Champions League Soccer Betting - Qualifying Matches Set

The qualifying rounds of Champions League betting are now set as teams try and reach the group stage. Some interesting soccer betting matchups are set for this month including Liverpool against Belgian champion Standard Liege.

2006 winner FC Barcelona plays at home against the winner of Beitar Jerusalem of Israel and Poland's Wisla Krakow.

Other top teams including Arsenal and Juventus are also playing qualifying soccer betting matches. Juventus will play Finnish side Tampere or Artmedia of Slovakia. Arsenal takes on Dutch side FC Twente, which is now managed by former England coach Steve McClaren. 1986 winner Steaua Bucharest will face Galatasaray.

The winners of the qualifying stage advance into the group stage along with the 16 teams that already qualified because they finished as champion or runner-up in one of Europe's biggest leagues.

Some of the top name teams like FC Barcelona are not used to playing in the qualifying round.

"Yes, we have to be in the group stage but we have to fight for it," Barcelona football director Txiki Begiristain said.

"We will be in Krakow watching the second leg of the (Wisla vs. Beitar) game and we will know a little more about the teams. We must give all respect to both teams."

Arsenal is also not accustomed to having to play in the qualifying round and now they must face McClaren's team. "It is a good opportunity to show his quality," Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said. "He is at the period where he can show he will bounce back and he can show his qualities - and I'm sure he has plenty. Steve McClaren will get his team well organized and make it difficult for us ... we will be favorites and of course it will be important for us to be at the top of our concentration to go through."

McClaren is not thrilled with the soccer betting draw but it happy to be leading Twente in their first Champions League competition.

"I expected one of the English teams, fate deals us certain cards and it has dealt us this card," McClaren said, “On the one hand it's tough and we know that, but on the other hand it's very exciting."

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