Arsenal was drawn on Friday to play Fenerbahce in a Champions League playoff affected by legal complications as it seeks a 16th straight season in the lucrative group stage.
A pending match-fixing case involving Fenerbahce at sport’s highest court means the Turkish club could be expelled from the competition even if it wins. The first leg is scheduled August 21 in Istanbul.
“We put the politics aside and Arsenal will concentrate on the football side,” Arsenal official David Miles said after the draw. “We will keep in touch with Uefa.”
Seven-time winner AC Milan was paired in the draw with PSV Eindhoven, the 1988 European champion, with the first match in the Netherlands.
“It’s a classic European cup match-up,” Milan director Umberto Gandini said. “It’s a pleasure to play with such a historical club, and it’s a difficult task.”
Schalke was drawn to play Metalist Kharkiv, which is also threatened with Uefa sanctions for a years-old domestic match-fixing case. The Ukrainian club faces a disciplinary hearing at Uefa on Tuesday.
