz
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What do you think of the chances for the EPL crew? Think Atletico can oust Udinese? What match-up do you think will have some fireworks?
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