UEFA Champions League play-off draw: Jurgen Klopp will return to Germany as Liverpool face Hoffenheim

Courtesy: Twitter (@ChampionsLeague)

New Delhi: Liverpool must overcome German Bundesliga side Hoffenheim in UEFA Champions League play-offs if they are to take their place in the group stages of Europe's biggest football competition.

Jurgen Klopp's side will play the first leg in Germany with the return leg at Anfield a week later.

The first leg will be played on either August 15 or 16, the second on August 22 or 23.

The official result of the #UCLdraw

Who's going through? pic.twitter.com/1w0lUkhWyU — Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) August 4, 2017

Liverpool striker Roberto Firmino was signed from Hoffenheim two years ago, and the Merseysiders will be encouraged by their recent form against German opposition.

In the past week, Liverpool emphatically defeated both Hertha Berlin and Bayern Munich in pre-season friendlies.

Hoffenheim have also lost a couple of their most impressive performers from last season.

Klopp's team will be playing the qualifier a few days after their Premier League 2017-18 opener against Watford.

Liverpool finished fourth in the Premier League last season. The five-time European champions were last in the Champions League in 2014-15.

Spanish side Sevilla have been drawn against last season's Turkish league runners-up Istanbul Basaksehir, who boast the likes of Emmanuel Adebayor and Gael Clichy in their ranks and eliminated Club Brugge in the third qualifying round.

Napoli, who came third in Serie A last season, were handed a difficult draw against Nice, third in France's Ligue 1 and victors against Ajax in the third qualifying round.

Scottish giants Celtic, who were in the section of the draw reserved for domestic champions, must once again beat Astana of Kazakhstan if they are to return to the group phase.

The Glasgow club will host Astana in the first leg before a journey of nearly 4,000 miles for the return leg on August 22 or 23.

Celtic won 3-2 on aggregate when the teams met in the third qualifying round last season.

Draw for the UEFA Champions League play-off round:

Qarabag (AZE) v FC Copenhagen (DEN)
APOEL (CYP) v Slavia Prague (CZE)
Olympiacos (GRE) v Rijeka (CRO)
Celtic (SCO) v Astana (KAZ)
Hapoel Beer-Sheva (ISR) v Maribor (SLO)
Istanbul Basaksehir (TUR) v Sevilla (ESP)
Young Boys (SUI) v CSKA Moscow (RUS)
Napoli (ITA) v Nice (FRA)
Hoffenheim (GER) v Liverpool (ENG)
Sporting (POR) v FCSB (ROM)

First legs to be played August 15/16, second legs August 22/23.