By Anna Italia
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UEFA announcing the Champions League Play off draw on Friday 7 August 2015. The only Serie A team participating in the playoff is Lazio and will face Bundesliga team Bayer Leverkusen on August 18 and 26, 2015.
Champions League Play-off draw
League route
Lazio (ITA) v Bayer Leverkusen (GER) – 18 & 26 August
Manchester United (ENG) v Club Brugge (BEL) – 18 & 26 August
Sporting CP (POR) v CSKA Moskva (RUS) – 18 & 26 August
Rapid Wien (AUT) v Shakhtar Donetsk (UKR) – 19 & 25 August
Valencia (ESP) v AS Monaco (FRA) – 19 & 25 August
Champions route
Astana (KAZ) v APOEL (CYP) – 18 & 26 August
Skënderbeu (ALB) v Dinamo Zagreb (CRO) – 19 & 25 August
Celtic (SCO) v Malmö (SWE) – 19 & 25 August
FC Basel (SUI) v Maccabi Tel-Aviv (ISR) – 19 & 25 August
BATE Borisov (BLR) v Partizan (SRB) – 18 & 26 August
Matches Schedule
• All games at 20.45CET except Astana v APOEL on 18 August at 18.00CET.
• The defeated teams will transfer to the UEFA Europa League group stage
Bye to group stage draw (Monaco, 27 August): Barcelona (holders), Bayern München, Chelsea, Benfica, Paris Saint-Germain, Juventus, Zenit, PSV Eindhoven, Real Madrid, Atlético Madrid, FC Porto, Arsenal, Manchester City, Sevilla, Olympique Lyonnais, Dynamo Kyiv, Olympiacos, Galatasaray, AS Roma, Borussia Mönchengladbach, Wolfsburg, KAA Gent
Interesting facts:
• If Valencia win their play-off, Spain will be the first nation to have five clubs in the same group stage.
• Borussia Mönchengladbach could be the 11th different German side to compete in the UEFA Champions League group stage, one more than France and behind only Spain on 13.
• Astana are the only remaining European Cup debutants.
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