AEK Athens were handed one of the toughest draws in the Champions League 3rd qualifying round when they came out of the hat to face Sevilla.

The Spanish side have won the UEFA Cup for the last two years and finished third behind Real Madrid and Barcelona in last season's Spanish league.

The draw will also pit AEK's Spanish coach Lorenzo Serra Ferrer against old foes as he was coach of Sevilla's bitter local rivals Real Betis for six years.

It is not the first time that Sevilla will face Greek opposition. Last year they beat Atromitos in the first round of the UEFA Cup and they also beat Panathinaikos in the last 32 of the UEFA Cup in 2004-5.

“We have been drawn against a very difficult opponent. They are a very strong team,” said Serra Ferrer.

AEK will travel to the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan stadium on August 14 for the first leg. The return game will take place at the Olympic Stadium in Athens on August 28.

“I don’t think it’s an advantage to be playing the first game away,” said Serra Ferrer. “It’s not a decisive factor but we will have our fans on our side in the return game at the Olympic Stadium.”

Serra Ferrer managed Sevilla’s rivals Real Betis for six years in two spells at the club. The 54-year-old was at Betis between 1993 and 1997 as well as 2004 and 2006.

“I will be returning to a city where I felt very comfortable,” said Serra Ferrer. “Now, though, I am totally devoted to AEK and I am confident that we have some chances of going through.”

Last year's beaten finalists Liverpool also face a tough draw as they have to overcome French side Toulouse to book a group stage spot.

The other English club in the draw Arsenal will play Sparta Prague Scottish champions Celtic have a tricky match against Spartak Moscow.

Benfica will play either FC Copenhagen or Beitar Jerusalem over the two legs to be played on 14/15 and 28/29 August.

Full draw:

FH Hafnarfjordur or BATE Borisov v Zaglebie Lubin or Steaua Bucharest
Tampere United or Levski Sofia v Astana or Rosenborg
Spartak Moscow v Celtic
Werder Bremen v NK Domzale or Dinamo Zagreb
FK Ventspils or FC Salzburg v Pyunik or Shakhtar Donetsk
Ajax v MSK Zilina or SK Slavia Prague
Valencia v Debreceni or IF Elfsborg
Genk or FK Sarajevo v Dynamo Kiev
Fenerbahce v Anderlecht
Rangers or FK Zeta v FK Crvena Zvezda or Levadia Tallinn
Toulouse v Liverpool
Benfica v FC Copenhagen or Beitar Jerusalem
Lazio v Dinamo Bucharest
Sparta Prague v Arsenal
FC Zurich v Sheriff or Besiktas
Sevilla v AEK ATHENS