UEFA Champions League Qualifying Rounds 2019-20

HajdukSplit

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The final was only played earlier this month but already tomorrow UEFA will conduct the draws for the opening two rounds of qualifying (with the preliminary round draw already occurring a starting in late June). As usual, the draw will be separated in the "Champions Path" and "League Path" with 4 champions earning a spot in the CL and 2 league path winners making it as well

PRELIMINARY ROUND (June 25 & June 28)
Feronikeli (KOS) vs. Lincoln Red Imps (GIB)
Tre Penne (SME) vs. Santa Coloma (AND)

Final: Winner Match 1 vs. Winner Match 2
*This round is all single elimination with the winner going into the next round. To avoid travel concerns, all three matches will be played in Pristina, Kosovo. It's essentially a mini-tournament for one spot in the qualifying rounds.

FIRST QUALIFYING ROUND (July 9/10 & July 16/17)
The draw is tomorrow (June 18) and UEFA have already determined the groupings

Group 1
SEEDED: Astana (KAZ), Ludogorets Razgrad (BUL), Red Star Belgrade (SRB), Shkendija (MKD), AIK (SWE)
UNSEEDED: Suduva (LTU), CFR Cluj (ROU), Ferencvaros (HUN), Nomme Kalju (EST), Ararat (ARM)

Group 2
SEEDED: Celtic (SCO), Qarabag (AZE), Sheriff Tiraspol (MDA), F91 Dudelange (LUX), Slovan Bratislava (SVK)
UNSEEDED: Valletta (MLT), FK Sarajevo (BIH), Sutjeska Niksic (MNE), Partizani Tirana (ALB), Saburtalo Tbilisi (GEO)

Group 3
SEEDED: BATE Borisov (BLR), Maribor (SVN), Rosenborg (NOR), HJK Helsinki (FIN), Dundalk (IRL), The New Saints (WAL)
UNSEEDED: Piast Gliwice (POL), Valur (ISL), Linfield (NIR), HB Torshavn (FAR), Riga (LVA), *winners of preliminary round

SECOND QUALIFYING ROUND (July 23/34 & July 30/31)
The draw will be done tomorrow but groupings probably won't be made until after the conclusion of the first round. This is also where the league path teams start.

Teams entering this round...
CHAMPIONS: Dinamo Zagreb (CRO), FC Copenhagen (DEN), Maccabi Tel-Aviv (ISR), APOEL Nicosia (CYP)
LEAGUE PATH: FC Basel (SUI), Viktoria Plzen (CZE), PSV Eindhoven (NED), Olympiakos (GRE)

In the later stages here are the other clubs who will enter
THIRD ROUND (champions): Ajax (NED), PAOK (GRE)
THIRD ROUND (league path): Krasnodar (RUS), FC Porto (POR), Dynamo Kiev (UKR), Club Brugge (BEL), Istanbul Basaksehir (TUR), LASK Linz (AUT)

PLAYOFF ROUND (champions): Young Boys (SUI), Slavia Prague (CZE)
 
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HajdukSplit

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The first qualifying round draw was made today, second will be conducted tomorrow

Nomme Kalju (EST) vs. Shkendija (MKD)
Suduva (LTU) vs. Red Star Belgrade (SRB)
Ararat (ARM) vs. AIK (SWE)
Astana (KAZ) vs. CFR Cluj (ROU)
Ludogorets Razgrad (BUL) vs. Ferencvaros (HUN)
Celtic (SCO) vs. FK Sarajevo (BIH)
Sheriff Tiraspol (MDA) vs. Saburtalo Tbilisi (GEO)
F91 Dudelange (LUX) vs. Valletta (MLT)
Partizani Tirana (ALB) vs. Qarabag (AZE)
Slovan Bratislava (SVK) vs. Sutjeska Niksic (MNE)
Linfield (NIR) vs. Rosenborg (NOR)
Valur (ISL) vs. Maribor (SVN)
Dundalk (IRL) vs. Riga (LVA)
The New Saints (WAL) vs. *preliminary round winner
HJK Helsinki (FIN) vs. HB Torshavn (FAR)
BATE Borisov (BLR) vs. Piast Gliwice (POL)

