All-star cast await opening night

Beaten finalists in Athens in May, Liverpool FC return to UEFA Champions League action in this week's third qualifying round ties along with Sevilla FC, AFC Ajax and Arsenal FC.

All-star cast
Rafael Benítez's side lost 2-1 to AC Milan in the 2006/07 decider but will start their bid for a third final place in four seasons at Toulouse FC on Wednesday night, having strengthened their squad extensively in the summer with Ryan Babel, Yossi Benayoun and €30m striker Fernando Torres among a host of new arrivals at Anfield.

Ins and outs
The in and out doors have been swinging at Arsenal Stadium too with the departure of totemic striker Thierry Henry for FC Barcelona having made way for the arrivals of Brazilian-born Croatia striker Eduardo da Silva from NK Dinamo Zagreb and versatile French defender Bakary Sagna from AJ Auxerre. The 2006 runners-up travel to AC Sparta Praha on Wednesday night.

Sparks to fly
Having won the last two UEFA Cup finals, Sevilla start their bid to reach the UEFA Champions League group stage with the home leg of their third qualifying round tie against AEK Athens FC on the same evening, while AFC Ajax take on SK Slavia Praha. Elsewhere, sparks are sure to fly when FC Spartak Moskva kick off their tie against fellow group stage regulars Celtic FC.

Opening ties
The opening ties of the round will take place on Tuesday night, with Lazio returning to the competition for the first time in four years as they take on Romanian champions FC Dinamo 1948 Bucuresti. The same night sees Spanish titans Valencia take on Sweden's IF Elfsborg, who have battled all the way through from the first qualifying round.

Continental pedigree
Tuesday's remaining two ties involve sides with great European pedigree. In Glasgow, Rangers FC will look to end Serbian champions FK Crvena Zvezda's hopes of a group stage place having ousted their Montenegrin counterparts FK Zeta in the previous round. The Serbian club replaced coach Boško Djurovski with Milorad Kosanović on Friday. Meanwhile, SL Benfica kick off their European campaign with a tie against FC København, opponents from last season's group stage.