2023-24 UEFA Champions League Qualifying Rounds

[HajdukSplit]

Started this a little late as they first round was completed today, the biggest surprise so far was Faroese side KI eliminated Ferencvaros, winning 3:0 in Hungary in the process. Ludogorets overturned a two goal deficit and home to defeat Ballkani from Kosovo. The second round sees the league path begin. The draw for the 3rd round is already on July 24

Champions Path (July 25/26 & August 1/2)
Zalgiris (LTU) vs. Galatasaray (TUR)
Ludogorets Razgrad (BUL) vs. Olimpija Ljubljana (SVN)
Rakow (POL) vs. Qarabag (AZE)
KI (FAR) vs. Hacken (SWE)
HJK Helsinki (FIN) vs. Molde (NOR)
Breidablik (ISL) vs. FC Copenhagen (DEN)
Sheriff Tiraspol (MDA) vs. Maccabi Haifa (ISR)
Aris Limassol (CYP) vs. BATE Borisov (BLR)
Zrinjski Mostar (BIH) vs. Slovan Bratislava (SVK)
Dinamo Zagreb (CRO) vs. Astana (KAZ)

League Path (July 25/26 & August 1/2)
Dnipro (UKR) vs. Panathinaikos (GRE)
Servette (SUI) vs. Racing Genk (BEL)

In the third round the following teams enter
Champions: Sparta Prague, AEK Athens
League: Rangers, Braga, PSV Eindhoven, Marseille, Strum Graz, TSC (Serbia)

Click to read more...

 

[gary69]

In the third round the following teams enter

League: TSC (Serbia)

Now that's a new name at this level even if the club has existed for over a hundred years. I see that they finished 2nd in the league last season, after only playing at the top flight for the first time in their history in 2019/2020.

They have a stadium with the capacity of 4000. How it is even possible they've done this well in recent years?

 

[HajdukSplit]

I mentioned it in another thread here, they are one of those clubs Orban and his cronies are investing heavily in (they have clubs in Serbia, Slovenia, Croatia, Slovakia and Romania), basically anywhere with a Hungarian minority or that was part of their former “empire”. Also helped Partizan had a historically bad season

It’s a fairly long article but they do talk about TSC specifically here: Hungary-Backed Balkan Football Teams Highlight Orban’s Obsessions
The article doesn’t mention Osijek in Croatia but the Hungarian government just built a new modern stadium while in Zagreb there is a crumbling stadium

 

[HajdukSplit]

Galatasaray failed to win against Lithuanian champs in the first leg away, they conceded a late goal for a 2:2 draw, with no away goals the return leg could be tricky, Zalgiris is in mid-season while Gala still in preseason which at times is a great equalizer in these CL qualifying ties

 

[HajdukSplit]

Not a major surprise but Olimpija Ljubljana eliminated Ludogorets, a few years ago I'd say this would be a bigger deal but Ludogorets don't seem to be as strong as in recent years, they haven't qualified for the Champions League since 2016

 

[HajdukSplit]

The big surprise of the round was Faroe champions KI Klaksvik defeating Swedish champions Hacken on penalty kicks, after a scoreless draw in the Faroe Islands the return leg ended 3:3, with each side scoring in the extra time. KI not only becomes the first Faroese side to make the 3rd round CL qualifying but they are guaranteed a spot in group competition this fall, also becoming the first side from Faroe Islands to do so

The other slight surprise was Servette beating Genk in the league path qualifying, Servette played with 10 men from the 3rd minute but despite that fought back twice to take the game to penalty kicks which they won easily

Third round draw...
Champions Path
Rakow (POL) vs. Aris Limassol (CYP)
Slovan Bratislava (SVK) vs. Maccabi Haifa (ISR)
AEK Athens (GRE) vs. Dinamo Zagreb (CRO)
Olimpija Ljubljana (SVN) vs. Galatasaray (TUR)
FC Copenhagen (DEN) vs. Sparta Prague (CZE)
KI Klaksvik (FAR) vs. Molde (NOR)

League Path
Braga (POR) vs. TSC (SRB)
Rangers (SCO) vs. Servette (SUI)
Panathinaikos (GRE) vs. Marseille (FRA)
PSV Eindhoven (NED) vs. Strum Graz (AUT)

 

[Brunkmeister]

The big surprise of the round was Faroe champions KI Klaksvik defeating Swedish champions Hacken on penalty kicks, after a scoreless draw in the Faroe Islands the return leg ended 3:3, with each side scoring in the extra time. KI not only becomes the first Faroese side to make the 3rd round CL qualifying but they are guaranteed a spot in group competition this fall, also becoming the first side from Faroe Islands to do so

The other slight surprise was Servette beating Genk in the league path qualifying, Servette played with 10 men from the 3rd minute but despite that fought back twice to take the game to penalty kicks which they won easily

Third round draw...
Champions Path
Rakow (POL) vs. Aris Limassol (CYP)
Slovan Bratislava (SVK) vs. Maccabi Haifa (ISR)
AEK Athens (GRE) vs. Dinamo Zagreb (CRO)
Olimpija Ljubljana (SVN) vs. Galatasaray (TUR)
FC Copenhagen (DEN) vs. Sparta Prague (CZE)
KI Klaksvik (FAR) vs. Molde (NOR)

League Path
Braga (POR) vs. TSC (SRB)
Rangers (SCO) vs. Servette (SUI)
Panathinaikos (GRE) vs. Marseille (FRA)
PSV Eindhoven (NED) vs. Strum Graz (AUT)

For a Swede this wasn't really a surprise. Häcken are a small club who happened to stumble their way to the championship last year, but everytime they have played european qualifiers they go out early. Typical loserclub. Gothenburgs Hammarby.