Interesting how the toughest unseeded teams on paper got the strongest seeded teams (Cluj, Piast, Sarajevo, Ferencvaros). Celtic certainly won't be thrilled to get Sarajevo who are a competent team with some financial backing (for ex-YU standards)
 

HajdukSplit

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2nd round draw

Champions Path
Astana/Cluj vs. Maccabi Tel-Aviv (ISR)
BATE Borisov/Piast Gliwice vs. Linfield/Rosenborg
The New Saints/preliminary round winners vs. FC Copenhagen (DEN)
Ferencvaros/Ludogorets vs. F91 Dudelange/Valletta
Dundalk/Riga vs. Partizani/Qarabag
Sheriff/Saburtalo vs. Dinamo Zagreb (CRO)
Celtic/Sarajevo vs. Nomme Kalju/Shkendija
Suduva/Red Star vs. HJK Helsinki/HB
Slovan Bratislava/Sutjeksa vs. APOEL Nicosia (CYP)
Valur/Maribor vs. Aratat/AIK

League Path
Viktoria Plzen (CZE) vs. Olympiakos (GRE)
PSV Eindhoven (NED) vs. FC Basel (SUI)
 
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HajdukSplit

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Feronikeli and Santa Coloma both won their matches 1:0 and will face each other on Friday. The winner of that match will face Welsh champions The New Saints in the next round
 

ecemleafs

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Celtic certainly won't be thrilled to get Sarajevo who are a competent team with some financial backing (for ex-YU standards)
Surprisingly we invested in a position of need ahead of the qualifiers so it should be a bit more comfortable. We still need a rb tho...
 

HajdukSplit

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Astana - Cluj 1:0
Ararat - AIK 2:1
HJK Helsinki - HB Torshavn 3:0
Nomme Kalju - Shkendija 0:1
FK Sarajevo - Celtic 1:3
F91 Dudelange - Valletta 2:2
Suduva - Red Star Belgrade 0:0
TNS - Feronikeli 2:2

Celtic the big winners so far with a comprehensive win in Sarajevo despite going down a goal, they are pretty much through. Expected them to have a tougher time. Both Valletta and Feronikeli came from two goals down to tie the first leg, with Feronikeli scoring twice after the 89th minute. The big surprises were Red Star being held scoreless in Lithuania but you expect them to turn it around at home and Ararat (Armenia) defeating AIK, though AIK played most of the match with 10 men and the away goal should help them in Sweden next week. The remaining first leg matches are tomorrow
 

ecemleafs

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Astana - Cluj 1:0
Ararat - AIK 2:1
HJK Helsinki - HB Torshavn 3:0
Nomme Kalju - Shkendija 0:1
FK Sarajevo - Celtic 1:3
F91 Dudelange - Valletta 2:2
Suduva - Red Star Belgrade 0:0
TNS - Feronikeli 2:2

Celtic the big winners so far with a comprehensive win in Sarajevo despite going down a goal, they are pretty much through. Expected them to have a tougher time. Both Valletta and Feronikeli came from two goals down to tie the first leg, with Feronikeli scoring twice after the 89th minute. The big surprises were Red Star being held scoreless in Lithuania but you expect them to turn it around at home and Ararat (Armenia) defeating AIK, though AIK played most of the match with 10 men and the away goal should help them in Sweden next week. The remaining first leg matches are tomorrow
Sarajevo was better up until Sarajevo scored. Celtic woke up and were the better team from there on. Mikey johnson scored a beauty from about 25 yards to equalize soon after Sarajevo went up.
 

Albatros

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The big surprises were Red Star being held scoreless in Lithuania but you expect them to turn it around at home and Ararat (Armenia) defeating AIK, though AIK played most of the match with 10 men and the away goal should help them in Sweden next week.

