CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
Villarreal to meet Monaco in Champions League Play Offs
Friday’s draw threw up one of the most intriguing clashes of the Play-Offs. Other encounters include Man City-Steaua and Porto-Roma.
2016/17 Champions League Plays Offs draw
Villarreal were dealt a relatively tricky hand in today’s Champions League Play-Offs draw, being pitted against 2004 finalists Monaco. The coastal side last made the group stage via the Play-Off route in 2011-12 after beating Denmark’s Odense 3-1 on aggregate. Villarreal coach Marcelino said the draw could have been worse for his side but the ‘Submarine’ have one of the most complicated routes to the group stage: "Roma were the most difficult and then you had Monaco, who were knocked out by Valencia last season, but they’re one of the best sides in France."
City-Steaua, one of the other highlights of the round
Other eye-catching ties include Porto-Roma – interestingly, neither have crossed paths before in European competition, and Manchester City’s tie with Romanian Liga 1 runners-up Steaua Bucuresti, who lifted the trophy in 1986.
The first legs will be played on 16/17 August with the return, the following week on 23/24th.
2016/17 Champions League Play Offs
Ludogorets - Plzeň
Celtic- H. Beer-Sheva
Copenhagen-APOEL
Dundalk-Legia
Dinamo Zagreb-Salzburg
Steaua-Manchester City
Porto-Roma
Ajax-Rostov
Young Boys-Borussia Mönchengladbach
Villarreal-Monaco