David O'Leary is set to pick the brains of his two biggest managerial rivals as the Leeds boss sets his sights on another Champions League miracle.

After emerging from the 'Group of Death' in the first phase, sending Spanish giants Barcelona and Turkish side Besiktas crashing out as they qualified with winners AC Milan, Leeds have been handed what appears to be another 'mission impossible' for the second stage.

Following yesterday's draw in Geneva, O'Leary's side must now face another of European football's legendary sides in Real Madrid, Italian champions Lazio and Belgian champions Anderlecht in Group D.

But O'Leary is poised to call upon Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger as he looks for the inside track on both Anderlecht and Lazio after Manchester United and Arsenal crossed swords with the respective clubs in the first group round.

United beat Anderlecht 5-1 at Old Trafford but lost 2-1 in Brussels, while Arsenal beat Sven-Goran Eriksson's Lazio 2-0 at Highbury, before holding the next England manager's side to a 1-1 draw in Rome's Olympic Stadium.

''I most probably will speak to Alex and Arsene,'' confirmed O'Leary.

''It's the hardest group again. I think the rest of Europe wants us to knock out the big teams!

''But it's absolutely brilliant for the club, and let's hope it's yet another great adventure - Real Madrid, Lazio, and not forgetting Anderlecht.

''They finished top of Manchester United's group, beating them along the way, so they can't be mugs."

Real visit Leeds on November 22, followed by a trip to Lazio on December 5, at the end of which O'Leary is hoping his side will be in firm contention going into the two-and-a-half month break.

Arsenal face an opening last-16 match away to Spartak Moscow later this month.

The Gunners were also bracketed with German aces Bayern Munich and dangerous French side Lyon neither of whom they have met before.

And Wenger said: ''Along with Leeds we have been given the toughest group of the three English teams.

''Manchester United's second round group looks much more comfortable but are you surprised?''

Although United were only runners-up in their opening group, they look well capable of beating Austria's Sturm Graz,surprise winners of another section, and Panathinaikos, with Valencia their only real major threat.

Wenger said: ''Nobody expected Sturm Graz or Anderlecht to win their first-round groups, but they did and it meant we could not be drawn against either of them in the second round.''

Manchester United chairman Martin Edwards could hardly have been more pleased, and he said: ''That's not a bad draw.

"It could have been worse, as they say, and it's a draw which gives us a good opportunity of progressing.