Dinamo Moscow should provide a stern test for Celtic
Celtic will play Russian side Dinamo Moscow in the Champions League third qualifying round.
Celtic Park will host the first leg on 28/29 July, with the return game played on 4/5 August.
Dinamo are well into their domestic season and lie seventh in the Premier Liga after 13 games.
"Russian teams are very fit, methodical and organised and I'm sure they will give us a tough test," said Celtic manager Tony Mowbray.
"But I'm sure they are looking at the draw and thinking it is a big ask for them.
"We are happy to take whoever it was and I don't have any preferences in cup draws. We are not in the industry of making excuses.
"In a strange sort of way, while you would like to play the second game of the tie at home, after the travelling we have done it is a benefit that we will be at home first."
Celtic have played Russian opposition once before in Europe, overcoming Spartak Moscow after a tense penalty shoot-out to qualify for the Champions League group phase in season 2007/08.
Celtic were seeded in the new best-placed path format, along with Panathinaikos, Shakhtar Donetsk, Sporting Lisbon and Anderlecht.
Arsenal, Lyon, Stuttgart, Fiorentina and Atletico Madrid are the five teams who will join the second qualifying round winners in the play-off section before the group phase starts.
Dinamo finished third in Russia last season and have recently signed Uruguayan midfielder Luis Aguiar from Braga in Portugal.
They also boast a number of Russian internationals, including experienced duo Aleksandr Kerzhakov and Dmitri Khokhlov and Romanian playmaker Adrian Ropotan.
The Russian side's best run in Europe saw them reach the final of the 1972 Cup Winners' Cup, when they lost to Celtic's Old Firm rivals Rangers in Barcelona.
Dinamo met Rangers again in the 2001 Uefa Cup and were thrashed 7-2 on aggregate by the Scots.
E-mail this to a friend 
Printable version 
Bookmark with:
What are these?