Fuente : UEFA (English)
http://www.uefa.com/

UEFA Champions League: Past masters join the fray

/noticias.info/ Some of Europe's biggest sides join the fray as the third qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League gets under way this week.

Inter test
Former winners AFC Ajax, FC Steaua Bucuresti, Manchester United FC and Liverpool FC are all in action but perhaps the biggest test lies in wait for two-time winners FC Internazionale Milano who are away to Ukrainian champions FC Shakhtar Donetsk on Wednesday.

Impressive Shakhtar
Shakhtar are in excellent form and have won all five of their Ukrainian Premier League matches this season. Coach Mircea Lucescu, formerly in charge of Inter, is relishing the chance to get at Roberto Mancini's new-look side, particularly as the Nerazzurri are yet to play a competitive game this season.

'Biggest match'
"It's the biggest match of the round," the Romanian told uefa.com. "They have a very, very good team. We are not at that level, but we hope to make a good impression. It's a shame Shakhtar didn't have the chance to draw another team, but I want to say that we’re going to make the most of our chance."

Everton return
AS Monaco FC, finalists in 2004, travel to Seville for the first leg of their tie with Real Betis Balompié. Didier Deschamps's side will be hoping to make up for Saturday's disappointing 2-0 home defeat by AJ Auxerre against Betis, one of two Spanish sides looking to reach the group stage for the first time. The flamboyant Villarreal CF are the other, though Everton FC, back in Europe's premier competition for the first time since 1971, stand in their way.

Liverpool quest
Everton's city rivals Liverpool continue the defence of their Champions League title away to Bulgarian champions PFC CSKA Sofia, while Manchester United FC, winners in 1999, welcome Hungary's Debreceni VSC to Old Trafford on Tuesday.

Bremen brilliant
Germany's Werder Bremen warmed up for their tie against FC Basel 1893 with a resounding 5-2 win against DSC Arminia Bielefeld on Saturday. Miroslav Klose and Ivan Klasnic hit the ground running in their Bundesliga opener with a pair of goals each. Scottish champions Rangers FC also look in good touch, kicking off the Scottish Premier League season with two victories ahead of their visit to Anorthosis Famagusta FC on Tuesday.

Ajax tie
Anorthosis pulled off a major surprise in the second round when they knocked out Turkey's Trabzonspor, and Brøndby IF will be looking to emulate that feat against four-time winners Ajax. Steaua, winners in 1986, will be confident of reaching the group stage for the first time since 1996 against a struggling Rosenborg BK side who are without a coach after Per Joar Hansen stepped down on Sunday.

Udinese hope
In some of the week's other ties, FC Artmedia Bratislava, surprise second-round winners against Celtic FC, take on Serbo-Montenegrin champions FK Partizan, Udinese Calcio get their first taste of Champions League football away to last year's UEFA Cup finalists Sporting Clube de Portugal, and 1979 finalists Malmö FF play Switzerland's surprise qualifiers FC Thun.

UEFA Champions League third qualifying round
First-leg matches: 9/10 August
Second-leg matches: 23/24 August
FC Basel 1893 (SUI) v Werder Bremen (GER)
FC Artmedia Bratislava (SVK) v FK Partizan (SCG)
FC Shakhtar Donetsk (UKR) v FC Internazionale Milano (ITA)
FC Steaua Bucuresti (ROU) v Rosenborg BK (NOR)
Manchester United FC (ENG) v Debreceni VSC (HUN)*
Malmö FF (SWE) v FC Dynamo Kyiv (UKR)
Everton FC (ENG) v Villarreal CF (ESP)*
Liverpool FC (ENG, holders) v PFC CSKA Sofia (BUL)
Sporting Clube de Portugal (POR) v Udinese Calcio (ITA)
Vålerenga IF (NOR) v Club Brugge KV (BEL)*
SK Rapid Wien (AUT) v FC Lokomotiv Moskva (RUS)
RSC Anderlecht (BEL) v SK Slavia Praha (CZE)
Anorthosis Famagusta FC (CYP) v Rangers FC (SCO)*
Brøndby IF (DEN) v AFC Ajax (NED)
Real Betis Balompié (ESP) v AS Monaco FC (FRA)*
Wisla Kraków (POL) v Panathinaikos FC (GRE)*

* denotes playing Tuesday.


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