2021-22 UEFA Champions League Qualifying & Group Stage part 1

[HajdukSplit]

Playoff draws for Europa League and Conference League, the losers of the EL playoffs drop to the Conference League and because of that for the first time ever we will see an Armenian club in a Euro club group stage competition, still possibilities for the first Estonian and Gibraltar club as well (which is what the Conference League is for really)

EUROPA LEAGUE
Randers (DEN) vs. Galatasaray (TUR)
Rapid Wien (AUT) vs. Zorya Luhansk (UKR)
Celtic (SCO) vs. AZ Alkmaar (NED)
Fenerbahce (TUR) vs. HJK Helsinki (FIN)
Mura (SVN) vs. Strum Graz (AUT)
Omonia (CYP) vs. Antwerp (BEL)
Olympiakos (GRE) vs. Slovan Bratislava (SVK)
Rangers (SCO) vs. Alashkert (ARM)
Slavia Prague (CZE) vs. Legia Warsaw (POL)
Red Star Belgrade (SRB) vs. Cluj (ROU)

CONFERENCE LEAGUE
Zalgiris (LTU) vs. Bodo/Glimt (NOR)
Neftchi Baku (AZE) vs. Maccabi Haifa (ISR)
Flora Tallinn (EST) vs. Shamrock Rovers (IRL)
Riga (LVA) vs. Lincoln Red Imps (GIB)
Fola Esch (LUX) vs. Kairat (KAZ)
Qarabag (AZE) vs. Aberdeen (SCO)
FC Basel (SUI) vs. Hammarby (SWE)
Viktoria Plzen (CZE) vs. CSKA Sofia (BUL)
Pacos de Ferreira (POR) vs. Tottenham (ENG)
Rennes (FRA) vs. Rosenborg (NOR)
Anderlecht (BEL) vs. Vitesse (NED)
LASK Linz (AUT) vs. St. Johnstone (SCO)
Shakhter Karagandy (KAZ) vs. Maccabi Tel-Aviv (ISR)
PAOK (GRE) vs. Rijeka (CRO)
KuPS (FIN) vs. Union Berlin (GER)
Feyenoord (NED) vs. Elfsborg (SWE)
Rakow (POL) vs. Gent (BEL)
Sivasspor (TUR) vs. FC Copenhagen (DEN)
Santa Clara (POR) vs. Partizan Belgrade (SRB)
Trabzonspor (TUR) vs. Roma (ITA)
Hapoel Beer Sheva (ISR) vs. Anorthosis (CYP)
Jablonec (CZE) vs. Zilina (SVK)

 

[gary69]

Playoff draws for Europa League and Conference League, the losers of the EL playoffs drop to the Conference League and because of that for the first time ever we will see an Armenian club in a Euro club group stage competition, still possibilities for the first Estonian and Gibraltar club as well (which is what the Conference League is for really)

EUROPA LEAGUE
Randers (DEN) vs. Galatasaray (TUR)
Rapid Wien (AUT) vs. Zorya Luhansk (UKR)
Celtic (SCO) vs. AZ Alkmaar (NED)
Fenerbahce (TUR) vs. HJK Helsinki (FIN)
Mura (SVN) vs. Strum Graz (AUT)
Omonia (CYP) vs. Antwerp (BEL)
Olympiakos (GRE) vs. Slovan Bratislava (SVK)
Rangers (SCO) vs. Alashkert (ARM)
Slavia Prague (CZE) vs. Legia Warsaw (POL)
Red Star Belgrade (SRB) vs. Cluj (ROU)

CONFERENCE LEAGUE
Zalgiris (LTU) vs. Bodo/Glimt (NOR)
Neftchi Baku (AZE) vs. Maccabi Haifa (ISR)
Flora Tallinn (EST) vs. Shamrock Rovers (IRL)
Riga (LVA) vs. Lincoln Red Imps (GIB)
Fola Esch (LUX) vs. Kairat (KAZ)
Qarabag (AZE) vs. Aberdeen (SCO)
FC Basel (SUI) vs. Hammarby (SWE)
Viktoria Plzen (CZE) vs. CSKA Sofia (BUL)
Pacos de Ferreira (POR) vs. Tottenham (ENG)
Rennes (FRA) vs. Rosenborg (NOR)
Anderlecht (BEL) vs. Vitesse (NED)
LASK Linz (AUT) vs. St. Johnstone (SCO)
Shakhter Karagandy (KAZ) vs. Maccabi Tel-Aviv (ISR)
PAOK (GRE) vs. Rijeka (CRO)
KuPS (FIN) vs. Union Berlin (GER)
Feyenoord (NED) vs. Elfsborg (SWE)
Rakow (POL) vs. Gent (BEL)
Sivasspor (TUR) vs. FC Copenhagen (DEN)
Santa Clara (POR) vs. Partizan Belgrade (SRB)
Trabzonspor (TUR) vs. Roma (ITA)
Hapoel Beer Sheva (ISR) vs. Anorthosis (CYP)
Jablonec (CZE) vs. Zilina (SVK)

Whilst they are still favourites, I don't think you could have handpicked more difficult opponents for Spurs, Rennes and Anderlecht outside of maybe three teams (Roma, Feyenoord, U.Berlin). Weird that the best teams on paper got such a tough opponent compared to plenty of the more mediocre matchups.

