Seven new clubs will line up alongside the three former winners of the UEFA Women’s Cup in the draw for the 2006/07 competition.

1. FFC Frankfurt, who followed up their inaugural success in 2002 by winning the 2006 final, will be one of three teams to beat along with fellow Germans 1. FFC Turbine Potsdam, the 2005 winners, and twice champions Umeå IK of Sweden. Forty-three clubs are again involved, with ASD Fiammamonza (ITA), FC Narta Chisinau (MOL), Dundalk WFC (IRL), WFC Rossiyanka (RUS), FK Slovan Duslo ŠaĬa (SVK), ŽNK Pomurje (SLO) and RCD Espanyol (ESP) taking part for the first time.

Of the 43 competing clubs, seven will be exempt from the first qualifying round, including the holders 1. FFC Frankfurt and the six other national representatives with the best coefficients over the tournament's last three seasons.

They are the deposed champions 1. FFC Turbine Potsdam, two-time winners Umeå IK (SWE), Brøndby IF (DEN), Arsenal LFC (ENG), Kolbotn IL (NOR) and AC Sparta Praha (CZE).

The remaining 36 sides will be drawn into nine groups of four, with one team to qualify from each. For the purpose of this draw, the clubs have been split into three sections of 12 teams from which they and their opponents will emerge.

In the second qualifying round, the 16 sides will be split into four groups of four with two teams to qualify from each pool for the quarter-finals.

Arsenal have been drawn with Danish side Brondby in group B4 [along with two qualifiers], who they lost to 1-0 last November, at the same stage of the competition.

Arsenal still progressed to the Quarter-Finals stage, after the narrow defeat which saw The Gunners without the suspended Kelly Smith and injured Faye White.

Talking to TheFA.com this afternoon, Arsenal skipper Faye White said: "I'd have to say i'm surprised that we've got Brondby again, but I think the girls will be happy we've avoided the two German sides.

"I had broken my nose which ruled me out of the game last year, and we'll know a lot more about them this time around, and be keen to get a hundred per cent record in the group."

Eventual winners FFC Frankfurt went on to defeat Arsenal in the quarter finals 4-2 on aggregate. "After holding them 1-1 at home, we really thought we had the players to cause an upset and get to the semi's last season" added Faye.

"You have to beat the best teams to win the top trophies, and it was a shame we had to meet them so early. At international level, the performances of the England team are narrowing the gap all the time on the top nations, and I think we feel that at club level, on our day we can compete with the very best in Europe too."

Thanks also to uefa.com