I wonder how much this will impact on their transfer budget. No Champions League money to dig them out a hole this time.
Probably why they held back in the transfer market similar to how we have played it the last few years.
I was under the impression we're completely out, and would only have dropped into europa if we'd made the next qualifying round of the CL.
When they mixed up the rules two years back to introduce the Champions League play-off stage I think they made sure that the Champions were guaranteed at least Europa play offs.
No. All the losers from the CL 3rd Qualifying round go in to the Europa Play off round: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011–12_UEFA_Europa_League#Play-off_round
I am assuming clubs from the same association can not be drawn together in the group stage either. An Old Firm European tie would be mental.
Christ no! We played each other seven times last season. Imagine that happening again plus two European ties
We could meet each other in the Europa League Final in Romania I can imagine the Romanian government having to call in NATO for help policing the thing