The play-off round of both Champions and Europa leagues was made today. The final hurdle before the group stages and for some sides the seasons hinges on these ties. Let's have a look at the draws and see what is in store.
Champions League:
Champions Path:
Astana v APOEL
Skenderbeu v Dinamo Zagreb
Celtic v Malmo
Basel v Maccabi Tel-Aviv
BATE Borisov v Partizan
Non-Champions Path:
Lazio v Bayer Leverkusen
Man United v Club Brugge
Sporting CP v CSKA Moskva
Rapid Wien v Shakhtar Donetsk
Valencia v Monaco
In the champions path we have Celtic facing Malmo in what seems a fairly evenly matched tie. Malmo made the group stage last season and Celtic are looking to return. Can see this going either way and probably lean towards Malmo getting through.
APOEL should be able to get through handily enough likewise Dinamo Zagreb and BATE Borisov. Which leaves us with Basel and Maccabi. Can see this tie being close and I'm leaning towards the Swiss side on this one.
For the non-champions I have a feeling Lazio might pull through against Leverkusen. Can see CSKA dispatching Sporting and Shakhtar comfortably getting over Rapid Wien.
Valencia v Monaco is probably the standout tie of the round. Monaco probably the team Valencia didn't want and likewise for the Monegasques. I'll take a plunge here and say Valencia on away goals. As much as I don't particularly like Man United, I can't see anything other than a comfortable victory for them against Club Brugge. Brugge were impressive last season reaching the last 8 of the Europa league but unfortunately they got the short straw in this draw.
Europa League:
Reindorf Altach v Belenenses
Zilina v Athletic Bilbao
Steaua Bucuresti v Rosenborg
Zorya v Legia Warsaw
Viktoria Plzen v Vojvodina
Milsami Orhei v Saint-Étienne
Jablonec v Ajax
Young Boys v Qarabag
Molde v Standard Liége
PAOK v Brondby
Bordeaux v Kairat Almaty
Lech Poznan v Videoton
Dinamo Minsk v RB Salzburg
Rabotnicki v Rubin Kazan
Slovan Liberec v Hajduk Split
Atromitos v Fenerbahce
Panathinaikos v Qabala
Southampton v Midtjylland
Astra v AZ
Odd v Borussia Dortmund
Krasnodar v HJK Helsinki
Thun v Sparta Prague
The much more competitive Europa League features a few sides from less known leagues around Europe such as the Azeri pair of Qarabag and Qabala as well as Rabotnicki from Macedonia and Aberdeen's conquerors Kairat from Kazakhstan.
In terms of who I see going through to the group stage, I'm going with these.
Belenenses, Athletic Bilbao, Steaua, Legia, Viktoria Plzen, Saint-Étienne, Ajax, Qarabag, Standard Liége, PAOK, Bordeaux, Lech Poznan, Salzburg, Rubin Kazan, Hajduk Split, Fenerbahce, Panathinaikos, Southampton, Astra, Dortmund, HJK Helsinki and Sparta Prague.
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