UEFA Champions League Qualifying Rounds 2020-21

[Savi]

Yeah me neither. Says he's tired of the same teams in the CL each time but then also says he's still watching it. But knows "tons of people" who don't anymore.

 

[BKIslandersFan]

"Niche european fans".
Is that what you call the millions of fans who are NOT fans of a big club?

Arrogance of those fans is astounding.
Just like the other day when another poster said Aberdeen is not playing the same sport as Chelsea.


Indeed, so many cinderlla runs.

I always said this sport might be better off if Americans could not watch European leagues anymore.

 

[Evilo]

11 different teams in 12 years... and there have been a fair share of surprise semi finalist like Monaco, Roma and Ajax just the past 4 years. And this year I could see a Lyon, Atalanta or Leipzig potentially creating an upset.

About the niche fans. Yes teams from Greece, Turkey, Russia, Romania are amazing and probably more hardcore than any fans of the big clubs but even these fans would not careless about other teams than their own.
Honestly... would you rather watch Steaua Bucarest vs Partizan Belgrade? Or Atletico vs Juventus? Any random football fans from france to portugal would rather see the later.

And if you prefer the steaua vs partizan than the Europa league is a match made in heaven for you!

I do not get your point

Yes I'd rather watch teams from other countries because if they qualified they'd also get the money to be competitive. It's not that hard.

 

[HajdukSplit]

Linfield-Drita has been postponed due to two players on Drita getting Coronavirus. It is believed Lindfield will advance due to forfeit

edit: They have until the 14th to play the game, under UEFA statutes they actually should have been allowed to play today since it's 'only' 2 players but Swiss law superseded UEFA

 

[JeffreyLFC]

Yes I'd rather watch teams from other countries because if they qualified they'd also get the money to be competitive. It's not that hard.

So your problem is with money distribution?

 

[hatterson]

So your problem is with money distribution?

Evilo's problem is almost always with money distribution.

 

[JeffreyLFC]

Evilo's problem is almost always with money distribution.

Well he started saying that CL is boring because it is always the same team.

So his problem is not the teams but how the cash is distributed within the top clubs which is a complete different story.

I do think that the CL is way too favorable to the highest ranked clubs. IMO they should scrap the euro coefficient distribution or whatever. Then possibly add more money to the group stage teams and possibly include more teams outside the largest championship (Spain, UK, Germany, France, Italy) that being said it is quite likely the same usual suspect (Barca, Bayern, Real, Juve, City, etc.) will still be in the semi final and final... so then his point would not stand but lower ranked clubs would at least get a more significant share of the revenues.

 

[JeffreyLFC]

I always said this sport might be better off if Americans could not watch European leagues anymore.

It is funny that you mention that because in America people look at you weird when you talk about european football. Like maybe 10% of sports fan have some knowledge outside the typical I know Messi or I know Ronaldo. So, european don't like us and american neither... great. I guess that's similar to how NHL fans from Europe feel about.

Honestly though I am huge football fan and I love watching south american football, it is so intense and competitive and I would not mind switching from Europe to South America but it is almost impossible to get all the south americans league though.. actually I cannot get any league... so I am stuck with European football, sorry

 

[Evilo]

Well he started saying that CL is boring because it is always the same team.

So his problem is not the teams but how the cash is distributed within the top clubs which is a complete different story.

Frankly at this point it's borderline ridiculous.

 

[BKIslandersFan]

It is funny that you mention that because in America people look at you weird when you talk about european football. Like maybe 10% of sports fan have some knowledge outside the typical I know Messi or I know Ronaldo. So, european don't like us and american neither... great. I guess that's similar to how NHL fans from Europe feel about.

Honestly though I am huge football fan and I love watching south american football, it is so intense and competitive and I would not mind switching from Europe to South America but it is almost impossible to get all the south americans league though.. actually I cannot get any league... so I am stuck with European football, sorry

Yea I suppose.

Don'[t really have an issue with big club fans who also support their local teams, though. At least give money to your local teams. Or localish teams anyway.

The snobs who won't support their local teams AND claim to be lifelong supporters of big clubs are really the only ones I have beef with.

 

[Eye of Ra]

If Lyon dont win CL, Ajax will get a spot in this years group stage?

 

[hatterson]

If Lyon dont win CL, Ajax will get a spot in this years group stage?

Correct. Since Lyon is the only team left in the CL that hasn't qualified via domestic performance, if they don't win then the 11th placed league champions (Netherlands/Ajax) go straight into the group stage.

