The loss was Newcastle's first under Graeme Souness and Shearer feels their UEFA Cup Group D clash at home against Georgian side Dinamo Tbilisi will be a test of the players' character.

"The unbeaten run is gone now and there is nothing we can do about it," said the former England captain whose penalty three minutes from time gave Newcastle a 1-0 win over Greek side Panionios in the opening match.

"It's disappointing, but we must start again now. This is when you see a team's true test of character - when they have lost."

Newcastle midfielder Jermaine Jenas should be fit after sitting out his side's first defeat in 11 games through injury, along with French full-back Olivier Bernard, who has been assured that his absence at the weekend had nothing to do with his ongoing contract wrangle.

"I should be OK for Thursday night after missing out on Sunday. It was a bit of a freak accident really when I turned my back in training on Saturday morning," said 21-year-old England international Jenas.

Panionios, who fired coach Carol Pecze following their defeat against Newcastle, travel to Sporting Lisbon.

Spanish outfit Sevilla will also be bidding to put their 3-0 rout by Real Zaragoza behind them when they kick off their Group H campaign at home against German second division side Alemannia Aachen.

The Germans have gained something of a reputation as giant-slayers after shocking high-flying French side Lille in the first round of group matches.

And Sevilla captain Pablo Alfaro warned that his side, currently second in the Primera Liga, will be more motivated than ever.

"We're not going to repeat the mistakes of Sunday. There's professional and personal pride at stake. We're 100 percent focused on this match against the Germans which is going to be a very physical and dangerous game," said Alfaro.

Sevilla sport director Ramon Rodriguez Verdejo warned: "We can't relax because it's a second division team. In football the differences are narrowing and teams are better prepared."

Boosted by their weekend win Real Zaragoza, top of Group C, travel to Austria Vienna, who are playing their opening match.

Zaragoza are boosted by the news that Alberto Zapater, Luis Garcia and Javi Moreno should be fit for Thursday's tie.

Last season's Russian Premier League runners-up Zenit Saint Petersburg enter their Group H match with Lille on the back of domestic success with a 3-1 win at Ramenskoye on Sunday.

But they will be without a set of key players with defender Martin Horak, striker Lukas Hartig and midfielder Radek Sirl all sidelined with injuries, and coach Vlastimil Petrela opting to leave out Bosnian halfback Darko Maletic and full back Alexei Katulsky.

Lille midfielder Matt Moussilou is uncertain with a back injury, while defender Mathieu Chalme, is still out after surgery on his cheekbone.

In Group A, in-form Schalke travel to Edinburgh to take on Hearts after winning their fifth straight league match following the appointment of Ralf Rangnick.

The new coach ensured Schalke recovered from their slow start to the season and his side are now second in the Bundesliga after defeating VfB Stuttgart 3-2 on Saturday.

Hearts followed their 3-0 defeat by Feyenoord with the loss of manager Craig Levein to English first division side Leicester City last week, and will hope to have their new manager in place in time for the tie.

Also in Group A Hungarian league leaders Ferencvaros TC get their first taste of the group stage at home against 2002 winners Feyenoord.

Middlesbrough host crisis hit Italian giants Lazio but the English side have problems of their own as Spanish international Gaizka Mendieta has been ruled out for the rest of the season with a knee injury while Stuart Parnaby is out for up to 12 weeks after he fractured his fibia during a freak training ground accident.

Elsewhere, Partizan and Egaleo FC go into their Group E game with unbeaten domestic records.

Dinamo Zagreb kick off their UEFA Cup campaign at home against Beveren, while Group G heavyweights VfB Stuttgart and Benfica, the big winners on the first matchday, meet at the Gottlieb-Daimler-Stadion.

Stuttgart face visiting Benfica looking to reverse a run of three league defeats that has seen Matthias Sammer's side drop from first to third in the Bundesliga.