UEFA Champions League Qualifying Rounds 2018-19

[Rexor]

Czech teams have been treated very harshly in Europe in recent years, the pattern is obvious.

 

[Albatros]

Not #11 but #19 was offside, by interfering with white #26.

 

[HajdukSplit]

PSV saved some Dutch blushes as they won 3:2 in Borisov and should be able to advance to the CL group stages, though BATE did give them problems. Solid result for PAOK away at Benfica, 1:1, but Benfica were the much better team and I would say are still slight favorites despite going into hostile territory next week. Zvezda-Salzburg played a scoreless draw in an empty stadium, would be something if RBS again fail to make the CL but Zvezda are tough to break down and now only need a scoring draw

 

[John Price]

Watching American coverage of the Ajax game and Steve Nash noted Canadian is breaking down soccer. Knew he was a soccer guy but never imagined him doing soccer pre-game analysis for the Champions League.

 

[Gecklund]

Watching American coverage of the Ajax game and Steve Nash noted Canadian is breaking down soccer. Knew he was a soccer guy but never imagined him doing soccer pre-game analysis for the Champions League.

Nash owns parts of two clubs (he actually talked about it there). I’m actually enjoying this. Generally the American pregames are dumb but Hargreaves, Howard, Nash, and Holden actually know what they are talking about.

 

[John Price]

Ajax scored like a minute into the game.

 

[HajdukSplit]

AEK Athens score in Hungary who are down to 10 men from about the 20th minute, would be a fantastic achievement for them, haven't been in the CL since 2006 and were in the 2nd division as recently as 2015

 

[maclean]

Come on Ajax! I know corruption is everywhere in football, but Kiev deserves to go down

 

[Live in the Now]

Need PAOK to advance. Would really like a group for Liverpool with Juve, Ajax, and AEK. Or Valencia instead of AEK. Or really anything weird like that.

 

[ViD]

I can’t believe PAOK and AEK are in CL instead of two well known Greek clubs

 

[HajdukSplit]

Ajax missed a penalty which would have killed the tie, Tadic's shot off the post, before that is was all Kiev though

Dinamo already lead against YB, 'funny' how they look to qualify with ease in a year that was supposed to be very difficult for them

 

[gnr25]

The new format and having 4 spots for smaller league champions instead of the previous 5 spots has made things more difficult. But some upsets along the way and favourable draws have given Dinamo and Crvena Zvezda legitimate chances at making the group stage.

 

[Savi]

Since that missed PK it's been all Ajax, they could have easily scored 3 times by now, plenty of good chances.

Dynamo trying hard but this team doesn't seem nearly as talented as they once were. They're playing an 18 year old kid up front, you're not gonna beat Ajax like that..

 

[Milos Krasic]

Dynamo looks awful.

 

[gnr25]

And just like that, Dinamo Zagreb are now on their way out after conceding two goals in 3 minutes. Young Boys leads 2-1 today and 3-2 on aggregate with an away goals advantage too.

 

[Ajacied]

Huntelaar is in decent form this year but he missed some perfect opportunities. The Hunter of a few years ago would've had a hattrick. Hoping Dolberg returns soon.

Tadic was awful. De Ligt, Mazroui and de Jong played very good.

Good to be in the CL.

 

[HajdukSplit]

Happy I jinxed Dinamo, whats even better is they actually sold out the stadium for once and still lost

Only negative is Croatia probably lost all realistic chances of finishing 15th or above in the UEFA coefficient table (unless Dinamo do something unthinkable and get like 10 points in the ELGS and make the knockouts), but I'm willing to accept that for Dinamo to be embarrassed at home despite all the pre-match hype

 

[ViD]

I think the Dutch would rather want to be in the EL to try and save their horrible coefficient. PSV and Ajax won’t get many points in CL

 

[HajdukSplit]

I think the Dutch would rather want to be in the EL to try and save their horrible coefficient. PSV and Ajax won’t get many points in CL

They are currently 12th and very close to 11th place Austria (11th place = automatic CL spot). It will probably depend where Salzburg end up because I doubt they get points in the CL either. If Salzburg goes into the EL then I doubt they catch up to them as Salzburg usually do well in the EL.

Behind the Dutch league at the moment are Denmark and Greece, I would say Greece as legit contenders to pass them with probably 3 clubs in the group stages (AEK in CL, PAOK still in CL playoffs while Olympiakos close to EL). Denmark still have three clubs in the EL playoffs; Brondby look out, FC Copenhagen got a scoreless draw at Atalanta and Midtjylland got the most positive result, 2:2 at Malmo.

 

[Moncherry]

I think clubs care more about the CL money than their league's coefficient.

 

[Ajacied]

I think the Dutch would rather want to be in the EL to try and save their horrible coefficient. PSV and Ajax won’t get many points in CL

Both clubs will make tons more just by reaching the CL. They also get a lot of coefficient points just for reaching the group stages. And the bigger podium will drive up the prices of their young talent. Not to mention Ajax has a serious squad this year; on par with most 3rd ranked teams in every poule. I see nothing but advantages here.

 

[Albatros]

Besides CL football attracts fans and players alike, EL not so much.

 

[Ivan13]

Happy I jinxed Dinamo, whats even better is they actually sold out the stadium for once and still lost

Only negative is Croatia probably lost all realistic chances of finishing 15th or above in the UEFA coefficient table (unless Dinamo do something unthinkable and get like 10 points in the ELGS and make the knockouts), but I'm willing to accept that for Dinamo to be embarrassed at home despite all the pre-match hype

Embarrassed? They didn't lose to Gorica or Steaua, they lost to a team that won a league that features Basel. Furthermore, they played decent football and were on par with their opposing team.

 

[Pouchkine]

Don't fool yourselves, that's another huge failure for Dinamo.

 

[Ivan13]

Sure it is.