2017–18 UEFA Champions League qualifying phase and play-off round


The 2017–18 UEFA Champions League qualifying phase and play-off round began on 27 June and ended on 23 August 2017. A total of 57 teams competed in the qualifying phase and play-off round to decide 10 of the 32 places in the group stage of the 2017–18 UEFA Champions League.
All times were CEST.

Round and draw dates

The schedule of the qualifying phase and play-off round was as follows.
RoundDrawFirst legSecond leg
First qualifying round19 June 201727–28 June 20174–5 July 2017
Second qualifying round19 June 201711–12 July 201718–19 July 2017
Third qualifying round14 July 201725–26 July 20171–2 August 2017
Play-off round4 August 201715–16 August 201722–23 August 2017

Format

In the qualifying phase and play-off round, each tie was played over two legs, with each team playing one leg at home. The team that scored more goals on aggregate over the two legs advanced to the next round. If the aggregate score was level, the away goals rule was applied, i.e. the team that scored more goals away from home over the two legs advanced. If away goals were also equal, then 30 minutes of extra time was played. The away goals rule was again applied after extra time, i.e. if there were goals scored during extra time and the aggregate score was still level, the visiting team advanced by virtue of more away goals scored. If no goals were scored during extra time, the tie was decided by penalty shoot-out.
In the draws for each round, teams were seeded based on their UEFA club coefficients at the beginning of the season, with the teams divided into seeded and unseeded pots. A seeded team was drawn against an unseeded team, with the order of legs in each tie decided by draw. Due to the limited time between matches, the draws for the second and third qualifying rounds took place before the results of the previous round were known. For these draws, the seeding was carried out under the assumption that the team with the higher coefficient of an undecided tie advanced to this round, which means if the team with the lower coefficient was to advance, it simply took the seeding of its defeated opponent. Prior to the draws, UEFA may form "groups" in accordance with the principles set by the Club Competitions Committee, but they were purely for convenience of the draw and for ensuring that teams from the same association were not drawn against each other, and did not resemble any real groupings in the sense of the competition.

Teams

There were two routes which the teams were separated into during qualifying:
A total of 57 teams were involved in the qualifying phase and play-off round. The 10 winners of the play-off round advanced to the group stage to join the 22 teams which entered in the group stage. The 15 losers of the third qualifying round entered the Europa League play-off round, and the 10 losers of the play-off round entered the Europa League group stage.
Below were the participating teams, grouped by their starting rounds.
Key to colours
Winners of the play-off round advance to the group stage
Losers of the play-off round enter the Europa League group stage
Losers of the third qualifying round enter the Europa League play-off round

Champions Route

League Route

First qualifying round


The draw for the first qualifying round was held on 19 June 2017, 12:00 CEST.
Times are CEST, as listed by UEFA.

Seeding

A total of ten teams played in the first qualifying round.
SeededUnseeded

The New Saints

Linfield

Víkingur Gøta

Hibernians

FC Santa Coloma

Alashkert

La Fiorita

Europa FC

FCI Tallinn

Trepça'89

Summary


The first legs were played on 27 and 28 June, and the second legs were played on 4 July 2017.

Matches

Víkingur Gøta won 6–2 on aggregate.
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Hibernians won 3–0 on aggregate.
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Alashkert won 2–1 on aggregate.
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The New Saints won 4–3 on aggregate.
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Linfield won 1–0 on aggregate.

Second qualifying round


The draw for the second qualifying round was held on 19 June 2017, 12:00 CEST.
Times are CEST, as listed by UEFA.

Seeding

A total of 34 teams played in the second qualifying round: 29 teams which entered in this round, and the five winners of the first qualifying round. Since the draw for the second qualifying round took place before the results of the previous round were known, the seeding was carried out under the assumption that the team with the higher coefficient of an undecided tie would advance to this round, which meant if the team with the lower coefficient was to advance, it simply took the seeding of its defeated opponent.
;Notes

Summary


The first legs were played on 11, 12 and 14 July, and the second legs were played on 18 and 19 July 2017.

