Dnipro-1 from Ukraine plays in the qualification for the Champions League

NYON, Switzerland –

Dnipro-1, runners-up in the Ukrainian league, were drawn on Wednesday to face Greek club Panathinaikos in the second qualifying round for the Champions League.

Dnipro-1, hoping to join Shakhtar Donetsk in the group stage of the competition, will play the first leg “at home” on July 25 or 26, with the match being held in neighboring Slovakia, on Ukraine’s western border, in Ko┼ ice.

National and club teams of Ukraine cannot host international matches in their own country during the invasion by Russia for security reasons. UEFA has banned all Russian teams from its club competitions for the second season in a row.

Teams from Russia’s military ally Belarus must also play in neutral countries and BATE Borisov will face Aris Limassol if it gets past Albania’s Partizani in the first qualifying round, which will be played from July 11-19.

Teams participating in the second qualifying round must beat three opponents to advance to the 32-team elite group stage starting in September.

Dinamo Zagreb was the highest placed team in Wednesday’s draw and will first play at home against Astana or Dinamo Tbilisi.

Galatasaray was once a fixture in the Champions League group stage as the champions of Turkey were given direct access. The Turkish title winner was drawn to play the first leg to Zalgiris Vilnius or Struga.

Moldovan champions Sheriff beat Real Madrid in a September 2021 group stage match and were drawn on Wednesday to face either Maccabi Haifa or Hamrun Spartans if it knocks out Farul Constanța in the first qualifying round.

Genk, which lost the Belgian national title to Royal Antwerp in the injury time of the last game, had to compete against the Swiss number two Servette.

The first legs will be played from July 25-26 and the second legs will be played on August 1-2.

Losers advance to the qualifying rounds of the second-tier Europa League.

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