AC Milan among sides who stand in Everton's way

The only previous European meetings between Everton and Milan came in the first round of the 1975-76 UEFA Cup competition when the sides drew 0-0 at Goodison Park before the Italians triumphed 1-0 at the San Siro in the second leg.

Other big names who will enter at the first round stage of next season's UEFA Cup tournament include four-times European Cup winners Ajax, who have lifted the UEFA Cup once, and their bitter rivals from the Dutch Eredivisie Feyenoord, who have one European Cup and two UEFA Cup titles to their name, and knocked Everton out of the both the UEFA Cup in 1979/80 and Cup Winners' Cup in 1995/96.

Valencia, where Manuel Fernandes has returned to following a second loan spell, are also participating.

The Mestalla-based outfit lifted the trophy under Benitez in 2004.

Another heavyweight outfit from Spain are Sevilla, who won the competition in back-to-back seasons under current Tottenham coach Juande Ramos in 2006 and 2007.

Fernandes's former club Benfica have two European Cups to their name while Germany's Hamburg and Borussia Dortmund have both lifted the trophy.

Other big names include Italy's Sampdoria, Paris St Germain of France and Belgian outfit Club Brugge while Romania's Dinamo Bucharest, who knocked Everton out of the 2005-06 UEFA Cup, and Metalist Kharkiv of Ukraine, whom David Moyes's side eliminated in the first round of last season's competition, are also taking part.

England's domestic cup winners Portsmouth and Tottenham Hotspur join Everton in the first round, while teams who will have to negotiate the qualifying rounds include the likes of Fair Play entrants Manchester City, Besiktas, AEK

In this 2008-08 UEFA Cup the 32 teams entering at the first round stage will also be joined by the 16 winners from the second qualifying round plus the 16 losers from the Champions League qualifying round.

Spain (3): Valencia, Sevilla, Racing Santander.

England (3): Portsmouth, Everton, Tottenham Hotspur.

Italy (3): AC Milan, Sampdoria, Udinese.

France (3): Nancy, St Etienne, Paris St Germain.

Germany (3): Hamburg, Wolsburg, Borussia Dortmund.

Portugal (3): Benfica, Maritimo, Vitoria Setubal.

Romania (4): Rapid Bucharest, Dinamo Bucharest, Unirea Urziceni, Politechnica Timisoara.

Netherlands (4): Feyenoord, Ajax, Heerenveen, NEC.

Russia (1): CSKA Moscow.

Scotland (1): Motherwell.

Ukraine (1): Metalist Kharkiv.

Belgium (1): Club Brugge.

Czech Republic (1): Banik Ostrava.

Turkey (1): Kayserispor. Athens, Young Boys, Hajduk Split, Legia Warsaw, Hertha Berlin, Austria Vienna and Brondby.

The 2009 UEFA Cup final will take place at Fenerbahce's 55,000 capacity Sukru Saracoglu Stadium, on the opposite side of the Bosporus from the Ataturk Olympic Stadium where Rafael Benitez's side triumphed on penalties against Milan in 2005. As Fenerbahce's ground is on the eastern banks of the Bosporus - unlike the scene of Liverpool's triumph - it is technically not in Europe but Asia.