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Celtic to face Astana or Zalgiris Vilnius if they beat Lincoln Red Imps

Celtic's Scott Brown leaves the field of play
Image: Celtic were beaten 1-0 by Lincoln Red Imps

Celtic will play Astana or Zalgiris Vilnius in the third round of Champions League qualifying if they get past part-timers Lincoln Red Imps.

The Scottish champions must overturn a 1-0 first-leg defeat to Gibraltar's minnows - branded "as humiliating as it gets" - if they are to make it to the next qualifying stage.

Awaiting them is a tie with the champions of Kazakhstan or Lithuania, who drew 0-0 in the first leg of their second-round meeting this week.

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Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers arrives back at Glasgow Airport after their shock 1-0 defeat to Lincoln Red Imps in Champions League qualifying

Astana reached the group stage of last season's tournament, while Zalgiris have been eliminated in the second qualifying round in each of the past two seasons.

The champions of Wales, Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland also discovered their potential third-round opponents during Friday's qualifying draw at UEFA headquarters.

'One of the worst'
'One of the worst'

Charlie Nicholas on Celtic defeat

The New Saints, who drew 0-0 with Cyprus' APOEL in midweek, were paired with Norway's Rosenborg or Norrkoping of Sweden, while Crusaders must come from 3-0 down against FC Copenhagen if they are to face Romania's Astra Giurgiu.

Ireland's Dundalk and Iceland's Hafnarfjordur are goalless after the first leg, and the winners will play either Belarus' BATE Borisov or SJK Seinajoki of Finland.

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Former Celtic manager Neil Lennon believes people should not blame Brendan Rodgers for their shock 1-0 defeat to Lincoln Red Imps

Champions League third-round qualifying draw

Champions route

Rosenborg/IFK Norrkoping v The New Saints/APOEL
Vardar/Dinamo Zagreb v Dinamo Tbilisi/Alashkert
Olympiacos v Hapoel Beer-Sheva/Sheriff
Zalgiris Vilnius/Astana v Lincoln/Celtic
Olimpija Ljubljana/Trencín v Zrinjski/Legia Warsaw
Viktoria Plzen v Qarabag/F91 Dudelange
Astra Giurgiu v Crusaders/FC Copenhagen
BATE Borisov/SJK Seinajoki v Dundalk/FH Hafnarfjordur
Ludogorets Razgrad/Mladost Podgorica v Valletta)/Crvena Zvezda
Partizani/Ferencváros (HUN) v FC Salzburg/Liepaja

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Former Celtic striker Andy Walker says Celtic's 1-0 defeat against Lincoln Red Imps in Champions League qualifying is the worst in the club's history

League route

Ajax v PAOK
Sparta Prague v Steaua Bucharest
Shakhtar Donetsk v Young Boys
Rostov v Anderlecht
Fenerbahce v Monaco

Ties to be played July 26/27 July & August 2/3

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