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Champions League qualification begins on Tuesday, 15 July with 28 clubs entering at this stage. Since the current system of qualification was introduced in 1999/2000, only two clubs entering at the first qualification round have extended their run to the group phase.

• Liverpool and Artmedia Bratislava both qualified for the 2005/2006 Champions League group phase having entered the competition in the first qualification round.
• Liverpool’s task was easier as they were seeded in all three qualification rounds. The Reds beat Welsh club TNS FC 6-0 on aggregate, Lithuanians FBK Kaunas 5-1 and CSKA Sofia from Bulgaria 3-2 over two matches.
• Slovakian club Artmedia Bratislava reached the next round after beating Kazakhstan’s Kairat Almaty 4-3 on aggregate in the first qualification round.
• After this Artmedia Bratislava were unseeded but beat Celtic 5-4 on aggregate after a 5-0 win in the home leg and Partizan Belgrade 4-3 on penalties after two 0-0 draws.
• Artmedia went on to third place in their group and Liverpool reached the last 16 of the tournament where they were knocked out by Benfica.