Next week the draw for the preliminary stages of the Champions League and Europa League will take place. As per usual, the minnows get stuck in first, battling for the chance to land a windfall tie in the later stages. It isn't everybody's cup of tea, but I love the early stages of the European competitions, you get some great ties and there's some decent talent to watch if you know where to look. Minnows such as Dundalk, Linfield and Celtic get a chance to show what they can do, hoping for money spinning ties away in Azerbaijan and Israel. As always, British and Irish teams are in bold, plus any that I'm aware of that might interest users on here. This year's final venues are the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul (CL) and the Stadion Energa Gdańsk (EL) in...well, in Gdansk, obviously (Father Ted references about the Passion of St. Tibulus abounds...). Oh and yes, that is a team that Goran Pandev set up a few years ago and is already competing in Europe. He still plays for Genoa, but he's the owner. Player. Champions League Preliminary round Lincoln Red Imps FC Santa Coloma Tre Penne Feronikeli First qualifying round CFR Cluj Astana Shkëndija Saburtalo Tbilisi Piast Gliwice Rosenborg HJK Ararat-Armenia AIK Maribor Dundalk Valletta Qarabağ Slovan Bratislava Sarajevo F91 Dudelange Ludogorets Razgrad Sheriff Tiraspol Riga FC Linfield Red Star Belgrade Partizani Nõmme Kalju The New Saints Celtic Valur Sūduva HB Tórshavn BATE Borisov Ferencváros Sutjeska Nikšić Europa League Preliminary Round La Fiorita Progrès Niederkorn Cliftonville Europa NSÍ Runavík KÍ Klaksvík Prishtina Sant Julià Engordany Tre Fiori Barry Town United Cardiff Metropolitan University St Joseph's Ballymena United First Qualifying Round Legia Warsaw FCSB Malmö FF Molde Apollon Limassol Hapoel Be'er Sheva MOL Fehérvár Dinamo Minsk Spartak Trnava AEK Larnaca Hajduk Split Brøndby Žalgiris Aberdeen Rangers Zrinjski Mostar Kairat Kukësi Alashkert Radnički Niš Čukarički Kilmarnock Shakhtyor Soligorsk Vitebsk Domžale Crusaders Ventspils Stjarnan IFK Norrköping Haugesund Brann Fola Esch Vaduz Tobol Ordabasy Cracovia Neftçi Baku Sabail Olimpija Ljubljana Cork City Pyunik Dinamo Tbilisi Maccabi Haifa CSKA Sofia Levski Sofia Riteriai Budućnost Podgorica FCI Levadia Universitatea Craiova DAC Dunajská Streda Ružomberok B36 Tórshavn Chikhura Sachkhere Titograd Debrecen Mura Torpedo Kutaisi Milsami Orhei Honvéd Flora Liepāja Hibernians KR Balzan Laçi Shamrock Rovers Široki Brijeg Connah's Quay Nomads Banants St Patrick's Athletic Shkupi Akademija Pandev Makedonija GP Petrocub Hîncești Speranța Nisporeni Teuta KuPS RoPs Inter Turku Breiðablik Radnik Bijeljina Stumbras RFS Jeunesse Esch Gżira United Narva Trans Zeta
We didn't care much for European games, preferring to stay in the Premier League. But when we were knocked out of Europe, we decided we didn't care much for the Premier League either. It's the way we roll
I thought it probably would be but I’d just read a post somewhere quoting sterling so thought it can’t be. Nobody else on this forum could give half a **** about Cardiff University or Ballymadena.
Well, some people just like football in general and aren’t the sort of cider and black drinking twats that furiously **** over the Premier League while watching Soccer AM clips on YouTube. Maybe they aren’t on this forum. But I am. So, annoying European threads ahoy.
Anyone who ruins a good cider by polluting it with other things is a twat irrespective of them ****ing, furiously or otherwise, over the Premier League while watching Soccer AM clips on YouTube.