Matches

APOEL won 2–0 on aggregate.
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Ludogorets Razgrad won 5–3 on aggregate.
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Qarabağ won 6–0 on aggregate.
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Partizan won 2–0 on aggregate.
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Red Bull Salzburg won 6–0 on aggregate.
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2–2 on aggregate. Sheriff Tiraspol won on away goals.
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Astana won 2–1 on aggregate.
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BATE Borisov won 4–2 on aggregate.
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Copenhagen won 4–3 on aggregate.
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Hapoel Be'er Sheva won 5–3 on aggregate.
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Rijeka won 7–1 on aggregate.
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Vardar won 4–2 on aggregate.
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Maribor won 3–2 on aggregate.
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Rosenborg won 3–2 on aggregate.
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FH won 3–1 on aggregate.
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Celtic won 6–0 on aggregate.
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Legia Warsaw won 9–0 on aggregate.

Third qualifying round


The draw for the third qualifying round was held on 14 July 2017, 12:00 CEST.
Times are CEST, as listed by UEFA.

Seeding

The third qualifying round was split into two separate sections: Champions Route and League Route. The losing teams in both sections entered the 2017–18 UEFA Europa League play-off round.
A total of 30 teams played in the third qualifying round:
  • Champions Route: three teams which entered in this round, and the 17 winners of the second qualifying round.
  • League Route: ten teams which entered in this round.
Since the draw for the third qualifying round took place before the results of the previous round were known, the seeding was carried out under the assumption that the team with the higher coefficient of an undecided tie would advance to this round, which meant if the team with the lower coefficient was to advance, it simply took the seeding of its defeated opponent.
;Notes

Summary


The first legs were played on 25 and 26 July, and the second legs were played on 1 and 2 August 2017.

Matches

2–2 on aggregate. Slavia Prague won on away goals.
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Astana won 3–2 on aggregate.
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Maribor won 2–0 on aggregate.
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Copenhagen won 4–2 on aggregate.
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Celtic won 1–0 on aggregate.
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3–3 on aggregate. Hapoel Be'er Sheva won on away goals.
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APOEL won 4–1 on aggregate.
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1–1 on aggregate. Rijeka won on away goals.
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Qarabağ won 2–1 on aggregate.
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Olympiacos won 5–3 on aggregate.
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FCSB won 6–3 on aggregate.
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3–3 on aggregate. Nice won on away goals.
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3–3 on aggregate. Young Boys won on away goals.
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CSKA Moscow won 3–0 on aggregate.
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İstanbul Başakşehir won 5–3 on aggregate.

Play-off round


The draw for the play-off round was held on 4 August 2017, 12:00 CEST.
Times are CEST, as listed by UEFA.

Seeding

The play-off round was split into two separate sections: Champions Route and League Route. The losing teams in both sections entered the 2017–18 UEFA Europa League group stage.
A total of 20 teams played in the play-off round:
  • Champions Route: the ten Champions Route winners of the third qualifying round.
  • League Route: five teams which entered in this round, and the five League Route winners of the third qualifying round.

    Summary


The first legs were played on 15 and 16 August, and the second legs were played on 22 and 23 August 2017.

Matches

2–2 on aggregate. Qarabağ won on away goals.
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APOEL won 2–0 on aggregate.
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Olympiacos won 3–1 on aggregate.
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Celtic won 8–4 on aggregate.
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2–2 on aggregate. Maribor won on away goals.
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Sevilla won 4–3 on aggregate.
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CSKA Moscow won 3–0 on aggregate.
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Napoli won 4–0 on aggregate.
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Liverpool won 6–3 on aggregate.
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Sporting CP won 5–1 on aggregate.

Top goalscorers

There were 246 goals scored in 94 matches in the qualifying phase and play-off round, for an average of goals per match.
RankPlayerTeamGoalsMinutes played
1 Scott Sinclair Celtic5515
1 Patrick Twumasi Astana5540
3 Marcos Tavares Maribor4388
3 Andrija Pavlović Copenhagen4434
3 Dino Ndlovu Qarabağ4519
3 Anthony Nwakaeme Hapoel Be'er Sheva4540
7 Uroš Nenadović Alashkert3257
7 Eljero Elia İstanbul Başakşehir3339
7 Scott Quigley The New Saints3345
7 Wanderson Ludogorets Razgrad3350
7 Boban Nikolov Vardar3358
7 Mario Gavranović Rijeka3448
7 Igor de Camargo APOEL3544
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