Champions League Draw 2015-16: Full List of Play-off Round Fixtures and Dates

Manchester United will have to overcome Club Brugge in a two-legged tie if they are to make it into the Champions League proper, as the draw for the competition's play-off round was made on Friday.

The Red Devils will face the Belgian outfit in the first leg on August 18 or 19 at Old Trafford, with the return fixture to be played at Jan Breydel Stadium on August 25 or 26. Louis van Gaal’s Red Devils will be hoping to return to the group stages after being absent from European football’s premier competition in 2014-15.

Other notable ties include Celtic's clash with Swedish giants Malmo FF, Lazio against Bayer Leverkusen and Valencia vs. Monaco.

Here’s a look at the draw in full, courtesy of the tournament's official Twitter feed, plus a couple of teams to keep an eye on in the final qualifying round:

Manchester United

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After the club failed to make the top four in the campaign following the retirement of Sir Alex Ferguson, Van Gaal was able to steer United back into the big time with a fourth-place finish last season.

But there’s always a danger of running into a quality side in the play-offs, and the Dutchman will need to be careful so that his side don't get caught cold. A summer of strong recruitment should ensure that the Red Devils have little to worry about, though, as this team looks a lot more equipped to cope with the demands of elite-level football.

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Per BBC Sport, United have sold record signing Angel Di Maria to Paris Saint-Germain in a move that has divided supporters. Bleacher Report’s Rob Blanchette doesn’t think that’s necessarily a bad thing, though:

Indeed, most United fans will prefer to look ahead, and in bringing in Memphis Depay, Matteo Darmian, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Morgan Schneiderlin, Van Gaal has done some outstanding business. The latter two, in particular, could form a midfield tailor-made for European matches.

Bleacher Report’s Stan Collymore is also excited to see how Depay fares:

Although United have missed the Champions League, the Champions League has also missed United. It was peculiar not seeing iconic European evenings at Old Trafford last season, and while they are tantalisingly close to being savoured once again, the Red Devils must ensure they are at their best to get through the play-offs.

Valencia

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Nuno Santo’s side were one of the standout teams in Spanish football last season, and their reward for an admirable fourth-place finish will be a chance to get back in the Champions League.

Not only did Los Che play with a vibrant attack in 2014-15, but Santo added a steely streak. The energy and endeavour the side operated with was reminiscent of Atletico Madrid’s title-winning team from a year previous. Although they didn’t reach such remarkable heights, there is clearly a strong foundation to build on for Valencia.

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Perhaps most positively of all, the club has managed to keep hold of Nicolas Otamendi, a player who developed into one of the finest defenders around last season. These stats from WhoScored.com illustrate just how important he’s been to their cause:

Santo has overseen some impressive summer business, too. Transfers for Alvaro Negredo and Andre Gomes have been made permanent, while the acquisitions of Zakaria Bakkali on a free transfer and Joao Cancelo from Benfica both represent excellent value for money. But perhaps the most exciting purchase is that of Santi Mina from Celta Vigo.

As we can see here, he’s got all the talent to be a major success for Los Che:

After a few rough seasons, this Valencia side is one for their supporters to be proud of. Santo deserves a lot of credit for the manner in which he’s amalgamated functionality and flair during his time at the club. Now he’s been emphatically backed in the transfer market, and a crack at the Champions League proper will bring a buzz back to the Mestalla Stadium.