Champions League - Arsenal face Celtic in play-off

Eurosport - Fri, 07 Aug 22:55:00 2009

Arsenal and Celtic will battle it out for a place in the Champions League group stage after being drawn together in the play-off round.

2008-2009 Arsenal Theo Walcott Cesc Fabregas - 0

Celtic, who edged Dinamo Moscow in the previous round, will host the first leg against the Gunners, who are entering the fray at the final qualifying stage.

Atletico Madrid must face Panathinaikos while other ties include Lyon v Anderlecht and Sporting Lisbon v Fiorentina.

Rank outsiders Sheriff Tiraspol, who stunned Slavia Prague in the previous round, were drawn against group stage regulars Olympiacos in the meeting of the Moldovan and Greek champions.

The group stage will also feature a club from either Austria or Israel after Salzburg and Maccabi Haifa, the champions of the respective countries, were drawn together.

Latvia or Switzerland will also be represented after FK Ventspils were paired with FC Zurich and one of Bulgaria or Hungary will feature after Levski Sofia were drawn with Debreceni.

UEFA have introduced a new system this season in which teams who are champions of their respective nations are kept apart from non-champion teams.

The system is designed to give the smaller nations a better chance of being represented in the group stage as they do not have to face non-champion teams from countries such as England, Germany, Spain and Italy in the qualifying rounds.

"These new arrangements will mean that we will have at least another five national association champions joining those 13 that have already directly qualified for the group stage," said UEFA general secretary David Taylor.

"The format may be not such a big change compared to past qualifying formats, but it does highlight the 'champions' aspect of the UEFA Champions League.

Sheriff Tiraspol, who beat Finland's International Turku in the second qualifying round, had been hoping for an easier draw.

"We were expecting something a little bit easier such as maybe the Bulgarian outfit," said Sheriff's representative Maxim Wilhelm. "But it's a good chance to show what we can do in the final round."

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE PLAY-OFF DRAW

Champions Path

Sheriff v Olympiakos

Salzburg v Maccabi Haifa

Ventspils v Zurich

Copenhagen v APOEL

Levski Sofia v Debreceni

Non-champions Path

Lyon v Anderlecht

Celtic v Arsenal

Timisoara v Stuttgart

Sporting Lisbon v Fiorentina

Panathinaikos v Atletico Madrid

* First legs to be played on August 18 and 19.

* Second legs to be played on August 25 and 26

Reuters

Comment 470 - 489 of 489

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  1. watch on GunnersLounge (dot) com Free

    From mac_gr81, on Tue 18 Aug 11:57AM

  2. why the f**k is maccabi haiffa an isreali team in the­ champions league

    From Hasan, on Sat 15 Aug 10:25AM

  3. I may be a Gers fan, but write-off Celtic at your­ peril.

    From ALAN M, on Fri 14 Aug 10:41PM

  4. Arsenal to win so the Gers get all the TV money for the­ group stages and because.... well its Septic.

    From FollowWithPride, on Thu 13 Aug 9:03PM

  5. come on arsenal...go..go..go..go..
    show them the­ quality of football that arsenal have...

    From mohdamin.matzohit, on Wed 12 Aug 10:37AM

  6. jon: we heard you the first time so no need to have­ posted the same rubbish twice. The difference IS that­ your team of "southerners" are actually a­ team FULL of foreigners so you are a bit hypocritical­ to call the SOUTHERNERS unless you are meaning further­ South than the UK. At least Celtic have a core of­ players from their own country. Ask yourself what team­ Arsenal would be if they did the same? ONLY Manchester­ United do well with a core of British players and they­ are arguably the best in the World.
    Perhaps you should­ be ashamed that your team is SO FULL of Foreign­ players. God help you when FIFA change the numbers of­ foreign players allowed to play in each team again.­ You'll be fooked!

    From crispyduck, on Mon 10 Aug 12:29PM

  7. Great match-up. I hope the Arseholes get embarrassed­ like Norwich.

    From , on Sun 9 Aug 2:39AM

  8. Great! Another chance to show some premiership hasbeen­ team that we dont need the millions they get from sky­ tv to SEND THEM HOME TO THINK AGAIN!
    Better to have big­ hearts than big pockets.........C'mon the Hoops.

    From spanky, on Sat 8 Aug 10:58AM

  9. even maidstone utd could beat a team of SKIRT­ wearers!!! AFC 6 Keltic 0!! SOUTHENERS RULE!!!!

    From jon, on Sat 8 Aug 10:34AM

  10. must see matches are arsenal vs celtic and sporting vs­ fiorentina because these team would make a great impact­ for next season CL

    From ZingerB, on Sat 8 Aug 8:31AM

  11. "We were expecting something a little bit easier­ such as maybe the Bulgarian outfit"
    :)))
    I can­ only add: i kur za Lefski, ole

    From kotaran, on Sat 8 Aug 3:28AM

  12. is that o.haig or mc haig..which shoe does he put on­ first, his left or right

    From higgy, on Sat 8 Aug 2:53AM

  13. paul g and p g champion should both be ignored ­ with a few others here i d bet a few pounds both­ belfast born

    From twotoedsloths friend, on Sat 8 Aug 1:38AM

  14. ohh poor celtics you got the worst play-off draw... no­ wonder you are in panic

    From Johnson - captain Johnson, on Sat 8 Aug 12:44AM
  15. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Brassneck, yada,yada,yada!!!!

    From sherbet_d, on Sat 8 Aug 12:35AM

  16. REDNECK YOOR A FOOKIN WANKA

    From arkaig, on Fri 7 Aug 11:48PM

  17. Another 2.5m to the gers.

    From Paul G CHAMPIONS, on Fri 7 Aug 11:37PM

  18. redneck you need to get a life you sad git.from a­ rangers fan

    From Graeme, on Fri 7 Aug 11:30PM

  19. Lay down Sally

    From Paul G CHAMPION WINDAE LICKER, on Fri 7 Aug 11:19PM

  20. ukredneck::you are a discrace....so much so, that you­ shouldn't even be linked 2 the famous glasgow­ rangers.

    From wazzzzzaaaaaaa, on Fri 7 Aug 11:11PM
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