Arsenal face Swedes as trio grouped together

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Champions League draw

Arsenal will kick off their Women's Champions League campaign against Linkoping of Sweden as Glasgow City, Cardiff City and Shelbourne were drawn together in the same first-round group.

The Scottish champions will face their Irish counterparts in one semi-final, with the winners taking on either Welsh champions Cardiff or Gintra of Lithuania in their mini-final.

Arsenal, who reached last season's last four, will take on either Paris or Kryvbas of Ukraine in their final should the 2007 winners progress.

Scottish runners-up Celtic meet Brondby of Denmark in their semi-final for the right to play either Minsk of Belarus or Norwegians Valerenga.

Northern Irish champions Cliftonville face Benfica, who reached the main group stage last season, in their section semi-final, with the winners taking on either Riga of Latvia or Shymkent of Kazakhstan.

Like Cliftonville, Manchester United are making their debut in the competition, but England's runners-up are among clubs who enter in round two.

English champions Chelsea, who were also losing semi-finalists last year, join holders Barcelona, former Champions League winners Lyon and Bayern Munich in entering directly to the 16-team group stage.

The final will be played at Sporting Lisbon's Estadio Jose Alvalade on 24, 25 or 26 May.

More to follow.

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