CFR CLUJ boss Dan Petrescu has blasted UEFA for making a mockery of the Champions League for teams such as his and Celtic.

The Romanians are on track to face the Hoops in the third qualifying round after a 1-0 home win over Maccabi Tel Aviv at the same time as Neil Lennon’s side were destroying Estonians Nomme Kalju 5-0.

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But former Chelsea ace Petrescu admitted he hates the format of the tournament - claiming it is a joke that some of Europe’s biggest clubs have to spend their summer on planes trying to pre-qualify for the groups while sides that finish third or fourth in the top league sail into the money-spinning phase in September.

Petrescu blasted: “I do not like the competition. I watch Ajax play in the preliminaries. What is this? 

“They played the Champions' final and they are in the preliminaries. The champions of Holland. God forbid! 

“Why are they not directly in the group stages?

“Let's also respect the countries. All countries deserve a team in the Champions League in a tournament that is called the Champions League. 

“It's not normal what's going on. Romanians have to be appreciated.

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“We fight like a lunatic one year, we become champions and then wake up every two days on planes.

“We don’t even make money.

“We have to be respected to be in groups too”

A first half goal from Billel Omrani has given Cluj a slight advantage ahead of next week’s second leg in Tel Aviv.

Petrescu is wary of the narrow lead as Maccabi are formidable at home.

The Cluj boss added:  “Their central defender seemed extraordinary to me. In the middle, Dor Peretz is one of the best. Yonatan Cohen is like the Neymar of Israel.”

The winners of Cluj and Maccabi will almost certainly face Celtic on August 6 and 13.