Champions League play-offs tie by tie
Friday, August 7, 2015
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UEFA.com analyses the ten play-off round ties, with a notable return for CSKA Moskva and Sporting CP, and Basel and Maccabi Tel-Aviv reviving their 2013/14 rivalry.
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Lazio (ITA) v Bayer Leverkusen (GER) – 18 & 26 August
Lazio and Leverkusen played out two 1-1 draws in the 1999/2000 UEFA Champions League first group stage. Lazio have won their last three games against German opposition; Leverkusen have won only three of their last eight fixtures with Serie A sides.
Manchester United (ENG) v Club Brugge (BEL) – 18 & 26 August
Manchester United and Club Brugge have never met. United have won four of their six matches against Belgian opponents, although their last taste was a 2-1 loss at Anderlecht in the 2000/01 UEFA Champions League first group stage. Club Brugge have won six of their encounters with English teams, losing ten; they have not won in six games since a 1-0 first-leg victory over Chelsea in the 1994/95 UEFA Cup Winners' quarter-finals (they succumbed 2-0 in the return).
Sporting CP (POR) v CSKA Moskva (RUS) – 18 & 26 August
CSKA Moskva were 3-1 winners against Sporting in the 2005 UEFA Cup final, played at the Portuguese side's stadium in Lisbon. Goals from Aleksei Berezutski, Yuri Zhirkov and Vágner Love overturned Rogério's first-half strike as CSKA became the first Russian club to lift a European trophy.
Rapid Wien (AUT) v Shakhtar Donetsk (UKR) – 19 & 25 August
Shakhtar and Rapid have never met. Shakhtar have won both their home fixtures against Austrian teams and lost both away – winning one tie and losing the other – while Rapid have won four and lost five of their ten matches against Ukrainian opposition.
Valencia (ESP) v AS Monaco (FRA) – 19 & 25 August
Valencia beat Monaco 5-3 in the 1980/81 European Cup Winners' Cup first round, the then holders triumphing 2-0 at Mestalla before a 3-3 away draw. Valencia have won 13 of their 20 games against Ligue 1 clubs; in contrast Monaco have recorded just five victories against Spanish sides in 16 attempts.
Astana (KAZ) v APOEL (CYP) – 18 & 26 August
Astana and APOEL face off for the first time – and neither team has ever encountered a side from the other's country.
Skënderbeu (ALB) v Dinamo Zagreb (CRO) – 19 & 25 August
Skënderbeu and Dinamo Zagreb have never met; indeed, Skënderbeu have never played a club from Croatia. Dinamo's sole previous Albanian experience came in the 1996/97 UEFA Cup preliminary round, when a 4-0 home win against KF Tirana preceded a 6-2 away success.
Celtic (SCO) v Malmö (SWE) – 19 & 25 August
Celtic and Malmö are first-time rivals yet have near identical records against team from their opponent's country. Both have played four, won three and lost one; Malmö have scored 11 goals and conceded only one, Celtic have scored five without conceding.
FC Basel (SUI) v Maccabi Tel-Aviv (ISR) – 19 & 25 August
Basel and Maccabi Tel-Aviv have met four times – all coming in 2013/14, unusually in two different competitions. Basel were 4-3 victors in the UEFA Champions League third qualifying round, Valentin Stocker's first-leg goal proving decisive thanks to a 3-3 draw in Tel Aviv in the return. Their paths crossed again in the UEFA Europa League round of 32, when the pattern was repeated: a goalless draw in Tel Aviv was followed by a 3-0 Basel victory at St. Jakob-Park.
BATE Borisov (BLR) v Partizan (SRB) – 18 & 26 August
BATE and Partizan are new to one another – and nor have they previously tackled a club from their opponent's country.