Its Arsenal and Celtic face off in Champions League Qualifier

Its Arsenal and Celtic face off in Champions League Qualifier

Arsenal have been drawn against Celtic in the Champions League qualifying round, the first time the two sides have been paired in European competition.

Celtic, who scored a dramatic late goal against Dinamo Moscow to progress earlier this week, will meet Arsene Wenger's men at Celtic Park in the first leg.

"I think realistically it's the draw that we probably wouldn't have taken of the five teams," Mark Venus, Celtic's first-team coach said.

"But we've got to look forward to it, enjoy it and relish it. I think it's a great draw for Scottish football. It's going to be a great game, a great European night."

Other enticing ties include Atletico Madrid against Panathinaikos while Fiorentina have been drawn against Sporting Lisbon.

Uefa have introduced a new system this season in which teams who are champions of their respective nations are kept apart from non-champion teams.

The system is designed to give the smaller nations a better chance of being represented in the group stage as they do not have to face non-champion teams from countries such as England, Germany, Spain and Italy in the qualifying rounds.

The first legs are due to played on August 18-19, with the second leg a week later on August 25-26.

In the draw for the Europa League qualifying play-off, Aston Villa were drawn against Rapid Vienna. The Austrian side finished second in their domestic league, four points behind Red Bull Salzburg, and were denied a European trophy by an English side in 1985 when Everton beat them in the Cup Winners' Cup final.

St Patrick's Athletic were rewarded for their away-goals victory over Russian side Krylya Sovetov with a tie against Steaua Bucharest, European champions in 1986, who eliminated Motherwell in the third qualifying round.