6 Aug 2011

Bayern relieved to get Zurich in qualifiers, Arsenal face Italian side

10:59 am on 6 August 2011

Bayern Munich, whose Allianz arena will stage this year's Champions League European football final, breathed a sigh of relief when they were drawn against modest FC Zurich in the final qualifying round.

London Premier Leaguers Arsenal will face Serie A outfit Udinese, a draw which looks tough on paper but may not be so tricky in reality against a club who have sold their two most important players and will not have played a competitive match beforehand.

Four-times European champions Bayern and Arsenal were spared the long trip to Russia to face Rubin Kazan, a task which fell to France's Olympique Lyon.

Former European champions Benfica must play Twente Enschede and Spain's Villarreal were pitted against Odense of Denmark in the so-called "league" side of the draw, featuring non-champions from Europe's strongest domestic championships.