UEFA Champions League qualifying preview: The teams vying to join new champions Bayern Munich in the group stage are three wins away from doing just so, the next step coming Tuesday in the second qualifying round.
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Those three rounds will deliver places alongside Premier League sides Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, and Chelsea in the hat for October 1’s UCL group stage draw.
PAOK v. Besiktas
American forward Tyler Boyd scored against Braga in last season’s Europa League, and the Besiktas man could get his first taste of the Champions League on Tuesday in Greece.
The 10-times capped USMNT winger had a goal and an assist as Besiktas went unbeaten in its last four matches of the 2019-20 season. The Turkish powers are a minor underdog against Chuba Akpom, Jose Angel Crespo, and PAOK.
Celtic v. Ferencvaros
Neil Lennon’s Bhoys are considered big favorites against their Budapest-based foes, who’ve added former Hibs and Liverpool backstop Adam Bogdan and are coached by ex-Spurs and West Ham striker Serhiy Rebrov.
AZ Alkmaar v. Viktoria Plzen
Will reported Barcelona target Calvin Stengs be with the hosts for the visit from the Czech runners-up?
Celje v. Molde
Former Seattle Sounders defender Henry Wingo is in his second season in Norway and the right back was an unused sub over two legs with Partizan Belgrade. Wingo is about six weeks removed from his first Molde goal, scored against Viking Stavanger.
Molde now heads to Slovenia to meet Celje, where they’ll be favorites despite the long trip.
UEFA Champions League qualifying schedule
Tuesday
PAOK v. Besiktas
Tirana v. Red Star Belgrade
Wednesday
Lokomotiva v. Rapid Vienna
AZ Alkmaar v. Viktoria Plzen
Celtic v. Ferencvaros
CFR Cluj v. Dinamo Zagreb
Young Boys v. Klaksvikar Itrottarfelag
Legia Warsaw v. Omonia
Suduva v. Maccabi Tel Aviv
Celje v. Molde
Ludogorets Razgrad v. Midtjylland
Dynamo Brest v. Sarajevo
Qarabag v. Sheriff Tiraspol