Reds draw delights Toulouse coach

Toulouse coach Elie Baup is relishing his side’s clash with Liverpool in the third round of the Champions League’s qualifying stages.

Baup had claimed on the eve of the draw that the Reds would be his preferred opposition – and he got his wish 24 hours later.

Les Violets will be heavy underdogs to make it through to the competition’s group stages for the first time in their history.

But Baup is looking forward to taking on the English giants, who won the last of their five European crowns in 2005.

“It is fantastic to be playing the finalist of last year’s Champions League, even if it is a shame that the first match is in Toulouse,” he said.

“We are going to experience a legendary stadium. We are going to come up against some massive players and for our young players, it will certainly be a big moment.”

Toulouse’s biggest achievement to date is a Coupe de France success in 1957 but under Baup they are trying to establish themselves as a permanent force in French football.

It is only by playing teams such as Liverpool that Tefece will grow as a club, according to the former Bordeaux coach.

“This preliminary round must allow us to grab the limelight so that we can embed ourselves in French football’s bigger picture,” he added.

“These two matches must allow us to get bigger.”

Baup revealed he will be keeping an eye on Liverpool’s final pre-season games in the run-up to the first leg of the third-round qualifier, which will be played at the Stadium Municipal on August 14 or 15.

“We are going to see them in Rotterdam where they are taking part in a warm-up tournament, then afterwards, we will go to Lourdes to give ourselves as big a chance as possible!” he said on www.lequipe.fr, referring to the Catholic shrine in south west France.

“We haven’t much chance of qualifying but we will do everything to cause an upset.”

Toulouse will play French champions Lyon at home the weekend before they meet Liverpool in the first leg.

Their Ligue 1 campaign begins on Saturday with a trip to Valenciennes.