Twelve teams will scrap it out for a place in the Champions League group stage this week as they face the first legs of their play-off in the hopes of going toe-to-toe with Europe's elite this season. Led by the menacing duo of Wissam Ben Yedder and Kevin Volland, Monaco will pose a huge threat to Shahktar having netted 76 goals in the league last season - 12 more than eventual champions Lille. Ben Yedder himself nabbed 20, with Volland just behind on 16 - and Kovac has even added a new striking talent in Myron Boadu, who arrives from AZ Alkmaar having scored 15 league goals in Holland last term. Their Bulgarian opponents haven't been in the Champions League groups since 2016 but they are a club that is used to winning. Ferencvaros qualified for the Champions League groups last season for the first time since the 1995-96 campaign and went up against Barcelona and Juventus.

Source: Daily Mail August 17, 2021 14:05 UTC