Four Champions League debutants have officially sealed their spots in the draw and could be potential opponents for the six English clubs in the competition.
Cypriot side Pafos FC and Norway’s Bodo/Glimt will make their first appearances this season after sealing impressive victories through the qualifying play-offs.
Pafos, who were founded just 11 years ago, scored an 89th-minute equaliser to draw 1-1 with Red Star Belgrade last night, clinching a dramatic 3-2 win on aggregate.
Bodo/Glimt made light work of their tie, progressing courtesy of a 6-2 aggregate thumping of Austrian outfit Sturm Graz, despite losing the second leg 2-1.
Both clubs will be joined in the prestigious tournament by Kazakhstan’s Kairat Almaty, who shocked Celtic on penalties, and Belgian giants Union Saint-Gilloise.
Celtic’s Champions League dreams were dashed over two agonising goalless legs, before they blew their chance by missing three spot-kicks in the decisive shootout, ensuring Kairat became only the second Kazakh side to qualify after Astana in 2015.
Pafos FC will make their Champions League debut this season after reaching the league phase
Norwegian giants Bodo/Glimt also progressed through the qualifying play-offs
Kazakhstan’s Kairat Almaty defeated Celtic on penalties in a historic, shock result
Whoever is drawn alongside the minnows faces an arduous 3,600-mile trip out to central Asia, a gruelling eight-hour flight experienced by Chelsea before they faced Astana on their way to winning the Conference League last season.
The Blues played the arduous away fixture in Almaty, in the south of Kazakhstan, instead owing to renovations to the stadium originally down to host.
They avoided adapting to the time zone, which is five hours ahead of the UK, and were forced to brave brutal sub-zero temperatures in a 3-1 victory.
Pafos, meanwhile, began their Champions League campaign in the second qualifying round in mid-July before beating Maccabi Tel Aviv and Dynamo Kyiv.
Taking a 2-1 lead into the second leg, Jaja scored an equaliser one minute from time to seal their progression, after Mirko Ivanic had given Red Star the lead on the night.
The Cypriot champions have become just the third side from the country to reach the Champions League, following in the footsteps of Apoel and Anorthosis Famagusta.
Elsewhere, Bodo/Glimt, four-time winners of the Eliteserien, became the first Norwegian outfit to reach the tournament proper since Rosenborg in 2007.
The club, located 124 miles north of the Arctic Circle, memorably reached the Europa League semi-finals last season, before being knocked out by winners Tottenham.
Almaty held Celtic to two goalless legs before winning on spot-kicks in the home leg
Union Saint-Gilloise are also among the four debutants in the draw this week
The draw for the league phase of the Champions League will take place on Thursday at 5pm BST in Monaco, and the seeding pots have all but been confirmed.
Once again, all 36 competitors will be separated into four pots before playing eight different opponents – four matches at home and four away.
The first Champions League matchday will take place between 16 and 18 September.
