Liverpool to play Hoffenheim in Champions League playoff round

The Bundesliga side are competing in the Champions League qualifiers for the first time

Liverpool will head to Germany to face Hoffenheim in the Champions League play-off round (Getty)

Liverpool have been drawn against Hoffenheim in the Champions League playoff round, with Jürgen Klopp set for a return to his native Germany.

The Bundesliga side, who are competing in the Champions League qualifiers for the first time, finished fourth in Germany's top-flight last season under 30-year-old head coach Julian Nagelsmann.

The draw is one of the more challenging ties Liverpool could have faced but Klopp's side will have the advantage of playing the decisive second leg at home.

Liverpool travel to Hoffenheim's Wirsol Rhein-Neckar-Arena on 15 August before entertaining their opponents at Anfield the following week on 23 August.

“Very interesting,” said Klopp in reaction to Friday's draw. "Actually, it was exactly what I expected when I had a look - if there's a choice we always seem to take the German team! Sorry!

“It was clear from the first moment when we knew who we could face that there would be no easy game. It's Hoffenheim and that's for sure not an easy game.

“But we should always not forget what they thought in the moment they saw the draw - it's not the best thing they could get. I'm completely fine with it, happy to know and now we can start preparing.”

Playing in Germany's fifth-tier at the turn of the century and based in a village of just over 3,000 people, Hoffenheim have since rose through the divisions thanks to investment from the businessman Dietmar Hopp.

Nagelsmann, the youngest manager in Europe's major five leagues, has made Die Kraichgauer a defensively resolute side, with only champions Bayern Munich conceding fewer goals in the Bundesliga last term. Hoffenheim were, however, the league's draw specialists, sharing the points in 14 of their 34 matches.

Liverpool forward Roberto Firmino arrived on Merseyside from the Bundesliga club in 2015 and admitted earlier this week that he would prefer to avoid his former employers in the draw.

Celtic were rewarded for their third qualifying round victory over Rosenborg with a return to Kazakhstan's Astana.

Brendan Rodgers' men played Astana in the Champions League qualifiers last season, drawing 1-1 away from home and winning 2-1 at Parkhead.

Astana travel to Glasgow on 16 August, with the return leg played on 22 August.