Benfica handed tough trip to PAOK in Champions League qualifiers

Twice former European champions Benfica were handed a tough match away to Greek side PAOK in the draw on Monday for the Champions League third qualifying round.

Twice former European champions Benfica were handed a tough match away to Greek side PAOK in the draw on Monday for the Champions League third qualifying round.

Head coach Jorge Jesus (C ) looks on as some players exercise after the pre-season friendly football match between SL Benfica and AFC Bournemouth. (Getty Images)

Red Star Belgrade, the other former champions among the 16 teams in the hat, must travel to Cyprus to play Omonia Nicosia who surprisingly knocked out Legia Warsaw in the previous round. Dynamo Kiev will host Dutch side AZ Alkmaar and Ferencvaros entertain Dinamo Zagreb.

As with the previous two qualifying rounds, the ties, which will be played on Sept. 15-16, will be held over a single leg due to the difficulties of travelling amid the COVID-19 pandemic. They must also take place without spectators.

Two teams have forfeited ties and been eliminated because of positive COVID-19 tests among their squad -- Slovak champions Slovan Bratislava and Kosovo champions Drita.