Champions League Play-Off Draw

The Champions League Play-Off Draw has been made and the 20 clubs who are in the hat now know who they have been paired with as they look to make that final step towards the group stages.

British interest comes from both Liverpool and Celtic and neither team will be all that pleased with the hand that they have been dealt. Jurgen Klopp will be returning to Germany and will have to call on his Bundesliga experience as the Reds have been paired with 1899 Hoffenheim. The German side are making their debut in the tournament and would love nothing more than to claim an early scalp.

The other big tie in the League Route is Napoli vs Nice as Mario Balotell will also be returning home as he gets pitted against Italian opposition, Napoli have reached the group stages for the last two seasons and will be looking to make it three in a row.

In the Champions Route Brendan Rodgers will have to use up his Avios points as Celtic have been paired with Astana of Kazhakstan, that is going to be a very long journey and arguably the one pairing they did not want. The only saving grace is that with the Scottish League being played at a canter it may mean that the former Liverpool boss can put all his eggs in the Champions League basket

Below is the draw in full

League Route Draw

Istanbul Basaksehir (Turkey) v Sevilla (Spain)

Young Boys (Switzerland) v CSKA Moscow (Russia)

Napoli (Italy) v Nice (France)

Hoffenheim (Germany) v Liverpool (England)

Sporting Lisbon (Portugal) v Steaua Bucharest (Romania)

Champions Route Draw

Qarabag FK (Azerbaijan) v Copenhagen (Denmark)

APOEL Nicosia (Cyprus) v Slavia Prague (Czech Republic)

Olympiacos (Greece) v NK Rijeka (Croatia)

Celtic (Scotland) v Astana (Kazakhstan)

Hapoel Beer-Sheva (Israel) v NK Maribor (Slovenia)

 

Ties to be played on 15/16 and 22/23 August