Haha, I do appreciate the Swedish teams being in bold <3 Malmö should be able to go on a decent run again Knocked out by Chelsea in the last 16 last time around
I adore the Europa League. One day I will a game in all 25 rounds and legs. It’s my only bucket list item.
So, we're on the eve of the Second Qualifying Round, Second legs and, surpisingly, there's a few British teams left in the competitions. So far, we've seen Kilmarnock embarrassed by part timers Connah's Quay Nomads and Rangers avoid a repeat of their exit two years ago by Progres Niederkorn, who I'm pretty sure was in an episode of Star Trek Nemesis. Deep breath, and.... Champions League 2nd Qualifying Round (British and Irish teams/ teams of interest in Bold) CFR Cluj 1-0 Maccabi Tel Aviv BATE 2-1 Rosenborg TNS 0-2 FC Copenhagen Ferencvaros 3-1 Valetta Dundalk 1-1 Qarabag Saburtalo Tblisi 0-2 Dinamo Zagreb Celtic 5-0 Nomme Kalju Red Star Belgrade 2-0 HJK Sutjeska Niksic 0-1 APOEL Maribor 2-1 AIK Viktoria Plzen 0-0 Olympiacos PSV Eindhoven 3-2 Basel Losers enter the Third Qualifying Round of the Europa League (where we entered when we qualified). Europa League 2nd Qualifying Round FK Sarajevo (Bye) Tre Penne 0-5 Suduva Piast Gilwice 3-2 Riga FC Partizani 0-1 Sheriff Tiraspol Aarat-Armenia 2-0 Lincoln Red Imps Valur 1-1 Ludogorets Razgrad Slovan Bratislava 2-1 Feronikeli FC Santa Coloma 0-0 Astana HB Torshavn 2-2 Linfield Shkendija 1-2 F91 Dudelange IFK Norrkoping 2-0 Liepaja Hapoel Be'er Sheva 2-0 Kairat Arsenal Tula 0-1 Neftci Baku Espanyol 4-0 Stjarnan DAC Dunajska 1-2 Atromitos Haugesund 2-0 Sturm Graz AEK Larnaca 3-0 Levski Sofia Legia Warsaw 1-0 KuPS FC Utrecht 1-1 Zrinjski Mostar Pyunik 2-1Jablonec Lechia Gdansk 2-1 Brondby Fehervar 1-0 Vaduz Gabala 0-2 Dinamo Tblisi Yeni Malatyaspor 2-2 Olimpija Ljublijana Flora 1-2 Eintract Frankfurt Domzale 2-2 Malmo FF Molde 0-0 Cukaricki Chickhura Sachkhere 1-1 Aberdeen KAA Gent 6-3 Viitorul Constanta Buducnost 1-3 Zorya CSKA Sofia 1-0 Osijek Torino 3-0 Debrecen Luzern 1-0 KI Klaksvik Rangers 2-0 Progres Niederkorn Ventspils 4-0 Gzira United Strasbourg 3-1 Maccabi Haifa Mlada Boleslav 1-1 Ordabasy Shamrock Rovers 2-1 Apollon Limassol AZ 0-0 BK Hacken Alashkert 0-3 FCSB Lokomotiv Plovdiv 2-0 Spartak Trnava Wolves 2-0 Crusaders Aris 0-0 AEL Limassol Jeunesse Esch 0-1 Guimares Honved 0-0 U Craiova Shakhtyor Soligorsk 2-0 Esbjerg Connah's Quay Nomads 0-1 Partizan Belgrade
Sorry, I thought there was somebody on here who was from Denmark/followed that team. Just covering my arse...
First of all, what a goal from the Apollon player. But the save from the Shamrock Rovers keeper around the 1:18 mark is outstanding.
For anybody wondering what Faroese football commentary sounds like, here you are. Oy, by the way, is oh. There you go, free learning.
Also you highlighted AIK second time around I thought Febbos had bribed you NOT to have them as a team of interest
Well, I can understand that, but they have Seb Larsson there as captain, be a shame to ignore them...