Arsenal draws Fenerbahce in Champs League playoffs

[August 09, 2013]  NYON, Switzerland (AP) -- Arsenal, seeking to qualify for a 16th straight season in the group stage of the Champions League, has been drawn to play Turkish club Fenerbahce in the playoffs of Europe's top club competition.

However, a pending match-fixing case involving Fenerbahce at the Court of Arbitration for Sport means the Turkish club could be expelled even if it beats the English side.

Seven-time winner AC Milan was paired with 1988 champion PSV Eindhoven in Friday's draw.

German club Schalke was drawn to play Ukraine's Metalist Kharkiv, which faces a match-fixing disciplinary hearing at UEFA on Tuesday.

Among the 10 pairings: Lyon vs. Real Sociedad, Pacos de Ferreira vs. Zenit St. Petersburg, and newcomer Shakhter Karagandy of Kazakhstan hosting Celtic.

First legs will be played Aug. 20-21, with the return legs on Aug. 27-28.

The winners advance to the elite 32-team group stage.

[Associated Press]

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