The draw for the third qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League was made at UEFA headquarters on Friday 17 July. As we know from this season, came into force and a new system of competition.
No change in the main part of the competition, which includes 32 teams. The playing is in 8 groups, 4 teams per group. The first two teams go to the next round, while the 3rd place cross over into the knockout phase of the new UEFA Europa League, formerly the UEFA Cup.
From this season, 22 teams (21 teams + the titleholder) qualify directly for the group phase instead of 16. Number of teams that should be go into the group phase of the Champions League from the qualifications is 10. They get after four rounds of qualifications.
In the third qualifying round there are two directions that are here. Namely, we have two paths, Non-Champions Path and Champions Path. In the Champions Path play 20 teams, while in the Non-Champions Path play 10 teams. So in the playoff round for the group phase, teams from the Champions Path will not meet with teams from Non-Champions Path.
Winners from Champions Path make 5 pairs who will be play in the playoff for the group phase. Draw for the playoff will be held on 7th August. While the couples from Non-Champions Path also create 5 pairs. The winners from the third qualifying round from Non-Champions Path as the expected Arsenal, Atletico Madrid, Fiorentina, Lyon and Stuttgart.
UEFA Champions League, third qualifying round:
Non-Champions Path draw
First leg: 28/29 July
Second leg: 4/5 August
AC Sparta Praha (CZE) vs Panathinaikos FC (GRE)
FC Shakhtar Donetsk (UKR) vs FC Timişoara (ROU)
Sporting Clube de Portugal (POR) vs FC Twente (NED)
Celtic FC (SCO) vs FC Dinamo Moskva (RUS)
RSC Anderlecht (BEL) vs Sivasspor (TUR)
Champions Path draw
First leg: 28/29 July
Second leg: 4/5 August
FC Salzburg (AUT)/Bohemian FC (IRL) vs FC Pyunik (ARM)/NK Dinamo Zagreb (CRO)
NK Zrinjski (BIH)/ŠK Slovan Bratislava (SVK) vs Olympiacos CFP (GRE)
FC Zürich (SUI) vs FC WIT Georgia (GEO)/NK Maribor (SVN)
EB/Streymur (FRO)/APOEL FC (CYP) vs Rhyl FC (WAL)/FK Partizan (SRB)
FC International Turku (FIN)/FC Sheriff (MDA) vs SK Slavia Praha (CZE)
FH Hafnarfjördur (ISL)/FK Aktobe (KAZ) vs Maccabi Haifa FC (ISR)/Glentoran FC (NIR)
FK Ekranas (LTU)/FK Bakı (AZE) vs PFC Levski Sofia (BUL)/UE Sant Julià (AND)
FK Ventspils (LVA)/F91 Dudelange (LUX) vs FK Makedonija Skopje (MKD)/FC BATE Borisov (BLR)
Wisla Kraków (POL)/Levadia Tallinn (EST) vs Debreceni VSC (HUN)/Kalmar FF (SWE)
FC København (DEN)/FK Mogren (MNE) vs KF Tirana (ALB)/Stabæk IF (NOR)
UEFA Europa League draw for third qualifying round