Drogheda United's initial foray into the Champions League will see them travel to Estonia where Levadia stand between them and a place second qualifying round.

The eircom League champions, experiencing the big time of Europe's premier club competition for the first time, must negotiate a tricky second-leg in Tallinn if they are to progress.

And while the incentive is certainly big enough - Champions League veterans Dinamo Kiev await the winners - Drogheda will be taking nothing for granted against Levadia despite their superior seeding.

The Estonians are no strangers to Irish sides, having dumped Bohemians out of the Uefa Cup in 2004, and were only narrowly beaten by Red Star Belgrade in last season's competition.

And with Drogheda's league form decidedly patchy, manager Paul Doolin will be well aware the tie is by no means a foregone conclusion.

Northern Irish challengers Linfield, meanwhile, have been handed a mouth-watering tie with Dinamo Zagreb following this morning's draw in Switzerland.

Rangers can expect to face FBK Kaunas — the Lithuanian club closely associated with Hearts — in the second round.

Kaunas were handed a favourable draw in the first qualifying round, after being paired with Andorran side Santa Coloma. The winners of that tie will go on to face the beaten Uefa Cup finalists.

English clubs Liverpool and Arsenal do not come into the competition until the third round while Chelsea and defending champions Manchester United qualify automatically for the group stages.

Drogheda, meanwhile, have signed Sligo Rovers' attacking midfielder Fahrudin Kuduzovic for an undisclosed fee. The Bosnian-born playmaker has signed on a three-year contract.

Though he is cup-tied and cannot play in either the FAI Ford Cup or the League of Ireland Cup, Kuduzovic will be eligible to take part in the upcoming Champions League campaign

"Once I'd heard of the interest, I was always going to sign" said Kuduzovic. "I'd heard good things from Adam (Hughes) about the club and the professionalism there.

"They're the top team in the country, with a great future. I'm looking forward to the experience of Champions League football, that was a big factor for me."

Champions League first qualifying round

Linfield(Northern Ireland) v Dinamo Zagreb (Croatia)
Valletta (Malta) v Artmedia (Slovakia)
Dinamo Tbilisi (Georgia) v NSI Runavik (Faeroe Islands)
Santa Coloma (Andorra) v Kaunas (Lithuania)
Murata (San Marino) v IFK Goteborg (Sweden)
Llanelli(Wales) v Ventspils (Latvia)
Anorthosis Famugusta (Cyprus) v Pyunik (Armenia)
Inter Baku (Azerbaijan) v Rabotnicki (Macedonia)
Tampere United (Finland) vs. Buducnost Podgorica (Montenegro)
F91 Dudelange (Luxembourg) v Domzale (Slovenia)
Dinamo Tirana (Albania) vs. Modrica (Bosnia-Herzegovina)
Aktobe (Kazakhstan) vs. Sheriff (Moldova)
Drogheda United(Republic of Ireland) v Levadia Tallinn (Estonia)
BATE (Belarus) v Valur Reykjavik (Iceland)

First leg ties to be played 15th-16th July, second legs on 22nd-23rd July

Champions League second qualifying round

Rangers(Scotland) v Santa Coloma-Kaunas winner
Brann (Norway) v Llanelli-Ventspils winner
Inter Baku-Rabotnicki winner vs. Partizan Belgrade (Serbia)
Tampere United-Buducnost Podgorica winner v Artmedia-Valletta winner
Anorthosis Famugusta-Pyunik winner v Rapid Vienna (Austria)
F91 Dudelange-Domzale winner v Dinamo Zagreb- Linfieldwinner
Panathinaikos (Greece) v Dinamo Tbilisi-NSI Runavik winner
Murata-IFK Goteborg winner v FC Basel (Switzerland)
Aktobe-Sheriff winner v Sparta Prague (Czech Republic)
Drogheda United-Levadia Tallinn winner v Dinamo Kiev (Ukraine)
Anderlecht (Belgium) v BATE-Valur Reykjavik winner
Beitar Jerusalem (Israel) v Wisla Krakow (Poland)
Fenerbahce (Turkey) v MTK Budapest (Hungary)
Aalborg (Denmark) v Dinamo Tirana-Modrica winner

First leg ties to be played 29th-30th July, second legs on 5th-6th August