NYON, SWITZERLAND -- Two-time European Cup winner Benfica was drawn against Lazio in the final qualifying round for this year's Champions League at UEFA headquarters yesterday. Benfica, whose lineup includes Canadian Fernando Aguiar, hasn't been in the Champions League since reaching the group stage in the 1998-99 season.

"We know we face a great team but there is still a chance for us," said Benfica's general director Antonio Simoes.

"It's a nice feeling to be back in Champions League contention. We might have drawn an easier team, but this is happening -- we are playing Lazio, one of the biggest clubs in Europe, and we are proud of that."

Benfica won the European Cup in 1961 and '62 and has finished runner-up three times, the last in 1990. Its Portuguese rival, Porto, won the UEFA Cup in May.

Lazio won the last ever Cup-Winners' Cup in 1999.

"It's a very difficult match," said Lazio's organization manager Giovanni Gardini.

"It's very important for us to have a good match in Rome and then go to Lisbon. It is now going to be very difficult for Lazio."

The second round of qualifying will be completed Aug. 6. The third round of qualifying is scheduled for Aug. 12-13 and Aug. 26-27.

Four-time European champion Ajax will play at either Grazer AK of Austria, whose lineup includes Canadian international Richard Hastings, or SK Tirana of Albania in its first match. Borussia Dortmund, winner in 1997, travels to Belgium's Club Brugge, and 2000 UEFA Cup champion Galatasaray hosts the victor of CSKA Sofia of Bulgaria and FC Pyunik of Armenia.

Premier League club Chelsea will play the winner of Slovakia's MSK Zilina or Israel's Maccabi Tel-Aviv.

Chelsea made headlines in October 2001 when six of its key players refused to travel to Israel to play Hapoel Tel-Aviv in the second round of the UEFA Cup. Hapoel beat Chelsea over two legs and went on to the quarter-finals.

"The circumstances have changed since the last time, and as far as I'm concerned, if they get through their next round and UEFA makes its decision, we'll go to Tel Aviv," said Chelsea club secretary David Barnard.

Maccabi Tel-Aviv, the first Israeli club to make the group stages of the Champions League last season, was excited at the prospect of facing Chelsea.

"It's very very exciting because it's a big club, and we hope it will be a good game," said general manager Eli Drix.