It won't be easy, but Manchester United got one of their two preferred options with Louis Van Gaal's men drawn against Club Brugge in the Champions League playoffs.
A two-legged tie will be played between the two teams, with Manchester United hosting the first leg against the Belgian side. Victory over the two legs will see the winners into the group stages of the Champions League.
Staring at playing one of Rapid Vienna, Club Brugge, CSKA Moscow, Monaco and Lazio, Manchester United got one of the two less-tougher opponents, gladly avoiding facing the Russians, Italians and French.
While Brugge will not be an easy tie, Manchester United will start as the overwhelming favourites, and having bought the likes of Memphis Depay, Matteo Darmian, Morgan Schneiderlin and Bastian Schweinsteiger already, they should have enough firepower to move through to the group stages.
Valencia vs Monaco should be the tie of the Champions League playoffs, with both teams quite worthy of a place in the group stages. Monaco will have to play really well over the two legs if they are to repeat their quarterfinal appearance from last season.
The first leg of the Champions League playoffs will be played on 18 and 19 August, with the return legs happening a week later on 25 and 26 of the same month. Once the winners of the players are known, we will have the Champions League group stage draw, which should be another cracking watch.
Champions League Playoffs: Valencia vs Monaco
Rapid Vienna vs Shakhtar Donetsk
Sporting Lisbon vs CSKA Moscow
Manchester United vs Club Brugge
Lazio vs Bayer Leverkusen
FC Astana vs APOEL
Skenderbeu vs Dinamo
Celtic vs Malmo
FC Basel vs Maccabi Tel Aviv
Bate Borisov vs FK Partizan
