With Young Boys efficiently brushed aside, Spurs awaited their fate in the draw for the group stages of the Champions League. The three teams that emerged certainly present a challenge - on paper, the toughest faced by any of the English clubs - but it is not insurmountable.

Inter Milan: lining up against the holders is a daunting prospect, but there is one bright spot. This is Rafa Benitez's Inter, not Jose Mourinho's. The Spaniard has not been in charge long enough to prompt the decline he oversaw at Anfield, but he will be under pressure to emulate what his predecessor achieved. Probable but by no means nailed-on group winners.

Werder Bremen: finished third in the Bundesliga last season and hopefully will occupy the same spot in Champions League Group A. Spurs should take encouragement from the fact that Mesut Ozil has departed for Real Madrid and that the club are currently bottom of the league (admittedly with one game played).

FC Twente: formerly managed by Ssshteve "Spreek je Nederlands?" McClaren, the current Dutch champions were drawn out of pot four, which perhaps may also reflect their eventual group position. They do, however, have a European pedigree, having reached the UEFA Cup final a mere 35 years ago.

So the confident prediction for Spurs is runners-up in the group, followed by steady progress to Wembley. Or at the very least, some great European nights at the Lane.

src="http://easytwitterbuttons.com/btns/twitterbutton18.png" title="Button By:

EasyTwitterButtons.com" border="0"/>