Celtic handed Arsenal test in play-off

Celtic were brought back to earth with a bump yesterday after being drawn with Arsenal in the draw for the play-off stage of the Champions League.

Celtic maintained their interest in Europe's premier club competition on Wednesday by overcoming a 1-0 first leg defeat to Dynamo Moscow in third round qualifying to win the second leg in Russia 2-0.

But the Scottish Premier League runners-up will now have to better Arsenal over two legs if they are to become one of the 10 teams from this draw to join the 22 already qualified for the lucrative group stages.

Elsewhere in the draw, composed of 10 Champions Group teams and 10 non-Champions Groups teams, there were few major shocks.

Former French champions Lyon, who over the years have consistently made the quarter-finals of the competition, were handed what looked a plum draw against Belgian league runners-up side Anderlecht.

Two of the tightest battles for a group stage spot could take place between Sporting Lisbon, who drew Fiorentina, and Panathinaikos who were drawn with Atletico Madrid.

The other draw in the non-Champions Group pitted German side Stuttgart with Romanian outfit Timisoara.

Meanwhile, there were some unpredictable match-ups from the Champions Group draw.

Olympiakos will play their first of their two legs against FC Sheriff in Moldova, while Austrian champions FC Salzburg will host Israeli counterparts Maccabi Haifa.

Champions Group

Sheriff (MDA) vs Olympiakos (GRE)
Salzburg (AUT) vs Maccabi Haifa (ISR)
Ventspils (LAT) vs FC Zurich (SUI)
FC Copenhagen (DEN) vs Apoel Nicosia (CYP)
Levski Sofia (BUL) vs Debrecen (HUN)

Non-Champions Group

Lyon (FRA) vs Anderlecht (BEL)
Celtic (SCO) vs Arsenal (ENG)
Timisoara (ROM) vs VfB Stuttgart (GER)
Sporting Lisbon (POR) vs Fiorentina (ITA)
Panathinaikos (GRE) vs Atletico Madrid (ESP)

Note: The play-offs are played over two legs on August 18/19 and 25/26 with the ten winners joining the draw for the group stage, which takes place in Monaco on August 27. The losers will automatically drop into the Europa League group stage.