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Jol dismissed reports that he has fallen out with striker Dimitar Berbatov and the Bulgarian is set to start against the Spanish side.

 "There was no problem with Berbatov," Jol said. "He knows the schedule we have and we need him for the UEFA Cup.

 "If everybody is fit we have got a very good team and a very good defence. We still lack a bit of leadership but it is about mental strength as well."

   Tottenham sit third from bottom of the English Premier League after winning only one of their first 10 league games, and there has been speculation over Jol's future for most of the season.

 Opponents Getafe are are also third from bottom in the Spanish Liga, but did score their first win on Sunday - 2-0 at home to Murcia.

 This result has reduced the pressure on coach Michael Laudrup, who has promised to field "a very competitive team" in London.

 Almost 1,000 Getafe fans will be in White Hart Lane to support their team, who are making their European debut this season.

 In Group A, Everton will be hoping to bounce back from their defeat at home to Liverpool in the Merseyside derby on Saturday by beating Larissa, of Greece, who knocked out Blackburn Rovers in the previous round.

 Meanwhile in Group F, Bolton Wanderers, who are still without a coach after Sammy Lee was sacked and are rooted to the bottom of the English Premier League, face Braga of Portugal while tournament favourites Bayern Munich face Red Star Belgrade.

 The German club, whose president Franz Beckenbauer who not too long ago described the UEFA Cup as a 'Cup for losers', will be missing several regulars on their trip to Belgrade.

 Argentine defender Martin Demichelis is sick and Daniel van Buyten, who was expected to take his place, has also been forced to withdraw. Also out are Italian striker Luca Toni and Frenchman Franck Ribery.

 In their absence Germany international Lukas Podolski will make a rare start for Bayern, while Bastian Schweinsteiger and Philipp Lahm will also start.

 Bayer Leverkusen take on Toulouse in Group E while Sparta Prague welcome FC Zurich.

 Atletico Madrid return to European action for the first time since 1999 and kick off their Group B campaign away to Lokomotiv Moscow. The only injury worry for coach Javier Aguirre concerns winger Jose Antonio Reyes, who missed Sunday's 4-0 thrashing of Zaragoza due to a pulled muscle.

 The good news for Aguirre is that Maxi Rodriguez and Juan Valera are back to full fitness after lengthy lay-offs.

 Indeed, it was Maxi who starred in the thrashing of Zaragoza, with two handsome goals.

 "It will not be an easy game in Moscow," said the Argentine World Cup striker on Tuesday.

 "But we are running into good form, and we really want to do well in Europe this year."

   Maxi and company are not very enthusiastic at the prospect of playing on an artificial surface, but are confident of getting a good result in Russia.

 Also on Thursday, Villarreal will be at home to Fiorentina in Group C.

 Villarreal are in even better form than Atletico, and beat Barcelona 3-1 on Saturday.

 Coach Manuel Pellegrini will probably ring the changes against Fiorentina, bringing back midfielder Josico and striker Giuseppe Rossi, both of whom mised the Barca match.

 The Fiorentina match has long since been sold out, and the tiny Estadio Madrigal will be packed to the rafters to cheer on a team that has done better than expected without playmaker Juan Roman Riquelme.

 The laconic Argentine, of course, has not even been registered for "La Liga" or the UEFA Cup by Villarreal, after falling out with Pellegrini last winter.

 In February Riquelme was loaned back to Boca Juniors. In August he returned, unwanted, to Villarreal - and now must kick his heels until the transfer window opens up again in January.

 In Group H, Greek side Panionios travel to Helsinborgs while Galatasaray visit Girondins Bordeaux.

DPA