Primavera to face APOEL in first round of UEFA Youth League

Roma's Scudetto-winning Primavera side will face Cyprus's APOEL Nicosia in the first round of the UEFA Youth League this season.

Alberto De Rossi's side qualified for the competition after winning the domestic title last term, beating Juventus on penalties after a 1-1 draw in the final.

The first leg will take place in Nicosia in the last week of September, with the return contest taking place on the 18th or 19th of October.

The winner of that tie will then face either HJK Helsinki or Cork City in the second round, after the draw for the 'Domestic champions path' was made on Tuesday in Nyon.

The victor in that clash will then progress to the last-32 of the competition, where they will face one of the eight group winners in the Youth League's 'Champions League path', which contains the youth teams of all the clubs in this year's Champions League group stage.

"It’s a fantastic formative experience for the players and for us all," De Rossi said.

"We go into it feeling confident – it’s different this year because it’s knock-out football right from the off, but we’re happy to be involved.”

Youth League first round draw

Nitra (SVK) v Málaga (ESP)
Puskás Academy Felcsút (HUN) v PAOK (GRE)
APOEL (CYP) v Roma (ITA)
Domžale (SVN) v Čukarički (SRB)
Breidablik (ISL) v Ajax (NED)
HJK Helsinki (FIN) v Cork City (IRL)
Anderlecht (BEL) v Midtjylland (DEN)
Rosenborg (NOR) v AIK (SWE)
Viitorul (ROU) v Sheriff Tiraspol (MDA)
Zrinjski Mostar (BIH) v FC Zürich (SUI)
Salzburg (AUT) v Vardar (MKD)
Sparta Praha (CZE) v Mladost Podgorica (MNE)
Qäbälä (AZE) v Dinamo Moskva (RUS)
Maccabi Haifa (ISR) v Shakhtyor Soligorsk (BLR)
Dinamo Tbilisi (GEO) v Kairat Almaty (KAZ)
Altinordu (TUR) v Levski Sofia (BUL)

Second round draw

Puskás Academy Felcsút/PAOK v Breidablik/Ajax
APOEL/Roma v HJK Helsinki/Cork
Nitra/Málaga v Anderlecht/Midtjylland
Rosenborg/AIK v Domžale/Čukarički
Altinordu/Levski Sofia v Sparta Praha v Mladost Podgorica
Viitorul/Sheriff v Zrinjski/Zürich
Maccabi Haifa/Shakhtyor Soligorsk v Qäbälä/Dinamo Moskva
Salzburg/Vardar v Dinamo Tbilisi/Kairat Almaty