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UEFA Cup: Holders CSKA Moscow start defence against FC Midtylland [Fri Aug 26th, 2005]
Monaco (Reuters) - Holders CSKA Moscow begin the defence of their UEFA Cup trophy against FC Midtylland of Denmark following the draw for the first round of the competition.
CSKA, in Monaco for Friday's Super Cup match against European champions Liverpool, became the first Russian side to lift a European trophy when they defeated Sporting 3-1 in the final in Lisbon last May.
Sporting, back in the UEFA Cup after being knocked out in the third qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League, were also drawn against Scandinavian opponents and will meet Halmstad, currently involved in a battle against relegation in Sweden.
Bayer Leverkusen of Germany, who won the UEFA Cup in 1988 and were runners-up in the Champions League final in 2002, face a tough task against CSKA Sofia who were eliminated from the Champions League third qualifying round by Liverpool on Tuesday.
The 40 teams who survive the first round will advance to a group stage comprising eight groups of five clubs before the competition reverts to a knockout phase next spring. The final is in Eindhoven on May 10.
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