Rafael Benitez and his players have to overcome a tough opponent that was planted in their path to the UEFA Champions League groups by a draw held on Friday in Nyon.

For Liverpool the duel with French side Toulouse is going to be ardous after “le Tef” finished third in Ligue 1 last season and proved to be a hard nut to crack even for undisputable champions Olympique Lyon.

“It will not be easy. This qualifying round of the competition seems to be getting harder each year,” Liverpool spokesman Bryce Morrison said after finding out the opponent.

”The French league is strong and we know very little about them. They are a rugby town and it is a new ground for us. They will be really up for it.”

Toulouse made only one transfer this break and gave away three players, a policy that surely brought unity and group force to the team. On the other side, the Anfield-based club made some high-sounding acquisitions, bringing top players Fernando Torres and Andriy Voronin to Britain, transfers that strengthen the squad as Morrison said. 

“Rafael Benitez has brought in some new players and everyone in the club feels we are stronger and there is no reason why we can't go all the way again,” he outlined.

Another Premiership team, Arsenal had a little more luck than their championship fellows, Sparta Prague standing in their way towards CL groups, while the other British sides from Glasgow, Celtic and Rangers, face Sparta Moscow and respectively the winner of Red Star Belgrade and Levadia Tallinn if they manage to outclass Zeta Golubovci.

Arsenal’s representative David Miles was pleased with the draw’s result, saying they are looking forward to another visit to Prague, after playing the Czech side “four times in six years.”

“It could have been worse and we have a good working relationship with them. But we won't take anything for granted. It is very important for the club both financially and for our supporters to play in the group stages,” Miles said.

In other matches, Lazio Rome will visit Bucharest for their clash with Dinamo, Werder Bremen has to overcome the winner between Dinamo Zagreb and NK Domzale in order to advance to the next stage of Europe’s most prestigious football competition.

Interesting games will be disputed by UEFA Cup holders Sevilla and AEK Athens, along with Fenerbahce Istanbul and Anderlecht Brussels.

Spaniards Valencia have an apparent easy task against the winners of VSC Debrecen and Elfsborg Boras, neighbours Benfica Lisbon facing either FC Copenhagen or Beitar Jerusalem.

Ajax Amsterdam will have to face the runner up between  Slavia Prague and MSK Zilina, while Dynamo Kiev face RC Genk or FK Sarajevo. Swiss FC Zurich will have a crack at the next round if they pass Besiktas Istanbul or Sheriff Tiraspol, while Steaua Bucharest will try to repeat past performances by winning against Hafnarfjordur or Bate Borisov.

Tampere United or Levski Sofia will play against the winners of Astana and Rosenborg Trondheim, while FK Ventspils or Red Bull Salzburg will have a hard match against Pjunik Yerevan or Shakhtar Donetsk, the first leg finishing with a forfeit victory for the Ukrainians.

First games will be played on August 14 and 15, the second legs being scheduled to take place two weeks later with the winners entering the group phase of the competition which starts in September.