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Celtic start European campaign

Author: Craig Williams
Date: 28/07/2009

The third qualifying round of the Champions League gets underway this week with some well-known teams already involved in a competition that does not reach its climax for another ten months.

Shakhtar Donetsk, Sparta Prague, Sporting Lisbon, Olympiacos, Celtic and FC Twente are all involved in this week's action, although last season's winners and the online favourites to retain their crown, Barcelona, do not start the defence of their title until September.

Three games in particular catch the eye.

Celtic v Dinamo Moscow

New boss Tony Mowbray will be hoping history doesn't repeat itself when Celtic take on Dinamo Moscow.

Almost four years to the day, in his first game in charge of the club, Gordon Strachan watched his side slump to a 5-0 defeat at European unknowns Artmedia Bratislava.

Although the Bhoys won the second leg 4-0 they were knocked out of the competition before the league season had even started - to Rangers' delight.

Strachan's last game in charge just two months ago also ended in disappointment as Celtic were pipped to the SPL title by the Gers and within days the former Manchester United and Leeds United midfielder had resigned.

Dinamo Moscow are making their first appearance in the Champions League since its rebranding from the European Cup 17 years ago. They finished third in the Russian League last term, just two years after struggling to 14th.

Dinamo are currently fifth after 14 rounds of the 2009 campaign.

Can Celtic get their European campaign off to a winning start? - Latest Football Betting

Sparta Prague v Panathinaikos

Sparta have been regulars in the group stage of the Champions League but, after finishing second behind champions and bitter rivals Slavia Prague in the Gambrinus Liga last term, they must start at the third qualifying round this season.

The most successful club in the Czech Republic, they are currently managed by Jozef Chovanec and have former Liverpool and Aston Villa star Patrik Berger in their ranks.

Sparta face a tricky tie though as Panathinaikos are one of Greece's top clubs, having claimed the Greek Championship on 19 occasions, although the last came in 2004.

They are also former European Cup runners-up having lost to Ajax in the 1971 Final. However, they only finished third in the Greek League last season, ten points adrift of champions Olympiacos.

Sporting Lisbon v FC Twente

Sporting Lisbon will be hoping to put last season's Champions League nightmare to the back of their minds when they face FC Twente.

The Portuguese side slumped to an embarrassing 12-1 aggregate defeat to Bayern Munich who were then humbled by eventual winners Barcelona.

Sporting finished second behind FC Porto last term and may struggle against a Twente side that impressed under Steve McClaren last season.

The former England manager guided the Enschede-based club to a second-placed finish domestically last season for only the second time in their history.

Twente reached the third qualifying round of last season's Champions League but slumped to a 6-0 aggregate defeat against Arsenal and moved into the UEFA Cup where they were eventually ousted by Marseille at the last 32 stage.

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