 

[HajdukSplit]

AEK-Dinamo has been postponed until Friday August 18 (the match in Zagreb will still take place as scheduled next week). There was an incident in Athens where the two set of hooligans got into one of these organized fights and an AEK fan was killed. There was an away fans van for this tie but it’s quite easy to go regardless. No word on if Dinamo will face punishment, the Croatian clickbait media say they can get banned from Europe but it’s also the Greek police’s fault and there have been resignations already

 

[cgf]

AEK-Dinamo has been postponed until Friday August 18 (the match in Zagreb will still take place as scheduled next week). There was an incident in Athens where the two set of hooligans got into one of these organized fights and an AEK fan was killed. There was an away fans van for this tie but it’s quite easy to go regardless. No word on if Dinamo will face punishment, the Croatian clickbait media say they can get banned from Europe but it’s also the Greek police’s fault and there have been resignations already

Yeah, just read about that. What a f***ing disaster.

 

[Islay1989]

The killer might actually be a Pao fan. It seems the Greek police has his prints and DNA. Imbeciles all around.

 

[HajdukSplit]

The killer might actually be a Pao fan. It seems the Greek police has his prints and DNA. Imbeciles all around.

Dinamo and Panahtinaikos ultras group have some sort of relationship, and another issue is alot of the Greek sides are close with Serbian ultras, though not sure AEK is one of them. I think there is potential for more nonsense when Hajduk play PAOK in the Conference League, as the Hajduk fanbase is more fanatical and PAOK have links with Partizan Belgrade ultras. Also, Marseille fans are coming to Athens tomorrow. Though this looks like a major screwup by the Greek authorities, Croatian special police informed them that a large group of BBB were travelling to Greece via Albania and they didn't respond

As for the games, routine wins for PSV, Braga and Galatasaray. Klaksivik's cinderella run continues for now as they beat Molde 2:1 at home

 

[S E P H]

^ Awful situation, I just read that as well.

Raków Częstochowa is doing God's work in the CL qualifying. I doubt they can go further if they make it to the next round, but they won the Polska Ekstraklasa last season and look quite strong again this year.

large group of BBB

BBB?

 

[HajdukSplit]

BBB?

Bad Blue Boys the Dinamo ultras group

 

[gary69]

So not to mixed with Bad Boys Blue:

 

[bluesfan94]

I love sports but I can't imagine getting in a fight, let alone dying, because of sports.

 

[Civetty]

Dinamo and Panahtinaikos ultras group have some sort of relationship, and another issue is alot of the Greek sides are close with Serbian ultras, though not sure AEK is one of them. I think there is potential for more nonsense when Hajduk play PAOK in the Conference League, as the Hajduk fanbase is more fanatical and PAOK have links with Partizan Belgrade ultras. Also, Marseille fans are coming to Athens tomorrow. Though this looks like a major screwup by the Greek authorities, Croatian special police informed them that a large group of BBB were travelling to Greece via Albania and they didn't respond

As for the games, routine wins for PSV, Braga and Galatasaray. Klaksivik's cinderella run continues for now as they beat Molde 2:1 at home

If they beat Molde its something out of this world. A team from Faroe islands beating the Hungarian, Swedish and Norwegian champions.

 

[HajdukSplit]

Braga up 4:0 on TSC and only 20 minutes have been played, Serbia's situation reminds me of Croatia few years back when they get a 2nd side in CL qualifying but in reality they are no where good enough to compete on that level. The only benefit is Zvezda gets an automatic spot but that won't last long either as Partizan is already out of Europe too

 

[HajdukSplit]

Molde-Klaksivik and Sparta-Copenhagen going to ET

Surprised how much Dinamo are dominating AEK, though Greek sides always somehow stay in these games and sneak a result

 

[Eye of Ra]

Molde-Klaksivik and Sparta-Copenhagen going to ET

Surprised how much Dinamo are dominating AEK, though Greek sides always somehow stay in these games and sneak a result

and yet AEK won, 1-2

 

[HajdukSplit]

and yet AEK won, 1-2

Game of two halves, AEK looked better second half and deserved the win

No real upsets this round so far, Molde overturned their deficit but crazy game in Prague where four goals were scored in ET and Copenhagen advance on PKs

 

[Evilo]

Molde-Klaksivik and Sparta-Copenhagen going to ET

Surprised how much Dinamo are dominating AEK, though Greek sides always somehow stay in these games and sneak a result

Yep Pana destroyed by OM yet only lose 2-0 and get a penalty for a handball at the 98th to send the game into OT.

 

[bluesfan94]

Panathinaikos with the 90+9 penalty to equalize on aggregate and go to ET

 

[Evilo]

Wow Vitinha scores the winner and Oliver finds a way to reject the goal for a 5 cms offside of a player that didn't touch the ball nor bothered the goalie.
Disgusting.

 

[Spring in Fialta]

Why is Marseille subbing Lopez for PKs?

Wow Vitinha scores the winner and Oliver finds a way to reject the goal for a 5 cms offside of a player that didn't touch the ball nor bothered the goalie.
Disgusting.

The spirit of the offside rule has been completely ruined with this stuff.

 

[Evilo]

Because he's bad at pens and he wants the momentum to shift.
Smart play.