Reds Face Toulouse In Cl: All The Latest

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Liverpool will face Toulouse in the Champions League third qualifying round following Friday morning's draw in Nyon, Switzerland.
The French club - who'll become the Reds' 100th opponent in continental football - finished third in their domestic league last season to qualify for Europe's premier competition for the first time.

The achievement was unexpected as a week before the end of the season they were mathematically out of the race for a CL spot following a draw with Nantes.

However, the game was abandoned with three minutes to go because of a pitch invasion, and Toulouse were later awarded three points instead of one.

Five years ago they were in the third division.

Their star men include Swedish striker Johan Elmander, who scored 11 goals in 32 league games last season and was subject to interest from Lyon and Man City this summer.

LFC secretary Bryce Morrison said: "It will not be easy. This qualifying round of the competition seems to be getting harder each year. The French league is strong.

"They are a rugby town and it is a new ground for us. They will be really up for it.

"Rafael Benitez has brought in some new players and everyone in the club feels we are stronger and there is no reason why we can't go all the way again."

Dates for the tie have yet to be confirmed by Liverpool Football Club. Fans are advised not to make any travel arrangements at this stage.

The full draw is:

FH Hafnarfjördur or FC BATE Borisov v Zaglebie Lubin or Steaua Bucharest
Tampere United or Levski Sofia v Astana or Rosenborg
Spartak Moscow v CELTIC
Werder Bremen v NK Domzale or Dinamo Zagreb
FK Ventspils or FC Salzburg v Pyunik or Shakhtar Donetsk
Ajax v MSK Zilina or SK Slavia Prague
Valencia v Debreceni or IF Elfsborg
Genk or FK Sarajevo v Dynamo Kiev
Fenerbahce v Anderlecht
RANGERS or FK Zeta v Red Star Belgrade or Levadia Tallinn
Toulouse v LIVERPOOL
Benfica v FC Copenhagen or Beitar Jerusalem
Lazio v Dinamo Bucuresti
Sparta Prague v ARSENAL
FC Zurich v Sheriff or Besiktas
Sevilla v AEK Athens

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Kop legend John Aldridge has backed Liverpool to reach the Champions League proper despite being handed a tricky tie against Toulouse.
The former Republic of Ireland international believes the fact it's a short journey across the Channel could prove key.

"It could be a lot easier but the one thing we've got going for us is the fact it's a short trip," he told Liverpoolfc.tv. "That really helps. You don't really want to be going all the way across Europe or to Russia.

"With it being a French side, you know the pitch is probably going to be good, and there'll be a lot of fans able to make the trip, which is obviously a huge bonus for Liverpool.

"Having said all that, it will be a tricky little tie. I know about the French league to the extent it's on Sky television. They are no mugs and the league has some very good players.

"A lot of their players go to Italy or England, but you only have to look at the football Lyon have been playing in recent years to realise the league has strength."

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Definately a tricky one! but one that we should overcome!