FORMER England manager Steve McClaren will face Arsenal with his new club Twente Enschede after the teams were paired in the Champions League third qualifying round draw on Friday.
McClaren took the reins of the Dutch club during the close season for his first coaching role since leaving the England job last November, following the failure to qualify for Euro 2008.
However, he faces a tough task in trying to outwit Arsenal,
Champions League finalists in 2006 and quarter-finalists last season, when the sides meet for a place in the group stage.
McClaren, who led Middlesbrough to the 2006 UEFA Cup final, said: "I think of all the teams we could have had, that is the toughest – or one of the toughest. I expected one of the English teams – fate deals you certain cards and it has dealt us this card. On one hand it is very, very tough – we know that – but on the other very exciting."
Spanish side Atletico Madrid will not have it easy against another of last term's quarter-finalists, Germany's Schalke, in what should be one of the most intriguing contests of the third qualifying round, to be played later this month. Atletico are seeking a return to the Champions League for the first time since the 1996/97 season.
Of the other big names in the draw, five-time winners Liverpool face Belgian champions Standard Liege while Barcelona take on the winners of the Beitar Jerusalem v Wisla Krakow second qualifying round tie.
Italian giants Juventus must beat either Artmedia Bratislava or Finnish side Tampere United.
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE THIRD QUALIFYING ROUND DRAW (First legs to be played on 12 or 13 August, return legs on 26 or 27 August)
Anorthosis Famagusta/Rapid Vienna v Olympiakos
Vitoria Guimaraes v IFK Gothenburg/Basle
Shakhtar Donetsk v NK Domzale/Dinamo Zagreb
Schalke v Atletico Madrid
Aalborg/Modrica v Rangers/Kaunas
Barcelona v Beitar Jerusalem/Wisla Krakow
Levski Sofia v Anderlecht/BATE
Standard Liege v Liverpool
Inter Baku/FK Partizan v Fenerbahce/MTK Budapest
Twente v Arsenal
Spartak Moscow v Drogheda/Dinamo Kiev
Juventus v Tampere/Artmedia
Brann/Ventspils v Marseille
Fiorentina v Slavia Prague
Galatasaray v Steaua Bucharest
Panathinaikos/Dinamo Tbilisi v Sheriff Tiraspol/Sparta Prague
The full article contains 376 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
