Champions League draw:Arsenal will face Udinese in the play-off round to reach the group stage of the Champions League.

The London club will be at home for the first leg of the tie against the Italians on Tuesday August 16th, with the return leg seven days later.

Shamrock Rovers conquerors, Danish side FC Copenhagen will face Viktoria Plzen of the Czech Republic, Germany’s Bayern Munich face FC Zurich of Switzerland, Dutch side FC Twente take on Portugal’s Benfica and French side Lyon take on Russia’s Rubin Kazan.

Arsenal will hope to qualify for the Champions League proper for a 14th consecutive season, their current route a result of finishing fourth in last season’s Premier League. Manager Arsene Wenger will serve a one-match touchline ban, which is a hangover over from last season's second-round exit to Barcelona in the Nou Camp.

Wenger was charged with using “inappropriate language” towards match official Massimo Busacca after he showed Robin van Persie a second yellow card for shooting at goal after he had blown his whistle for offside.

Van Persie’s dismissal means he will sit out the first leg against Udinese, while midfielder Samir Nasri is also banned after been reprimanded by Uefa for his outburst at Busacca. The first leg of their tie with Udinese is sandwiched between the first Premier League game of the season at Newcastle and the visit of Liverpool to the Emirates Stadium on Saturday, August 20th.

The second leg, in Italy, three days later precedes the Gunners Premier League trip to Old Trafford.

Champions League Playoff round.

Wisla Krakow v APOEL
Maccabi Haifa v Genk
Dinamo Zagreb v Malmo
FC Copenhagen v Plzen
BATE Borisov v Sturm Graz
Odense BK v Villarreal
FC Twente v Benfica
Arsenal v Udinese
Bayern Munich v Zurich
Lyon v Rubin Kazan

First legs to be played on August 16th/17th with the return fixtures scheduled for August 23rd/24th.