UEFA Champions League 2008/2009

Switzerland | Soccer | Jul 1, 2008 | 12:56pm ET

UEFA Champions League draw

UEFA Champions League is on the horizon, so the draw for the first two qualifying stages anteceding a third one to unveil the last teams to play the round-robin was held.

Turkey's El Fenerbahce, which announced Euro champion Luis Aragones as next coach for the next two seasons, will debut against MTK Budapest in next UEFA Champions League, according to the draw held on Tuesday.

The Turkish team, which reachesd quarterfinals in the last competiton, will debut in the round-of-eighteen stage to be held from July 29 to August 6; other teams participating as from that stage are current UEFA Cup champion Rangers FC, which will face the winner of thw qualifying game between FBK Kaunas (Lithuania) and Santa Coloma (Andorra).

The draw was held at UEFA venue in Nyon, Switzerland and conducted by general secretary David Taylor and Michele Centenaro; other scheduled games are Sparta Prague (CZE) and the winner of the qualifying game between Aktobe (KAZ)and Sheriff (MOL), and Panatinaikos (GRE) and the winner of the qualifying game between Dynamo Tbilisi (GEO) and NSI Runavik (FO).

Other teams playing the qualifying stage are SK Brann (NOR), FK Partizan (SRB), SK Rapid Vienna (AUT), FC Basel (SUI), FC Dynamo Kiev (UCR), RSC Anderlecht (BEL), Beitar Jerusalem FC (ISR) and Aalborg Boldspilklub (DEN).

Twenty-eight teams will play the qualifying stage from July 15 to 23, and the winners will moe into second stage together with 14 teams which will move into that directly.

The winners of the second qualifying stage will move into the third stage, which draw will be held next August 1; eighteen new teams will be added.

The 2008/2009 UEFA Champions League final are scheduled by next May 27 at Stadio Olimpico in Rome, Italy.

Qualifying stage: First round:
(First leg: July 15/16. Second leg: July 22/23)
.1. Linfield FC (IRN)-NK Dinamo Zagreb (CRO)
.2. Valeta FC (MAL)-FC Artmedia Petrzalka (SVQ)
.3. FC Dinamo Tiflis (GEO)-NSÍ Runavík (FO)
.4. FC Santa Coloma (AND)-FBK Kaunas (LIT)
.5. S.S. Murata (SAN)-IFK Göteborg (SUE)
.6. Llanelli AFC (GAL)-FK Ventspils (LAT)
.7. Anorthosis Famugusta (CYP)-FC Pyunik (ARM)
.8. FK Inter Baku (AZE)-FK Rabotnicki (MAC)
.9. Tampere United (FIN)-FK Buducnost Podgorica (MON)
10. F91 Dudelange (LUX)-NK Domzale (SVQ)
11. KS Dinamo Tirana (ALB)-FK Modrica (BOS)
12. FK Aktobe (KAZ)-FC Sheriff (MOL)
13. Drogheda United FC (IRL)-FC Levadia Tallinn (EST)
14. FC BATE Borisov (BIE)-Valur Reikiavik (ISL)

Second round:
(First leg: July 29/30. Second leg: August 5/6)
Rangers FC (ESC)-Winner game 4
SK Brann (NOR)- Winner game 6
Winner game 8-FK Partizan (SRB)
Winner game 9-Winner game 2
Winner game 7-SK Rapid Viena (AUT)
Winner game 10-Winner game 1
Panathinaikos FC (GRE)-Winner game 3
Winner game 5-FC Basilea 1893 (SUI)
Winner game 12-AC Sparta Praga (CZE)
Winner game 13-FC Dinamo Kiev (UCR)
RSC Anderlecht (BEL)-Winner game 14
Beitar Jerusalem FC (ISR)-Wisla Cracovia (POL)
Fenerbahçe SK (TUR)-MTK Budapest (HUN)
Aalborg BK (DEN)-Winner game 11.

UEFA general secretary David Taylor ran the draw for next Champions League.

Photo gallery

July 1 in pictures