Sliema Wanderers were yesterday drawn to meet Moldovan champions Sheriff in the first qualifying round.
The Blues are to play the first leg at home on 12/13 July with the return leg on 19/20 July in Chisinau.
It is the first time that teams from Malta and Moldova have been drawn together in a European club competition.
It is not an attractive tie as it would have been had the Blues been drawn to meet title holders Liverpool. But it provides Sliema with a reasonably good chance of making it to the second round of the competition.
The winners of this tie were drawn to face Partizan of Serbia & Montenegro in the second qualifying round, with Partizan playing the first match at home on 27/27 June.The second leg is set for 2/3 August.
Sheriff were founded just eight years ago, but already have five Moldovan titles to their name as well as their 2003 Commonwealth Cup (former Russian states) triumph. Leonid Kuchuk’s team have lost just once in the league this season and conceded only eight goals in 24 matches.
The team last season was boosted by the arrival of two promising African players, Samuel Yeboah and Sumaila Tassembedo.
FC Sheriff’s have a rather good record in Europe compared to that of local clubs. In fact for the past four years, they always managed to reach the second qualifying round of the Champions League. They played a total of 16 matches – winning five, drawing two and losing nine matches. In the UEFA Cup, they have taken part twice, collecting three draws in four matches.
The draw
First qualifying round
1 Liverpool FC (ENG) v Total Network Solutions FC (WAL); 2 FC Haka (FIN) v FC Pyunik (ARM); 3 HB Tórshavn (FAR) v FBK Kaunas (LIT); 4 FC Levadia Tallinn (EST) v FC Dinamo Tbilisi (GEO); 5 NK Gorica (SLO) v KF Tirana (ALB); 6 FC Kairat Almaty (KAZ) v FC Artmedia Bratislava (SVK); 7 PFC Neftchi (AZE) v FH Hafnarfjördur (ISL); 8 FK Rabotnicki (MKD) v Skonto FC (LAT); 9 Glentoran FC (NIR) v Shelbourne FC (IRL); 10 FC Dinamo Minsk (BLR) v Anorthosis Famagusta FC (CYP); 11 Sliema Wanderers FC (MLT) v FC Sheriff (MDA); 12 F91 Dudelange (LUX) v NK Zrinjski (BIH).
Second qualifying round
Winner match 3 v Winner match 1; Winner match 4 v Brøndby IF (DEN); FK Partizan (SCG) v Winner match 11 (Sliema-Sheriff); Debreceni VSC (HUN) v HNK Hajduk Split (CRO); Winner match 6 v Celtic FC (SCO); Winner match 5 v PFC CSKA Sofia (BUL); RSC Anderlecht (BEL) v Winner match 7; Vålerenga IF (NOR) v Winner match 2; Winner match 8 v FC Lokomotiv Moskva (RUS); Winner match 12 v SK Rapid Wien (AUT); FC Dynamo Kyiv (UKR) v FC Thun (SUI); Malmö FF (SWE) v Maccabi Haifa FC (ISR); Winner match 9 v FC Steaua Bucuresti (ROU); Winner match 10 v Trabzonspor (TUR)