GAIZKA Mendieta will be on a revenge mission next month after Middlesbrough were paired with his former club Lazio in the group stage of the UEFA Cup.
The Boro midfielder flopped after making a £28m move to Rome from Spanish side Valencia in 2001.
The Italian giants signed him as a replacement for Manchester United bound Juan Sebastian Veron but, after a disappointing first season in the Italian capital, he was loaned to Barcelona in 2002.
A further loan spell at Middlesbrough followed, with the deal being made permanent this summer, and Lazio's visit to the Riverside will be the first time Mendieta has come up against his former employers.
The game will take place on November 4 - two weeks after Boro kick off their Group E campaign against Greek side Aigaleo - with Mendieta also returning to his homeland as Steve McClaren's side take on Spanish side Villarreal.
"It's a particularly special draw for Gaizka Mendieta," said Middlesbrough chief executive, Keith Lamb. "He will not only be hosting his former club, he will also be returning to Spain and playing a club based only 30 miles from the club where he made his name.
"We've clearly been drawn in one of the toughest groups, but it's an exciting one too and one the club and the fans should look forward to.
"The trips to Athens and Villareal, near Valencia, are great ones for the supporters, while everyone at Middlesbrough will be looking forward to hosting one of the biggest names in world football with the game against Lazio at the Riverside."
Lazio are the number one side in the competition according to UEFA's current coefficient rankings but, by the time Boro meet the Italian giants, they will hope to have a win on the board.
The Teessiders open their campaign in Greece with a visit to minnows Aigaleo, although that tie has already been switched from the home side's 3,000 capacity stadium.
UEFA are expected to confirm today that the game will take place in Apollon's Gipedo Rizoupolis Stadium but, despite the move to a larger ground, Boro will still receive no more than 1,000 tickets for the game. A Middlesbrough spokesman said: "As our ticket allocation is again likely to be relatively small, we would strongly advise our supporters not to book non-refundable travel arrangements until they know whether their ticket application has been successful."
Lazio's trip to Teesside will announce Boro's arrival in the big time on November 4, before McClaren's side travel to Villareal on November 25.
The Spanish side might just be second seeds in the competition, but they reached the last four of the UEFA Cup last season and, with the likes of Sonny Anderson and Diego Forlan in their ranks, Boro will not be taking them lightly.
Their Group E campaign ends with a potentially crucial home game against Partizan Belgrade on December 15 or 16, with the Serbian side having blocked Newcastle's passage to the group stage of the Champions League last season.
* Boro striker Massimo Maccarone is to undergo knee surgery that will keep him out of action for at least a month. The Italian, currently on a season-long loan at Parma, injured his knee in his side's UEFA Cup win over Maribor.
* Ugo Ehiogu completed 90 minutes for the first time since August when turning out for Boro reserves in their 3-1 loss to Mnachester City last night.
The 31-year-old central defender tore a calf muscle during the Premiership game with Birmingham City towards the middle of September and has been out of action since limping off 60 minutes into that game.
But last night he looked in little trouble and fit enough to be considered for Boro's next Premiership game a week on Saturday away to Blackburn.
But Ehiogu's presence could not stop a young Boro side from slipping to their first defeat of the season.
City, playing some slick football, recorded their fourth straight success with a brace from Bradley Wright-Phillips and a cracking volley from Frenchman Christian Negouai.
The visitors went into the lead with 15 minutes played when Lee Croft laid a simple ball into the path of Wright-Phillips who side-footed in from around 12 yards.
Prolific marksman Danny Graham equalised for Boro with his sixth goal in seven games, a neat low shot comprehensively beating goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel from just inside the box.
But a spectacular volley from an angled 16 yards from Negouai restored City's lead with 34 minutes played and Wright-Phillips scored a simple second with a low shot which went in off the post nine minutes from time.
Middlesbrough Reserves: Nash, Clough (Walker 73), Grounds (Burgess 73), Ehiogu, Wheater, Peacock, Reed, Wilson, Graham, Kennedy, Johnson. Subs (not used) Roberts gk.
Manchester City Reserves: Schmeichel, Warrender, Collins, D'Laryea, Onuoha, Jordan, Croft (Bermingham 84), Negouai (Tandy 84), Wright-Phillips, Ireland, Laird. Subs (not used): Bennett gk, Matthews, Matthewson.
Read more about Middlesbrough here.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article