Benfica face an intriguing Champions League third qualifying round tie after being drawn against Turkish side Trabzonspor, yes-terday.
Trabzonspor, who finished runners-up last season, have been implicated in a massive match-fixing scandal that has also taken in champions Besiktas and another of the country’s biggest clubs, Fenerbahce.
Sadri Sener, the president of Trabzonspor, has been arrested in connection with the scandal, but was released on Tuesday on the condition that he remains in Turkey.
UEFA released a statement earlier this week insisting that it was down to the Turkish federation to deal with the issue.
But if the investigation provides evidence of collusion in the match-fixing scandal, then Trabzonspor (and Besiktas) could face exclusion from the competition.
One of the more intriguing encounters sees Ukrainian outfit Dynamo Kiev take on the Russian side Rubin Kazan.
The two sides last met in the 2009-10 group stage of the tournament, when Kiev won 3-0 at home before a goalless draw in Russia.
Danish champions FC Copenhagen, who reached the KO stage last year before losing to Chelsea, will face either Ireland’s Shamrock Rovers or the Estonian team Flora.
Scottish champions Rangers are likely to face Swedish champions Malmo, who lead Torshavn (Faroe Islands) 2-0 after the first leg of their second-round tie, while Greek side Panathinaikos face an awkward tie against Denmark’s Odense.
Meanwhile, Valletta will play either Linfield (Northern Ireland) or BATE Borisov (Belarus) if they reach the next round.
However, the Malta league champions face an uphill struggle in the second leg next week after losing the match at home to Lithuania’s Ekranas 2-3 on Tues-day.
In the Europa League third qualifying round draw, AEK Larnaca will almost surely play Czechs Mlada Boleslav next.
The Cypriots lead the two-legged tie with Floriana 8-0 after an overwhelming display at the Hibs Stadium on Thursday.
The Draw
Champions League, third qualifying round (July 26/27; August 2/3)
S. Liege vs FC Zurich; Twente vs Vaslui; Benfica vs Trabzonspor; Dynamo Kiev vs Rubin Kazan; Odense vs Panathinaikos; Mogren/ Litex Lovech vs Skonto Riga/Wisla Krakow;
Maccabi Haifa/Borac Banja Luka vs Maribor/Dudelange; HJK Helsinki/Bangor City vs Dinamo Zagreb/Neftci; Skenderbreu/Apoel Nicosia vs S. Bratislava/Tobol;
Copenhagen vs Shamrock/Flora Talinn; Genk vs Partizan/Skendija; Rosenborg/Breidablik vs Pyunik/ Plzen; Zestafoni/Dacia Chisinau vs Sturm Graz/Videoton; Valletta/ Ekranas vs Linfield/BATE Borisov; Rangers vs Malmo/HB Torshavn.