I don't know if it can be called a surprise in the case of AIK, they have a terrible European record from recent years.
 

HajdukSplit

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First round is complete, two ties went to penalties with Dundalk eliminating Riga after two scoreless draws and the surprise that Sutjeska Niksic (Montenegro) eliminated Slovan on penalty kicks after taking the game to ET when scoring with literally the final kick of the 90th minute. The only other real surprise was Ferencvaros of Hungary eliminating Ludogorets (a team with CL group stage appearances). AIK overturned their deficit against Ararat while BATE scored two late goals to eliminate first time Polish champs Piast Gliwice.

The 2nd round matchups are already known with the league path starting. These games will be played July 23/24 and July 30/31

Champions Path
CFR Cluj (ROU) vs. Maccabi Tel-Aviv (ISR)
BATE Borisov (BLR) vs. Rosenborg (NOR)
TNS (WAL) vs. FC Copenhagen (DEN)
Ferencvaros (HUN) vs. Valletta (MLT)
Dundalk (IRL) vs. Qarabag (AZE)
Saburtalo Tbilisi (GEO) vs. Dinamo Zagreb (CRO)
Celtic (SCO) vs. Nomme Kalju (EST)
Red Star Belgrade (SRB) vs. HJK Helsinki (FIN)
Sutjeska Niksic (MNE) vs. APOEL (CYP)
Maribor (SVN) vs. AIK (SWE)

League Path

Viktoria Plzen (CZE) vs. Olympiakos (GRE)
PSV Eindhoven (NED) vs. FC Basel (SUI)

The draw for the 3rd round will be Monday (22nd)
 

ecemleafs

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the CL qualifying is garbage. celtic would be a pot 3 team if they make the group stage and yet they start in the 1st of 4 qualifying rounds as a league champion. ajax was a semifinalist last year and a league champion. theyd be a pot 2 team if they qualified for the group stage and yet they need to play 2 qualifying fixtures to get there. all the big leagues get 4 automatic entries even if those clubs finished 20-30 points off 1st place in their league.
 
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ScottishCanuck

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the CL qualifying is garbage. celtic would be a pot 3 team if they make the group stage and yet they start in the 1st of 4 qualifying rounds as a league champion. ajax was a semifinalist last year and a league champion. theyd be a pot 2 team if they qualified for the group stage and yet they need to play 2 qualifying fixtures to get there. all the big leagues get 4 automatic entries even if those clubs finished 20-30 points off 1st place in their league.

Money money money.
 

Savi

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3rd qualifying round draw (to be played 6-13 August)

Champions Path

CFR Cluj (ROU) / Maccabi Tel-Aviv (ISR) - Celtic (SCO) / Nomme Kalju (EST)
Saburtalo Tbilisi (GEO) / Dinamo Zagreb (CRO) - Ferencvaros (HUN) / Valletta (MLT)
PAOK (GRE) - Ajax (NED)
Red Star Belgrade (SRB) / HJK Helsinki (FIN) - The New Saints (WAL) / FC Copenhagen (DEN)
Sutjeska Niksic (MNE) / APOEL (CYP) - Dundalk (IRL) / Qarabag (AZE)
Maribor (SVN) / AIK (SWE) - BATE Borisov (BLR) / Rosenborg (NOR)

League Path

İstanbul Başakşehir (TUR) - Viktoria Plzen (CZE) / Olympiakos (GRE)
PSV Eindhoven (NED) / FC Basel (SUI) - LASK Linz (AUT)
Krasnodar (RUS) - FC Porto (POR)
Club Brugge (BEL) - Dinamo Kyiv (UKR)
 

Ivan13

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the CL qualifying is garbage. celtic would be a pot 3 team if they make the group stage and yet they start in the 1st of 4 qualifying rounds as a league champion. ajax was a semifinalist last year and a league champion. theyd be a pot 2 team if they qualified for the group stage and yet they need to play 2 qualifying fixtures to get there. all the big leagues get 4 automatic entries even if those clubs finished 20-30 points off 1st place in their league.

