Arsenal have been handed a tough draw in the play-offs for this season's UEFA champions league. Arsene Wenger's team face Turkish Super Lig runners up and Europa League semi-finalists Fenerbahce.
The Istanbul based team have former Premier League players Dirk Kuyt and Raul Meireles in their squad and represents a stern challenge for the Gunners.
Fenerbahce, even if they defeat Arsenal, are not guaranteed a place in the competition next year. They were banned from competing in Europe by UEFA after being involved in a domestic match fixing scandal. After having challenged the ruling, the club has been temporarily re-instated in the competition but their final inclusion is subject to a hearing from the court of arbitration for sport. The hearing is scheduled for 28 August after the second leg against Arsenal. UEFA have not specified the action to be taken should Fenerbahce defeat Arsenal and be found guilty in the hearing.
Serie A team AC Milan will take on Eredivisie side PSV Eindhoven, who finished second in their domestic league last season. Under new manager Phillip Cocu, Milan will not have it easy against a side eager to re-establish itself alongside Ajax as one of the pillars of Dutch football.
Elsewhere, Scottish league champions Celtic will take on Kazakh team Shakhter Karagandy, in what appears to be a favourable draw despite the 4,000 mile journey to Kazakhstan.
The play-off fixtures are scheduled to take place on 20/21 August and 27/28 August.
The draw in full is as follows:
Ludogorets Razgrad v FC Basel
Shakhter Karagandy v Celtic
Dinamo Zagreb v Austria Wien
VIktoria Plzen v NK Maribor
Olympique Lyonnais v Real Sociedad
Steaua Bucharest v Legia Warsaw
Pacos de Ferreira v Zenit St Petersburg
Fenerbahce v Arsenal
Schalke 04 v Metalist Kharkiv
PSV Eindhoven v AC Milan
