Liverpool and Celtic get tricky Champions League draws

These will not be simple affairs.

Two legs and one result stand between Liverpool and Celtic before the Champions League group stages. The draw was made for the final round of the playoffs and both sides have tricky tasks ahead. Celtic will face Astana of Kazakhstan, a side they are very familiar with. Last season, Brendan Rodgers' side required a stoppage-time penalty from Moussa Dembele to claim a 3-2 win over the Kazahks. As for Liverpool, they will come up against the German side from whom they purchased Roberto Firmino from. Jurgen Klopp's men will take on Bundesliga outfit Hoffenheim, who are pretty damn tough to turn over on their own turf. https://twitter.com/Squawka/status/893417400435081216 The first leg for Liverpool will be on either 15 or 16 August, with the return leg to be played at Anfield on 22 or 23 August. The pick of the other ties must be Napoli taking on Nice with old European dark-horses Steaua Bucharest up against Sporting Lisbon. Champions route

Celtic v Astana Qarabag v Copenhagen Apoel Nicosia v Slavia Prague Olympiakos v HNK Rijeka Hapoel Beer Sheva v Maribor

League route

Hoffenheim v Liverpool Istanbul Basaksehir v Sevilla Young Boys v CSKA Moscow Napoli v Nice Sporting Lisbon v Steaua Bucharest