They should thank the rest of the Scottish teams for being shit in Europe for years. Dominating and cannibalizing your league has its consequences in the end.
 
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Ajacied

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What a match in Eindhoven between PSV and FC Basel. PSV looked in control for most of the game, but they had some unsharp and rusty moments which are somewhat to be expected when you are still in the midst of preparation. They were down 1-2 with 5 minutes left before their two youngsters Lammers and Malen scored. Malen especially scored a beaut with his heel.

I doubt Bergwijn and Lozano stay, but if they do, PSV might have a better offense than Ajax when you also add in Lammers, Malen and Bruma (who looked very dangerous and scored the 1-0). They just need to bolster their CB's.
 

ecemleafs

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Champions Path
CFR Cluj (ROU) 1-0 Maccabi Tel-Aviv (ISR)
BATE Borisov (BLR) 2-1 Rosenborg (NOR)
TNS (WAL) 0-2 FC Copenhagen (DEN)
Ferencvaros (HUN) 3-1 Valletta (MLT)
Dundalk (IRL) 1-1 Qarabag (AZE)
Saburtalo Tbilisi (GEO) 0-2 Dinamo Zagreb (CRO)
Celtic (SCO) 5-0 Nomme Kalju (EST)
Red Star Belgrade (SRB) 2-0 HJK Helsinki (FIN)
Sutjeska Niksic (MNE) 0-1 APOEL (CYP)
Maribor (SVN) 2-1 AIK (SWE)

League Path

Viktoria Plzen (CZE) 0-0 Olympiakos (GRE)
PSV Eindhoven (NED) 3-2 FC Basel (SUI)

Celtic all but through after pummeling Nomme Kalju. Good results at home for Cluj and Red Star. Quite a few good results for the away teams in the first match. Rosenborg, AIK, and Basel got an away goal or 2 in a one goal loss. All they need to do now is win and keep a clean sheet at home.
 

ecemleafs

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Celtic win 7-0 on play cluj in the nex round. Cluj managed to get a draw in tel Aviv. Dont think there were any real upsets so far other than psv going out, but they made it hard on themselves in the home leg by conceding twice.
 
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Ajacied

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I think this is the weakest Basel team I've seen in years yet they still eliminate PSV

PSV has a putrid defense and midfield, while their forwards are all much of the same now with Luuk de Jong's departure. Add to that Mark van Bommel is a weak tactician and plays way too safe. They should still have beaten this Basel squad.
 

HajdukSplit

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And this is why the Eredivisie coefficient is so low and a team like Ajax has to go through multiple qualifying rounds just to make the CL, also don't forget both Dutch sides in the EL qualifiers drew at home to teams from Sweden and Bosnia in their first legs. I've argued that they should probably start their season earlier so their teams are at least in some form when their Euro season starts

And yes Savi, this Basel team is nowhere near the quality of the ones from earlier this decade, they have even lost their dominance in Switzerland, don't know whats going on there
 

sabremike

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Champions Path
CFR Cluj (ROU) 1-0 Maccabi Tel-Aviv (ISR)
BATE Borisov (BLR) 2-1 Rosenborg (NOR)
TNS (WAL) 0-2 FC Copenhagen (DEN)
Ferencvaros (HUN) 3-1 Valletta (MLT)
Dundalk (IRL) 1-1 Qarabag (AZE)
Saburtalo Tbilisi (GEO) 0-2 Dinamo Zagreb (CRO)
Celtic (SCO) 5-0 Nomme Kalju (EST)
Red Star Belgrade (SRB) 2-0 HJK Helsinki (FIN)
Sutjeska Niksic (MNE) 0-1 APOEL (CYP)
Maribor (SVN) 2-1 AIK (SWE)

League Path

Viktoria Plzen (CZE) 0-0 Olympiakos (GRE)
PSV Eindhoven (NED) 3-2 FC Basel (SUI)

Celtic all but through after pummeling Nomme Kalju. Good results at home for Cluj and Red Star. Quite a few good results for the away teams in the first match. Rosenborg, AIK, and Basel got an away goal or 2 in a one goal loss. All they need to do now is win and keep a clean sheet at home.
Do you know how to stream every Celtic league match in the US? BR Live has SPFL but it appears they only show a handful of their matches. If they stream them all I'll subscribe.
 

