Basel, BATE and Dinamo Zagreb enter fray
Friday, July 13, 2012
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Group stage contenders last season, FC Basel 1893, FC BATE Borisov and GNK Dinamo Zagreb start their bids for a return when the second qualifying round begins next week.
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Having reached the knockout stage last term, FC Basel 1893 take their first steps in this season's UEFA Champions League when the second qualifying round starts on Tuesday.
In 2011/12, the 15-time Swiss title winners took four points off Manchester United FC in reaching the round of 16, where they beat eventual finalists FC Bayern München 1-0 at home before suffering a heavy defeat in Germany. They kick off their 2012/13 tilt at FC Flora Tallinn.
One of four teams in this round who are featuring in Europe's premier club competition for the first time, PFC Ludogorets Razgrad have nearly as tough a challenge as Flora. The Bulgarian outfit meet GNK Dinamo Zagreb, who were also group stage contenders last season. FC BATE Borisov, another side to go all the way to the competition proper last term, stand in FK Vardar's way.
As for the other newcomers, Israel's Hapoel Kiryat Shmona FC face MŠK Žilina and Armenia's Ulisses FC take on FC Sheriff. Kazakh club FC Shakhter Karagandy, who play FC Slovan Liberec, complete the quartet.
Three teams enter the second qualifying round after negotiating first-phase hurdles: Linfield FC, F91 Dudelange and Valletta FC. Linfield encounter AEL Limassol FC, untested at this level in 44 years, while Dudelange will have their work cut out against Austrian double winners FC Salzburg. Valletta welcome 1966 European Cup runners-up FK Partizan to Malta.
