Austrian champions Rapid Vienna returned to the Champions League group stage for the first time in eight years while Thun from their Euro 2008 co-hosts Switzerland qualified for the elite event for the first time on Tuesday.
Jozef Valachovic was the hero for Rapid when the Slovakia defender headed home a corner kick from Steffen Hofmann in the 84th minute to give the Austrians a 1-0 win at Lokomotiv Moscow, which saw them through 2- 1 from both legs in the third and final qualifying round.
Valachovic had also scored the 1-1 equaliser in the first leg a fortnight ago.
”It’s a sensation that we are in the Champions League. This means for to me than the league title. We now have six games on a big stage. Austria can be proud of us,” said Hofmann.
Rapid’s only previous appearance in the Champions League format of the competition was in 1996/97. They are the first Austrian club in the elite event since Sturm Graz in 1999/2000.
Thun, meanwhile, completed a 4-0 aggregate victory over Swedish side Malmo FF with a 3-0 home victory.
Tiago Bernardini opened the scoring in the 26th minute and Mauro Lustrinelli’s double in the 40th and 66th minutes assured the Swiss of a place in the group stage. — Sapa-DPA