adminLONDON. — Arsenal will play Turkish side Besiktas in the Champions League soccer play-off round, while Celtic face Slovenian champions Maribor after being reinstated.
The Gunners have appeared in the group stages of the Champions League in each of the past 14 seasons.Celtic lost 6-1 to Legia Warsaw in qualifying, but the Polish champions fielded an ineligible player.
In the Europa League, Tottenham will play AEL Limassol of Cyprus and Hull City face Belgian side Lokeren.
Besiktas finished third in the Turkish Super League, are managed by former West Ham and Everton defender Slaven Bilic and their squad includes striker Demba Ba, who moved from Chelsea in July.
Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal avoided ties against Athletic Bilbao, Lille , FC Copenhagen, Standard Liege but will now face the Turkish side — who recently side Demba Ba from Chelsea for £4,7million.
Besiktas finished third in the Turkish championship last season but have qualified for the Champions League after champions Fenerbahce were suspended from European competitions.
The first legs will take place on August 19 and 20 and second legs on 26 and 27.
For Arsenal, it is the second successive season they will have faced Istanbul opposition at this stage, after they beat Fenerbahce 5-0 on aggregate last year.
English Premier League champions Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea have already secured their place in the group stage.
FA Cup finalists Hull, playing in European competition for the first time, beat Trencin of Sloavkia 2-1 on aggregate in the third qualifying round of the Europa League.
The first legs of the Europa League play-offs will be played on Thursday August 21 and the second legs on August 28.
Hull and Tottenham will be hoping to join Everton in the group stage.
Meanwhile, Celtic were dramatically reinstated into the competition yesterday morning after it was revealed Legia Warsaw fielded an ineligible player.
Ronny Delia’s side were beaten 6-1 on aggregate but will now face NK Maribor of Slovenia.
Legia Warsaw were thrown out of the Champions League by Uefa yesterday after fielding an ineligible player during the second leg of their qualifying tie against Celtic on Wednesday. Unregistered defender Bartosz Bereszynski came on as a substitute with three minutes remaining in Legia’s 2-0 win which sealed a 6-1 aggregate victory. Uefa investigated the matter and awarded Celtic the match with a 3-0 victory, making the aggregate score 4-4 and sending the Scottish champions through on the away goals rule after they lost the first leg 4-1.
Dominik Ebebenge, sport department coordinator and head of development for the Polish club, said Legia would appeal against the decision. — AFP.
Online Reporter