Liverpool will face Trabzonspor for a place in the Europa League group stages following Friday’s draw for the playoff round in Nyon, Switzerland.
The Reds, who lost out in last season’s semi-final and had to negotiate a qualifying round against Rabotnicki after finishing seventh in the Premier League last season, will play the first leg against the Turks at Anfield on Thursday, August 19, with the away leg following on seven days later.
The Reds were, however, just one of three English sides in Friday’s draw with big-spending Manchester City facing a first leg trip to Romania to take on FC Timisoara. Aston Villa, meanwhile, will play Rapid Vienna with Martin O’Neill’s side travelling to Austria for the first leg.
Celtic were also in Friday’s draw after their Champions League fall to Braga. The Bhoys were drawn against FC Utrecht of Holland for the play-off round and will be at home first, while Dundee United will also be the hosts in their first leg of a tough tie against Greek big guns AEK Athens. The third SPL side in the draw, Motherwell, play Odense of Denmark with the away leg kicking things off.
And Welsh outfit TNS, who were beaten by Anderlecht in the qualifiers for the Champions League, will play CSKA Sofia with the Bulgarian leg first up.
Europa League play-off round draw (British teams only)
Liverpool v Trabzonspor
Celtic v Utrecht
Dundee United v AEK Athens
Rapid Vienna v Aston Villa
CSKA Sofia v TNS
Odense v Motherwell
Timisoara v Manchester City