Levski Sofia to face AEK Athens in Champions League playoffs

Levski Sofia has advanced to the UEFA Champions League playoffs after defeating Kairat Almaty with two consecutive 1-0 victories in the third qualifying round. Following a home win, the Bulgarian club secured the same result in the away leg in Almaty to progress without conceding a goal.

The draw for the final qualifying stage set up a high-stakes match between Levski Sofia and AEK Athens, with the winner securing a place in the competition's new 36-team league phase. The first leg is scheduled for Tuesday, August 18, in Sofia, while the return match will take place on Wednesday, August 26, at the Allwyn Arena in Athens. Both matches are set to kick off at 22:00.

Following their exit, Kairat Almaty has been relegated to the UEFA Europa League playoffs. They will face the loser of the ongoing matchup between PAOK and Anderlecht. Meanwhile, other notable playoff fixtures include Celtic against LASK, Dinamo Zagreb versus Viking, and Fenerbahce against Sparta Prague. Olympiacos has been eliminated from the competition after a loss to Nijmegen.