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Updated: Balotelli returns to Italy as Nice face Napoli in Champions League playoffs

Associated Press Friday, 4 August 2017, 13:35 Last update: about 10 years ago

Mario Balotelli will return home to Italy in the pick of the UEFA Champions League playoffs after his Nice side drew Napoli in the final qualification round before the competition's group stage.

Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp will also see familiar surroundings as his side faces Hoffenheim, while Sevilla, which reached last season's round of 16, takes on Champions League newcomers Istanbul Basakeshir of Turkey.

Astana of Kazakhstan will have the opportunity to avenge last season's defeat to Celtic at the same stage.

Also, Azerbaijan champion Qarabag faces Copenhagen, Apoel Nicosia take on Slavia Prague and Young Boys is up against CSKA Moscow.

The remaining ties see Olympiakos matched with Croatian side HNK Rijeka, Hapoel Beer Sheva against Maribor and Sporting Lisbon with Steaua Bucharest.

(First-leg matches, Aug. 15-16; Second-leg matches, Aug. 22-23)

Champions route:

Qarabag (Azerbaijan) vs. Copenhagen (Denmark)

Apoel Nicosia (Cyprus) vs. Slavia Prague (Czech Republic)

Olympiakos (Greece) vs. HNK Rijeka (Croatia)

Celtic (Scotland) vs. Astana (Kazakhstan)

League route:

Istanbul Basaksehir (Turkey) vs. Sevilla (Spain)

Young Boys (Switzerland) vs. CSKA Moscow (Russia)

 

AC Milan to face Macedonian side Shkendija in Europa League

AC Milan's return to European competition after a three-year absence continues with a Europa League playoff against Macedonian side Shkendija.

Another former European giant enters the competition as Ajax faces Rosenborg after the Dutch side was eliminated from Champions League qualifying by Nice.

Wayne Rooney will be playing in Croatia after Everton was drawn against Hadjuk Split, while Athletic Bilbao was handed a daunting trip to Greece to face Panathinaikos in Friday's draw.

Milan hadn't featured in European competition since March 2014 before it won in the previous round, defeating CSU Craiova of Romania 3-0 on aggregate.

Also, it's: Vardar vs. Fenerbahce, Osijek vs. Austria Wien, Crvena Zvezda vs. Krasnodar, Altach vs. Maccabi Tel-Aviv, BATE vs. Olexandriya, Club Brugge vs. AEK, Martimo vs. Dynamo Kyiv, Dinamo Zagreb vs. Skenderbeu, Ludogorets vs. Suduva, Apollon vs. Midtjylland, Domzale vs. Marseille, Partizan vs. Videoton, FH vs. Braga, Utrecht vs. Zenit, Legia vs. Sheriff, Viitorul vs. Salzburg, Plzen vs. AEK Larnaca and PAOK vs. Ostersund.

 

The ties will be played over two legs with the first taking place on Aug. 17th and the second on Aug. 24th.

Napoli (Italy) vs. Nice (France)

Hoffenheim (Germany) vs. Liverpool (England)

Sporting Lisbon (Portugal) vs. Steaua Bucharest (Romania)

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