Liverpool handed Hoffenheim test in Champions League

Liverpool have been drawn to face Hoffenheim in the Champions League playoff round.

After finishing in fourth place in last season's Premier League, manager Jurgen Klopp was aware that his side could be handed a tough tie as they attempt to return to the group stages of European football's premier competition.

The Merseyside club avoided a meeting with Nice, but they will have to travel to Germany to meet Hoffenheim, a team who finished in fourth place in the Bundesliga and lost just four matches last season.

Liverpool will be on their travels for the first leg on either August 15 or 16, with the return fixture being staged at Anfield a week later.

Scottish Premiership champions Celtic have also been given a testing draw after being paired with Kazakh outfit Astana, with Celtic staging the first leg in Glasgow.

Last season, the two teams met in the third qualifying round with only a last-minute penalty during the second leg seeing Celtic claim a 3-2 aggregate win.

Full draw

Istanbul Basaksehir vs. Sevilla Young Boys vs. CSKA Moscow Napoli vs. Nice Hoffenheim vs. Liverpool Sporting Lisbon vs. Steaua Bucuresti Qarabag FK vs. Copenhagen APOEL vs. Slavia Prague Olympiacos vs. NK Rijeka Celtic vs. Astana Hapoel Beer-Sheva vs. NK Maribor