2016–17 UEFA Champions League qualifying phase and play-off round


The 2016–17 UEFA Champions League qualifying phase and play-off round began on 28 June and ended on 24 August 2016. A total of 56 teams competed in the qualifying phase and play-off round to decide 10 of the 32 places in the group stage of the 2016–17 UEFA Champions League.
All times are CEST.

Round and draw dates

The schedule of the competition was as follows.
RoundDraw date and timeFirst legSecond leg
First qualifying round20 June 2016, 12:0028–29 June 20165–6 July 2016
Second qualifying round20 June 2016, 12:0012–13 July 201619–20 July 2016
Third qualifying round15 July 2016, 12:0026–27 July 20162–3 August 2016
Play-off round5 August 2016, 12:0016–17 August 201623–24 August 2016

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 would be applied, i.e., the team that scored more goals away from home over the two legs advances. If away goals were also equal, then thirty minutes of extra time would be played, divided into two fifteen-minutes halves. The away goals rule would be 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 would be 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 are purely for convenience of the draw and for ensuring that teams from the same association are not drawn against each other, and do 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 56 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 enter 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 enter the Europa League group stage.
Below are 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

;Notes

League Route

First qualifying round

Seeding

A total of eight teams played in the first qualifying round. The draw was held on 20 June 2016.
SeededUnseeded

The New Saints

Valletta

Flora Tallinn

FC Santa Coloma
B36 Tórshavn

Lincoln Red Imps

Alashkert

Tre Penne

Summary

The first legs were played on 28 June, and the second legs were played on 5 and 6 July 2016.

Matches

Lincoln Red Imps won 3–2 on aggregate.
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The New Saints won 5–1 on aggregate.
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2–2 on aggregate. Valletta won on away goals.
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Alashkert won 3–0 on aggregate.

Second qualifying round

Seeding

A total of 34 teams played in the second qualifying round: 30 teams which entered in this round, and the four winners of the first qualifying round. The draw was held on 20 June 2016.
;Notes

Summary

The first legs were played on 12 and 13 July, and the second legs were played on 19 and 20 July 2016.

Matches

Qarabağ won 3–1 on aggregate.
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Hapoel Be'er Sheva won 3–2 on aggregate.
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6–6 on aggregate. Trenčín won on away goals.
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Red Bull Salzburg won 3–0 on aggregate.
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Dinamo Zagreb won 5–3 on aggregate.
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APOEL won 3–0 on aggregate.
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Legia Warsaw won 3–1 on aggregate.
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Ludogorets Razgrad won 5–0 on aggregate.
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Dinamo Tbilisi won 3–1 on aggregate.
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Astana won 2–1 on aggregate.
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2–2 on aggregate. Partizani won 3–1 on penalties.
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BATE Borisov won 4–2 on aggregate.
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Red Star Belgrade won 4–2 on aggregate.
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Rosenborg won 5–4 on aggregate.
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3–3 on aggregate. Dundalk won on away goals.
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Celtic won 3–1 on aggregate.
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Copenhagen won 9–0 on aggregate.

Third qualifying round

Seeding

The third qualifying round was split into two separate sections: Champions Route and League Route. The losing teams in both sections entered the 2016–17 UEFA Europa League play-off round.
A total of 30 teams played in the third qualifying round:
  • Champions Route: three teams which enter in this round, and the 17 winners of the second qualifying round.
  • League Route: ten teams which enter in this round.
The draw for the third qualifying round was held on 15 July 2016.

;Notes

Summary

The first legs were played on 26 and 27 July, and the second legs were played on 2 and 3 August 2016.

Matches

APOEL won 4–2 on aggregate.
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Dinamo Zagreb won 3–0 on aggregate.
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Hapoel Be'er Sheva won 1–0 on aggregate.
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Celtic won 3–2 on aggregate.
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Legia Warsaw won 1–0 on aggregate.
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1–1 on aggregate. Viktoria Plzeň won on away goals.
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Copenhagen won 4–1 on aggregate.
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Dundalk won 3–1 on aggregate.
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Ludogorets Razgrad won 6–4 on aggregate.
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Red Bull Salzburg won 3–0 on aggregate.
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Ajax won 3–2 on aggregate.
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Steaua București won 3–1 on aggregate.
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2–2 on aggregate. Young Boys won 4–2 on penalties.
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Rostov won 4–2 on aggregate.
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Monaco won 4–3 on aggregate.

Play-off round

Seeding

The play-off round was split into two separate sections: Champions Route and League Route. The losing teams in both sections entered the 2016–17 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.
The draw for the play-off round was held on 5 August 2016.

Summary

The first legs were played on 16 and 17 August, and the second legs were played on 23 and 24 August 2016.

Matches

Ludogorets Razgrad won 4–2 on aggregate.
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Celtic won 5–4 on aggregate.
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Copenhagen won 2–1 on aggregate.
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Legia Warsaw won 3–1 on aggregate.
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Dinamo Zagreb won 3–2 on aggregate.
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Manchester City won 6–0 on aggregate.
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Porto won 4–1 on aggregate.
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Rostov won 5–2 on aggregate.
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Borussia Mönchengladbach won 9–2 on aggregate.
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Monaco won 3–1 on aggregate.

Statistics

There were 239 goals scored in 92 matches in the qualifying phase and play-off round, for an average of goals per match.

Top goalscorers

Source:

Top assists

Source: