August 05, (THEWILL) – The UEFA Champions League play-off round draw took place at UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland. A total of 10 ties were drawn in the champions path and four in the league path, setting the stage for crucial matches to determine the final participants in the main League phase.
Young Boys of Switzerland will face Turkish champions Galatasaray in the only confirmed fixture. The Swiss side, despite their recent domestic struggles, will host the first leg. Other potential matchups include Dinamo Zagreb against either Qarabag or Ludogorets and Red Star Belgrade possibly facing Bodo/Glimt or Polish champions Jagiellonia.
In the league path, Lille or Fenerbahce could meet Slavia Prague or Royale Union SG, while Dynamo Kyiv or Rangers might clash with RB Salzburg or Twente. The first leg of the play-off round is scheduled for August 20-21, with return fixtures a week later.
The UEFA Europa League and Conference League play-off draws were also conducted. Teams eliminated from the UCL third qualifying round will enter the Europa League play-offs. Notable potential matchups include Anderlecht facing either Dinamo Minsk or Lincoln Red Imps, and Besiktas potentially meeting Partizan or Lugano.
The Conference League draw featured intriguing possibilities such as Lens possibly facing the loser of Panathinaikos or Ajax, and Chelsea potentially taking on the loser of Braga or Servette. Both Europa League and Conference League play-offs will begin on August 22, with the second legs following a week later.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
