The draw has recently been made for the third qualifying round of the Champions League. The league route (I.e. League runners-up) is split into 5 ties, from which the winner of each will be drawn against Arsenal, Porto, Bayer Leverkusen, Napoli or Bilbao. Here are my thoughts on each tie and my prediction of the eventual progressor.

The ties, to be played on 29th/30th July and the 5th/6th August, are as follows:

AEL Limassol v Zenit St. Petersburg

Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk v FC Copenhagen

Feyenoord v Besiktas

Grasshopper Club v Lille OSC

Standard Liege v Panathanaikos

1. Limassol v Zenit

On paper, this is the most one sided contest of the league qualifying round. Zenit St. Petersburg have established a reputation as one of the big spenders in world football, and Limassol finished runners up in a Cypriot First Division which is far lower in standard than the Russian PL. Zenit have world class players such as Hulk and Witsel in their ranks, who should be able to exploit a relatively weak opponent to progress through easily. AEL lost arguably their best two players and two top scorers in Jorge Monteiro and Orlando Sa, however the Russian side should look out for players such as newly acquired Danielzinho and captain Marios Nicolaou.

Prediction: Zenit to progress

2. Dnipro v Copenhagen

This is a good, competitive draw that promises to put two different playing styles against each other. The Ukranian club is graced with stars such as Konoplyanka and goalscorer Roman Zozulha, but Copenhagen cannot be taken lightly, possessing firepower through the prolific Cornelius and legend Olof Mellberg. A really tough one to call, I feel this tie boils down to what happens in the first leg, and if it’s a draw then that makes matters even more complex. However, I see Copenhagen edging this one, capitalising on home advantage in the second leg.

Prediction: Copenhagen to progress

3. Feyenoord v Besiktas

A tie that I have personal interest in, as my beloved Feyenoord are pitted against Turkish powerhouses Besiktas. It is a really tough tie for Feyenoord, with the added disadvantage of playing away from home in the second leg in one of the most volatile and explosive atmospheres in European football. Add in the likes of Hugo Almeida and of course Demba Ba, which De Vrij (if still at Feyenoord) and Boulahrouz will struggle to stop, and I fear this tie is a step too much for the Dutch side.

Prediction: Besiktas to progress

4. Grasshopper v Lille

Again this is a tie that should only have one winner, but Grasshopper are a notoriously tough side to play against, and having the first leg at home is a crucial opportunity for the Swiss side to get an early advantage. The Lille defense will have to cope with pacey forward Anatole Ngamukol and Alexander Merkel (on loan from Udinese), but will have their own threats in Salomon Kalou and Marvin Martin. I feel as long as Lille do not put themselves in a bad second leg situation, they should prevail in this tie.

Prediction: Lille to progress

5. Standard Liege v Panathanaikos

A wonderfully balanced tie that should provide lots of entertainment, with Standard possessing some of the best upcoming players in Batshiayi and Opare, both of whom have been recently bought, leaving them with a core that still possesses talent in left-back Van Damme and physical forward De Camargo. Panathanaikos however have their own threat in Swedish striker Berg and Bajrami, meaning this tie is anything but a foregone conclusion, and the Greek side will be bolstered by the knowledge they will have the second leg on home turf. I have a sneaky feeling that it will be the Belgian side who progress, though, and. Must go with my gut.

Prediction: Standard Liege to progress

Awaiting the five aforementioned predicted progressors is a very difficult task in having to face one of Arsenal, Napoli, Leverkusen, Bilbao or Porto. That could prove to be a step too far for some of the teams, but any winners at the league stage will undoubtedly be full of confidence and determination to try and reach the promised land of the group stages.