2009/10 UEFA Champions League Play-Off Draw
20 Teams Battle it Out for Ten Group Stage Places
Aug 7, 2009
The final of this season’s UEFA Champions League will take place at the Bernabeu, Madrid and marks the first season of the competitions new qualifying system.
New Champions League Format
In previous years, the Champions League qualifying system was comprised of three rounds before the first round proper group stage. In the old format, national league rankings would determine what round of qualifying a team entered, with the lower ranked countries sending their teams in first and higher ranked countries last.
This year has seen a tweak to that system. Although the ranking system still applies, the draw has been split into two parts with the addition of a play off round after the three qualifying rounds. On one side is the Champions Path and on the other is the Non Champions Path.
The Champions Path is competed by teams who won their respective national leagues and is designed to see more league winners participating in the Champions League Group Stage. The Non Champions Path is for teams who have qualified through league position, which could be 2nd to 4th place depending on each leagues number of berths.
Champions Path Draw
The five winners of the ties will advance to the Champions League group stage while the five losers will move into the Europa League group stages.
FC Sheriff (MDA) v Olympiakos (GRE)
Salzburg (AUT) v Maccabi Haifa (ISR)
Ventspils (LVA) v FC Zurich (SUI)
FC Copenhagen (DEN) v APOEL (CYP)
Levski Sofia (BUL) v Debrecen (HUN)
Non Champions Path Draw
The five winners of the ties will advance to the Champions League group stage while the five losers will move into the Europa League group stages.
Lyon (FRA) v Anderlecht (BEL)
Celtic (SCO) v Arsenal (ENG)
Timisoara (ROM) v Stuttgart (GER)
Sporting (POR) v Fiorentina (ITA)
Panathanikos (GRE) v Atletico Madrid (ESP)
Tie of the Round
One of the more interesting ties of the play off round comes in the Non Champions Path with Scottish runners up Celtic taking on Premier League side Arsenal.
The rivalry between neighbours England and Scotland runs deep and the both legs should be fiercely contested with not a lot to separate the two teams. Both have aspirations of a good Champions League campaign, but only one will actually make it to the group stages.
Elsewhere in the Non Champions Path, Timisoara of Romania will be looking to make the group stages for the first time in their debut season but face a stiff challenge against Bundesliga outfit Vfb Stuttgart. The pairing of Sporting and Fiorentina is another that could be a tight affair.
In the Champions Path, the most intriguing match up comes between Austrian side Salzburg and Israeli champions Maccabi Haifa. Salzburg came through two tough qualifiers and in recent years have made no secret of their desire to play in the Champions League group stage. They are one step away but face a stern test in the shape of European veterans Maccabi Haifa.
