Fiorentina coach Vincenzo Montella said the Europa League draw has not been too kind to Italian clubs, although he is looking forward to facing Tottenham Hotspur in the last 32.
Aside from the Viola's clash with Spurs, Inter Milan face Celtic, Napoli play Trabzonspor, Torino are up against Athletic Bilbao, while Roma face Feyenoord.
"I think maybe the Italian sides could have been a bit luckier, but we'll give it a go," Montella said, referring primarily to his own side's misfortune in meeting Mauricio Pocchettino's Spurs.
"They're a tough side to face," Montella added on his club's website. "Their current position in the Premier League does not reflect the true value and high level of quality this side have got, and then you've also got to bear in mind that they could further strengthen a side that is already strong in the January transfer window.
"Their midfield is absolute quality, but I know my own players and I know we will always give it our best shot. We know how difficult it is to play in English stadiums, but we've got our own fans at the Franchi too and they will give us a big hand.
"When you play in the Europa League, you've got to face the strongest sides sooner or later. If we get through, the five Italian sides have got to meet at some stage or another, but we've all got to do what we can to go as far as possible and to help Italian football's ranking."
Inter's clash with Celtic also catches the eye, being a repeat of the 1967 European Cup final, yet it is regarded by the Serie A side as the next step towards a place in the Warsaw final.
"We've got five rounds to get through and we're going to give it our best shot," Inter's director general Marco Fassone said from Nyon. "It's going to be complicated against Celtic, but every game's difficult from this stage.
"It's going to be like a Champions League tie, given the traditions of both clubs, and the atmosphere there is going to be incredible, but we're ready to face it. It's going to be one of the most exciting matches of the round."
Napoli can also expect a hostile atmosphere when they face Trabzonspor in Turkey on Feb. 19.
"That's going to be a very tricky game for us," coach Rafael Benitez said. "There's a lot of passion in Turkey, but it's a chance for us to show what we are made of against a top international side, and to prove that we are keen on going a long way in Europe."