Slovakian test for New Saints in Champions League draw

The Welsh Premier champions had a one in six chance of drawing the Hoops in yesterday's draw in Nyon, Switzerland, but it was not to be as they were pulled out of the pot alongside their Slovakian opponents.

Celtic, one time European Cup winners, was the tie that the Saints had craved, but head coach Craig Harrison was philosophical as he focused on the Slovan Bratislava challenge.

Slovan are the only Slovakian club to win one of the European cup competitions, defeating Barcelona in the Cup Winners' Cup in 1969. The club also supplied seven players to the victorious UEFA Euro 1976 Czechoslovak team.

"Obviously we would have loved Celtic, but we've got who we've got, and at the end of the day it's Champions League football and it's going to be a great occasion for the club," said Harrison.

"We don't know too much about them at this stage, but over the next three or four days we'll be getting as much information on them as possible and the good thing is that we've got three weeks to prepare.

"In the Champions League, we know there are some good teams. It's going to be tough over there, but we feel we've got a chance.

"It's a two-and-a-half hour flight, so it's not too bad travelling wise, similar to what a lot of the other ties would have been.

"But it's a little bit different this year as it's the first time we've been away in the first leg since I've been with the club."

The first leg with TNS will be played at Slovan's Pasienky Stadium, on either July 16 or 17, and the second leg will be played a week later at Rhyl, on either July 22 or 23.

Last season, TNS went out 4-1 on aggregate to Polish high-flyers Legia Warsaw. Harrison added: "We've been training hard for the last three weeks, everyone's looking in good shape and we're now looking forward to some friendlies with our first one at home to Cefn Druids tonight."