 

[filip85]

@HajdukSplit I see you are soccer expert, what kind of result Dinamo must achieve in order for Croatia to get (again) 2nd team in UCL qualifiers ?

 

[HajdukSplit]

@HajdukSplit I see you are soccer expert, what kind of result Dinamo must achieve in order for Croatia to get (again) 2nd team in UCL qualifiers ?

Hard to say at the moment because we don’t know how the other countries will do. The problem with Croatia is we don’t have a strong 2nd Euro club, so ideally Rijeka have to make the group stages to make it easier, Hajduk and Osijek have f***ed up the coefficient for years now (also didn’t help the season we did have 2 CL clubs the second club was Lokomotiva).

That’s how the likes of Scotland, Czech and Serbia climbed so high last few years. While the leagues aren’t that better than HNL they have multiple clubs in Europe unlike Croatia. Biggest competitors will be Swiss, Cyprus, Turkey and Czech

Honestly for a better country coefficient it would be better for Dinamo to be in the EL where they could possibly make knockouts rather than struggle for 1-2 points in CL

 

[gary69]

Can Monaco win against Brazil 5th choice national team?

And is this 21 -year old Majecki their keeper from now on, any scouting report on him? Can't say I've seen anything from him as I don't watch the Polish league.

 

[Evilo]

No it's Nubel.

 

[gary69]

No it's Nubel.

Is Nubel on loan or was it a permanent transfer?

Edit: Wikipedia says it's a loan, didn't check for any options.

 

[Evilo]

Loan with option IIRC.

 

[Evilo]

Monaco is in a rough patch right now to begin the season and this matchup against a De Zerbi team isn't the good timing.
I'm not optimistic. But we really need that 3rd French team in the CL because Lille is going to crash.

 

[gary69]

Monaco fall behind, I've never been particularly impressed with Maripan and he covered that poorly. Badiashile at least tried to take the ball away, even if it was a weak effort and his position wasn't the best, but maybe he was afraid of fouling the Shahktar player.

 

[Evilo]

Monaco much better team after the goal.
But failed to tie the game.

 

[Mitch nylander]

All the underdogs are leading. Brondby, Shakhtar and Sheriff.

Would like to see some new teams in the ucl mix, cheering for Sheriff and Brondby today.

A chance at a few teams who haven't seen champions league group stage in years.

Brondby - last ucl group stage 1999
Sheriff - Has never made the ucl group stage.
Malmo - Has not made it in 5 years, since 2016.

 

[Mitch nylander]

Wow sheriff makes it 2-0, beautiful goal.

 

[Mitch nylander]

Lol this Adama Traore for Sheriff is literally Wolves Traore. All speed nothing else lol. What a horrendous shot attempt.

 

[gary69]

Maycon couldn't be Augustcon and gets subbed off.

 

[Mitch nylander]

Lol this Adama Traore for Sheriff is literally Wolves Traore. All speed nothing else lol. What a horrendous shot attempt.

Take that back, he scores.

Sheriff up 3-0 now, they could make history, by being the first Moldovan league team to make the group stage.

 

[gary69]

Disappointed that Tete hasn't been able to score with his head against a French team.

 

[gary69]

Take that back, he scores.

Sheriff up 3-0 now, they could make history, by being the first Moldovan team to make the group stage.

So, there's new Sheriff in town.

I see that Salzburg has changed quite a lot since the days of Haaland, Minamino, Szoboslzai, Marsch etc. but didn't Brondby also sell pretty much all of their best/key players after winning the title and didn't replace them properly. Thus it would be very impressive making the group stages after a 20 year break.

 

[Savi]

I watched the Brøndby game and the commentator said they were missing 5 or 6 starters because of covid. Salzburg weren't great either, they are such a bad qualifying round team, they always struggle in those early rounds it seems. Still, they will probably advance because Brøndby just isn't very good.

Sheriff up 3-0 now, they could make history, by being the first Moldovan team to make the group stage.

And not a single Moldovan player in their lineup they started players from Brazil(2), Greece(2), Peru, Colombia, Luxembourg, Trinidad, Guinea, Ghana and Mali

 

[Live in the Now]

Went through the Salzburg game. Aaronson will be gone from there by next summer, and we haven't had anyone who can score or create from the middle in ages, at least in the terms of the player should be played there. Really big talent this guy.

 

[HajdukSplit]

Not to get politics but Sheriff are anything but Moldovan

 

[ScottishCanuck]

Take that back, he scores.

Sheriff up 3-0 now, they could make history, by being the first Moldovan team to make the group stage.

Moldovan or Transnistrian?

 

[robertmac43]

Lol this stat line reminds me of Brighton v Palace from last year. The only difference is Salzburg pulled off the win.

 

[Savi]

Moldova are also one of, if not the poorest country in Europe, I'm sure them getting a boatload of CL money will fall into the right hands

 

[luiginb]

Moldovan or Transnistrian?

Russian.