Ajacied

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And this is why the Eredivisie coefficient is so low and a team like Ajax has to go through multiple qualifying rounds just to make the CL, also don't forget both Dutch sides in the EL qualifiers drew at home to teams from Sweden and Bosnia in their first legs. I've argued that they should probably start their season earlier so their teams are at least in some form when their Euro season starts

Well PSV went head to head with Ajax, a near CL finalist, for the domestic title race, even beating them 3-0 during the process. That team has stayed pretty much intact, yet they can't beat Basel over two games.

That's partly because the Eredivisie is still in the mitst of preparation and some opponents have already started the competition. But I think the main reason is that all Eredivisie sides like to attack and are vulnerable on defense. These lower ranked European sides defend, park the bus and play with so much grit; something Eredivisie teams never encounter in the domestic title race. The Utrecht game was a nice typical example. They were dominating and should've won by a four goal differential, yet they'll now face a team defending it's away goal to the bone. Starting the season earlier would help a bit, but it's a DNA thing. It's frustrating because the top 10 in Holland is actually quite strong, no worse than years where they had more European participants, and they deserve to showcase their talent on the European level much more. The other half is not so great ofcourse.
 

Savi

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PSV has a putrid defense and midfield, while their forwards are all much of the same now with Luuk de Jong's departure. Add to that Mark van Bommel is a weak tactician and plays way too safe. They should still have beaten this Basel squad.

Didn't see the first leg but yeah last night's game was just a bad coaching job. Up front you've got 4 really talented players (although why do you play Bergwijn at the #10 position - he's a winger) but they're really only dangerous on the counter attack. I don't think I've seen them create even one good attacking play out of possession. Rosario in central midfield was terrible. There's absolutely no balance. Defense like you say isn't very good either. Also MvB not changing anything and only using one sub late in the second half is hilarious as well. PSV were terrible in the second half and didn't do anything after Basel scored their second.
 

Ajacied

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Didn't see the first leg but yeah last night's game was just a bad coaching job. Up front you've got 4 really talented players (although why do you play Bergwijn at the #10 position - he's a winger) but they're really only dangerous on the counter attack. I don't think I've seen them create even one good attacking play out of possession. Rosario in central midfield was terrible. There's absolutely no balance. Defense like you say isn't very good either. Also MvB not changing anything and only using one sub late in the second half is hilarious as well. PSV were terrible in the second half and didn't do anything after Basel scored their second.

Yeah, I agree with everything. Their newly acquired players aren't ready yet, which caused for some surprises in the starting fixture (Sadilek as a LB, Bergwijn at the #10). At midfield Rosario and Hendrix are dreadful and Guti is just not good enough. To add, Jeroen Zoet is a very mediocre goalkeeper.

That said, have these two teams meet in two months and I think it will be a different outcome if van Bommel shows some cojones. Ihattaran is their biggest talent they've had since Afellay. He should bring a lot of creativity at midfield. Afellay himself also signed with PSV, so who knows.

I fully expect Bergwijn and Lozano to leave now that the CL is no more. They'll likely target Berghuis from Feyenoord and call it a day. Bergwijn might still go to Ajax if Ziyech/Neres leave.
 
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ecemleafs

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Do you know how to stream every Celtic league match in the US? BR Live has SPFL but it appears they only show a handful of their matches. If they stream them all I'll subscribe.
I have celtictv which isn't cheap but I can watch it on my computer or phone. I know sole people watch on BR and a lot of people just look for illegal streams.
 

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