The Reds got the better of FC Gomel in the last qualifying round and will have to get past the Edinburgh club in the two-legged play-off tie that is scheduled for later this month.

Newcastle United have been drawn against Atromitos of Greece, while Scottish side Motherwell will confront Spanish outfit Levante.

Atromitos could prove to be a tough challenge for Alan Pardew’s Newcastle, with the Athens-based side finishing fourth in the Greek Super League.

They were 23 points adrift of champions Olympiacos, with whom Newcastle drew 1-1 in a friendly in Portugal last month.

Italian giants Inter Milan have been paired against Vaslui, while Steve McClaren’s Twente will entertain Bursaspor in a couple of the other interesting ties.

Full Europa League play-off draw:

Anzhi Makhachkala v AZ

2 APOEL FC v Neftci

Atromitos v Newcastle

Tromso v FK Partizan

Vaslui v Inter Milan

Hearts v Liverpool

Athletic Bilbao v HJK Helsinki

Maritimo v FC Dila Gori/Anorthosis Famagusta

Molde v Heerenveen

Debrecen v Club Brugge

Sheriff Tiraspol v Marseille

Trabzonspor v Videoton

FC Midtjylland v Young Boys

Slask Wroclaw v Hannover 96

Dinamo Bucurest v FC Metalist Kharkiv

AC Horsens v Sporting

Hapoel Tel-Aviv v F91 Dudelange

Feyenoord v Sparta Prague

Motherwell v Levante

Crvena Zvezda v Bordeaux

Lokeren v Plzen

Lazio v Mura

AIK v CSKA Moscow

Legia Warsaw v Rosenborg

Bursaspor v FC Twente

Steaua Bucuresti v Ekranas

Liberec v Dnipro

VfB Stuttgart v Dinamo Moscow

PAOK v Rapid Vienna

Luzern v Genk

Zeta v PSV

Ties to be played 23rd and 30th August