In the draw on Friday morning, the holders were first out of the hat and will play the first leg at Anfield on 12 or 13 July.

Then a week later, Rafa Benitez's team will make the short trip - just 63 miles - to the mid-Wales home of TNS in the village of Llansantffraid.

With Liverpool achieving the high UEFA ranking, the pairing went into the second qualifying draw as seeds, avoiding the likes of Celtic, Anderlecht and Dynamo Kiev.

Next up would be a trip to either Lithuania or the Faroe Islands. FKB Kaunas or HB Torshavn will welcome Liverpool or TNS on 26/27 July, with the return leg in the UK on 2/3 of August.

Another interesting tie to come out of today's draw sees Northern Ireland champions Glentoran take on Irish League winners Shelbourne. Meanwhile, Celtic - who start in the second qualifying round - will meet either FC Kairat Almaty of Kazakstan or FC Artmedia Bratislava from Slovakia.

UEFA Champions League first qualifying round draw
(First-leg matches: 12/13 July 2005 - Second-leg matches: 19/20 July 2005)
Liverpool v Total Network Solutions
FC Haka (FIN) v FC Pyunik (ARM)
HB Tórshavn (FAR) v FBK Kaunas (LIT)
FC Levadia Tallinn (EST) v FC Dinamo Tbilisi (GEO)
NK Gorica (SLO) v KF Tirana (ALB)
FC Kairat Almaty (KAZ) v FC Artmedia Bratislava (SVK)
PFC Neftchi (AZE) v FH Hafnarfjördur (ISL)
FK Rabotnicki (MKD) v Skonto FC (LAT)
Glentoran FC (NIR) v Shelbourne FC (IRL)
FC Dinamo Minsk (BLR) v Anorthosis Famagusta FC (CYP)
Sliema Wanderers FC (MLT) v FC Sheriff (MDA)
F91 Dudelange (LUX) v NK Zrinjski (BIH)

UEFA Champions League second qualifying round draw
First-leg matches: 26/27 July 2005 - Second-leg matches: 2/3 August 2005
B Tórshavn (FAR) or FBK Kaunas (LIT) v Liverpool or Total Network Solutions
FC Levadia Tallinn (EST) or FC Dinamo Tbilisi (GEO) v Brøndby IF (DEN)
FK Partizan (SCG) v Sliema Wanderers FC (MLT) or FC Sheriff (MDA)
Debreceni VSC (HUN) v HNK Hajduk Split (CRO)
FC Kairat Almaty (KAZ) or FC Artmedia Bratislava (SVK) v Celtic FC (SCO)
NK Gorica (SLO) or KF Tirana (ALB) v PFC CSKA Sofia (BUL)
RSC Anderlecht (BEL) v PFC Neftchi (AZE) or FH Hafnarfjördur (ISL)
Vålerenga IF (NOR) v FC Haka (FIN) or FC Pyunik (ARM)
FK Rabotnicki (MKD) or Skonto FC (LAT) v FC Lokomotiv Moskva (RUS)
F91 Dudelange (LUX) or NK Zrinjski (BIH) v SK Rapid Wien (AUT)
FC Dynamo Kyiv (UKR) v FC Thun (SUI)
Malmö FF (SWE) v Maccabi Haifa FC (ISR)
Glentoran FC (NIR) or Shelbourne FC (IRL) v FC Steaua Bucuresti (ROU)
FC Dinamo Minsk (BLR) or Anorthosis Famagusta FC (CYP) v Trabzonspor (TUR)