Turkish Süper Lig champion Trabzonspor will face Danish champion FC Copenhagen in the UEFA Champions League playoff, according to the draw held Tuesday.
The Black Sea Storms, who won its first Turkish title since 1984 last season, will now be fighting for an opportunity to play in Europe's biggest club football event for the first time in a decade.
The last time Trabzonspor played in the Champions League was back in the 2011-12 season, picking up a win and five draws, while suffering two losses to exit in the group stages.
The first match of the two-leg affair will be held in the Danish capital on Aug. 16, followed by the second tie in northern Turkey's Trabzon on Aug. 23.
If Trabzonspor comes out victorious in the playoffs, it will directly qualify for the Champions League group stages.
In case of a loss, however, it will go down to the second-tier Europa League group stages, scheduled to kick off on Sept. 8.
Trabzonspor Club President Ahmet Ağaoğlu said after the draw that their only goal is to compete in the Champions League groups.
"A team was going to come out in the draw, Copenhagen came out, it doesn't matter. Our goal is to pass the playoff match regardless of the opponent. Trabzonspor has only one goal, to fight in the Champions League group stages. Being away can be considered an advantage.” Ağaoğlu said.
Six winners from the playoff round will join 26 automatic qualifiers in the draw in Istanbul for the group stage on Aug. 25.
The final of this season's Champions League will be played in the Turkish city on June 10, next year.
In the meantime, Trabzonspor also celebrated its 55th anniversary of foundation on Tuesday. The club was founded on Aug. 2, 1967, following the merger of İdmanocağı, İdmangücü, Martıspor and Karadenizgücü.
Over the years, Trabzonspor has become one of Turkey's most successful football, making it part of the traditional Big Four alongside it's Istanbul-based rivals, Fenerbahçe, Galatasaray and Beşiktaş.
In its 55-year history, The Black Sea Storms have won the seven Süper Lig title, nine Turkish Cups and three Super Cups.
Earlier Monday, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan received Süper Lig and Super Cup champions.
Trabzonspor team members, staff and club executives joined the reception at the Presidential Complex in the capital Ankara.
While the trophy won was taken to the Presidential Complex, Trabzonspor President Ahmet Ağaoğlu presented a club shirt to President Erdoğan.
