In another week the draw will be held for the first two qualifying rounds of the Champions League
Israel Premier League Champions Maccabi Tel Aviv will embark on their road to the central stage of European football next Monday at 1pm when the draw is held for the first two qualifying rounds of the Champions League. Maccabi will only enter the competition in the second qualifying round, where 34 domestic champions will contest the 17 available places in the third qualifying round. Qualifying for the third round also means an exit at that stage will guarantee them a spot in the play-off round of the Europa League, as was the case in the 2013/14 season. In those second and third Champions League qualifying rounds, Maccabi Tel Aviv will be seeded and face possible opponents with lower EUFA coefficients than themselves. If however they reach the play-off round, Maccabi are not one of the anticipated seeds, but even an exit at this stage will guarantee them a place in the group stage of the Europa League.
First qualifying round
Draw: June 23rd
First leg: July 1st / 2nd, return leg: July 8th / 9th
Maccabi Tel Aviv is not a participant
Six teams will contest over two legs three available places in the second qualifying round.
The favourite: Estonian champions FC Levadia Tallinn, participating for the tenth consecutive year in the qualifying rounds.
Former Maccabi opponent: Andorran champions FC Santa Coloma, whom Maccabi Tel Aviv knocked out of the EUFA Cup qualifiers in the 2007/8 season.
Heads up: For the first time in history the draw will include the Gibraltar Premier Division champions, in 2013/14 Lincoln Red Imps FC.
Second qualifying round
Draw: June 23rd
First leg: July 15th / 16th, return leg: July 22nd / 23rd
Maccabi Tel Aviv enter competition as a seed.
31 teams plus the 3 winners from the first round will contest 17 available places in the third qualifying round.
The favourite: Georgian champions FC Dinamo Tbilisi, who last season received a tough draw, being knocked out of the Champions League third qualifying round by Romanian champions Steaua Bucharest and the Europa League play-offs by English side Tottenham Hotspurs.
Former Maccabi opponent: Maltese champions Valletta F.C., Maccabi Tel Aviv's first ever opponent in Champions League qualifiers in the 1992/3 season.
Heads up: Swedish champions Malmo FF knocked Maccabi Haifa out of the season 2005/06 Champions League qualifiers.
Third qualifying round
Draw: July 18th
First leg: July 29th / 30th, return leg: August 5th / 6th
If Maccabi Tel Aviv win in the second qualifying round they will advance to round three as a seed.
17 second round winners plus the 3 automatic qualifiers will contest 10 available places in the play-off round.
The favourite: Slovenian champions for the past four years, NK Maribor have played in the group stage of the Europa League in each of the last three seasons after relegation from the Champions League qualifiers. Much like Maccabi, Maribor were relegated last season in the round of 32, in their case by the ultimate winners Sevilla.
Former Maccabi opponent: Finnish champions Helsinki HJK, whom Maccabi Tel Aviv defeated on their way to the group stage of the Champions League a decade ago.
Heads up: Serbian champions for the past six years Partizan Belgrade, who reached the Champions League group stage for the first and only time in the season 2010/11 and have been relegated three times from the group stage of the UEFA Cup and the Europa League.
Play-off round
Draw: August 8th
First leg: August 19th / 20th, return leg: August 26th / 27th
Maccabi Tel Aviv would be unseeded.
Ten third round winners will contest five available places in the group stage of the Champions League.
The favourite: Last year Austrian champions Red Bull Salzburg lost to FC Basel in the last sixteen of the Europa League after winning all their matches in the group stage. Encouraging note: Both Maccabi Haifa and Hapoel Tel Aviv have beaten Red Bull Salzburg on their way to the group stage of the Champions League.
Former Maccabi opponent: Cypriot champions APOEL Nicosia won the title on the last day of the season and only on goal difference. Their European record against Maccabi Tel Aviv is one win and three draws.
Heads up: Scottish champions Celtic are the most "Israeli" team in the play-off round, with Israeli midfielders Beram Kayal and Nir Biton and Nigerian defender Efe Ambrose, who from 2010 till 2012 played for Ashdod FC.
