UEFA Champions League newcomers Braga are bracing themselves after being drawn against Celtic in the competition's third qualifying round.

Braga, who finished as runners-up to Benfica in last season's Portuguese Liga, have been handed a tough debut in Europe's elite club event, and will face a Celtic side eager to improve on last season's group-stage exit under new boss Neil Lennon.

Speaking to UEFA's official website, Braga sporting director Fernando Couto, a UEFA Cup Winners' Cup winner with both Barcelona and Lazio during his playing days, was quick to assess the size of the task that awaits his talented side.

"It's a difficult opponent. From those possible, perhaps the most difficult," he said of Celtic who won the 1967 European Cup in Lisbon..

"But we are now at a very high level and all the teams at this stage are big teams. It's a great opponent from a very tough league, but we have our weapons.

"If we want to be among the best we must beat these kinds of teams. We are going to play in a very difficult stadium but I think we have a chance."