Rapid Vienna knocked Ajax out of the Champions League at the third-qualifying round stage on Tuesday night, and in doing so handed Manchester United a boost to their own European hopes.
The Austrian outfit won 3-2 at the Amsterdam ArenA to come out on top in a two-legged epic, triumphing with a 5-2 aggregate scoreline.
And that is good news for United, with Rapid's win weakening the list
of potential opponents they could be paired with in Friday's play-off
round draw.
The Barclays Premier League club return to Europe's premier competition later this month and will be seeded in the 'league route' side of the draw alongside Valencia and Bayer Leverkusen.
Ajax would have made it into the seeded pot too if they had gone through, but Rapid's lower UEFA co-efficient score means Sporting Lisbon will be in the group of teams United cannot face instead. Rapid were considered the weakest team left in this side of the draw.
Shakhtar Donetsk will be the final seeded side if they triumph over Fenerbahce on Wednesday night. CSKA Moscow will take their place if they get through and the Ukrainians lose out.
Provided Wednesday night's games are won by the higher seeded sides, United's list of possible opponents will be: CSKA Moscow, Lazio, Club Brugge, Monaco and Rapid Vienna.
MANCHESTER UNITED'S CHAMPIONS LEAGUE PLAY-OFF DRAW OPTIONS
Seeded: Manchester United (ranked 10th by UEFA), Valencia (12th), Bayer Leverkusen (16th), Sporting Lisbon (33rd).
Unseeded: Lazio (40th)***, Monaco (68th), Rapid Vienna (121st).
Wednesday's games: Sparta Prague (72nd) vs CSKA Moscow (34th)** after first leg,
Club Brugge (51st) vs Panathinaikos (100th) - 2-1 after first leg,
Shakhtar Donetsk (18th)* vs Fenerbahce (75th) - 0-0 after first leg.
*If Shakhtar Donetsk win, they will be seeded.
**If they Shakhtar lose, CSKA Moscow will be seeded provided they win.
***Should both Shakhtar and CSKA lose, Lazio will be seeded.
The Barclays Premier League club return to Europe's premier competition later this month and will be seeded in the 'league route' side of the draw alongside Valencia and Bayer Leverkusen.
Ajax would have made it into the seeded pot too if they had gone through, but Rapid's lower UEFA co-efficient score means Sporting Lisbon will be in the group of teams United cannot face instead. Rapid were considered the weakest team left in this side of the draw.
Shakhtar Donetsk will be the final seeded side if they triumph over Fenerbahce on Wednesday night. CSKA Moscow will take their place if they get through and the Ukrainians lose out.
Provided Wednesday night's games are won by the higher seeded sides, United's list of possible opponents will be: CSKA Moscow, Lazio, Club Brugge, Monaco and Rapid Vienna.
MANCHESTER UNITED'S CHAMPIONS LEAGUE PLAY-OFF DRAW OPTIONS
Seeded: Manchester United (ranked 10th by UEFA), Valencia (12th), Bayer Leverkusen (16th), Sporting Lisbon (33rd).
Unseeded: Lazio (40th)***, Monaco (68th), Rapid Vienna (121st).
Wednesday's games: Sparta Prague (72nd) vs CSKA Moscow (34th)** after first leg,
Club Brugge (51st) vs Panathinaikos (100th) - 2-1 after first leg,
Shakhtar Donetsk (18th)* vs Fenerbahce (75th) - 0-0 after first leg.
*If Shakhtar Donetsk win, they will be seeded.
**If they Shakhtar lose, CSKA Moscow will be seeded provided they win.
***Should both Shakhtar and CSKA lose, Lazio will be seeded.
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