Three Spanish teams aim on Thursday to take the final step towards assuring a place in the group stage of the Europa League.

Athletic Bilbao, Valencia and Villarreal all aim to take the step that will assure they play at least a further six games in the competition.

Athletic Bilbao has already progressed through one qualifying round against Swiss side Young Boys. The Basques lost their first leg at home 1-0, but fought back to win 2-1 in Berne to go though on away goals.

Bilbao will next play Norwegian outfit Tromso and coach Joaquin Caparros has confirmed that he will include young strikers Iker Muniain and Oscar de Marcos, who scored against Barcelona on Sunday night, in his starting 11.

Valencia also faces a Norwegian side, but the first leg is away from home against Stabaek.

Coach Unai Emery has named a 19 man squad for the trip, but he is without midfielder Manuel Fernandez, who is getting over a broken leg. Meanwhile Ruben Baraja, is out of action for a month after tearing a muscle in his thigh.

Finally Villarreal is also away from home. Ernesto Valverde makes his competitive debut as Villarreal coach away to Dutch team NAC Breda.

Breda is perhaps the most complicated of the three rivals, but all Spanish sides are favorites to progress into the next phase of the competition.

(Xinhua News Agency August 20, 2009)