 

[Evilo]

Which is a good bet

 

[HajdukSplit]

Linfield advance after Drita forfeits their match due to the Swiss quarantine rules. Drita had two positive tests, under UEFA guidelines they still could have played but the Swiss authorities wanted the entire team to quarantine for two weeks

 

[HajdukSplit]

Astana already down 3:0 to Dynamo Brest and its not even 30 minutes into the game. Dynamo do have some notable players like Milevskiy and Khacheridi (CL experience, both former Ukrainian internationals who played at major tournaments). This is also the same club which Maradona was the 'chairman' of for like 2 months

Legia having a hard time breaking down Linfield, but Linfield down to 10 men now

 

[sabremike]

Astana already down 3:0 to Dynamo Brest and its not even 30 minutes into the game. Dynamo do have some notable players like Milevskiy and Khacheridi (CL experience, both former Ukrainian internationals who played at major tournaments). This is also the same club which Maradona was the 'chairman' of for like 2 months

Legia having a hard time breaking down Linfield, but Linfield down to 10 men now

Celtic advance and Linfield get knocked out, what a lovely day!

 

[HajdukSplit]

So no real surprises today, though Astana are already out, a team who has played in the CL and EL in recent years to Dynamo Brest who prior to today only won one European team (though this was single elimination which helps)

 

[HajdukSplit]

All but one tie is complete in the first round with KI-Slovan Bratislava being pushed back to Friday due to some Slovan players getting Corona virus. It is believed that Slovan will be forced to play with some youth team players. The only real surprise today was Albanian champions Tirana eliminating Dinamo Tbilisi in Georgia, one tie went to penalty kicks, the Flora Tallinn-Suduva tie which was won by the Lithuanians

Because Ajax have qualified automatically for the Champions League now both Olympiakos and Slavia Prague will start their campaigns in the playoff round

 

[alko]

Interesting situation in round between Slovan Bratislava and KÍ Klaksvík (Island).

Someone from Slovan team was diagnosed with COVID 19. And thats already, when they arrived to Island. First news was, that this match will never be played and Slovan will lost it and actually they will be kicked out of this competition.

Then there was an second option. Slovan should call they reserve plus junior players and play with them.

UEFA was for option B. Lets see, ho it will go. Today is the game.

 

[gary69]

After Sevilla's win, the seeding pots for the group stage draw are starting to take shape. Of course few of the teams in lower spots could be eliminated in the qualifiers.

Leipzig, Inter and Lazio are the teams to avoid from Pot 3.

Champions League group draw seeds confirmed


Pot 1: Bayern Munich, PSG, Sevilla, Real Madrid, Liverpool, Juventus, Zenit St Petersburg, FC Porto
Pot 2: Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, Manchester City, Manchester United, Borussia Dortmund, Shakhtar Donetsk, Chelsea, Benfica or Ajax

With three English clubs in Pot 2, it means Liverpool will draw one of Barcelona, Atletico, Dortmund, Shakhtar or Benfica/Ajax in their group.

The remaining two pots will depend on which teams come through the qualifying rounds, but we know for sure that automatic qualifiers RB Leipzig, Inter Milan and Lazio will be in Pot 3. Dynamo Kiev, FC Salzburg, Olympiakos and Celtic will join them should they qualify.

Stade Rennes and Istanbul Basaksehir are assured of being in Pot 4, while Atalanta, Lokomotiv Moscow, Marseille, Club Brugge and Borussia Monchengladbach could also be in the lowest-ranked pot.

 

[Duchene2MacKinnon]

So we could see LFC,barca, RB and Atalanta lool

 

[Evilo]

Or Zenith, Barca, Olympiakos and Brugge.

Wonder which is more likely?

 

[HajdukSplit]

Interesting situation in round between Slovan Bratislava and KÍ Klaksvík (Island).

Someone from Slovan team was diagnosed with COVID 19. And thats already, when they arrived to Island. First news was, that this match will never be played and Slovan will lost it and actually they will be kicked out of this competition.

UEFA was for option B. Lets see, ho it will go. Today is the game.

Slovan have been forced to forfeit the tie and Klaksvik advance to the next round. Have a feeling these qualifiers will be a shit show. Anyway the full fixtures for the 2nd round is known which starts tomorrow

Champions Path
KF Tirana (ALB) vs. Red Star Belgrade (SRB).... luckily no fans
CFR Cluj (ROU) vs. Dinamo Zagreb (CRO)
Young Boys (SUI) vs. KI Klaksvik (FAR)
Celtic (SCO) vs. Ferencvaros (HUN)
Suduva (LTU) vs. Maccabi Tel-Aviv (ISR)
Legia Warsaw (POL) vs. Omonia Nicosia (CYP)
Celje (SVN) vs. Molde (NOR)
Ludogrets Razgrad (BUL) vs. FC Midtjylland (DEN)
Dynamo Brest (BLR) vs. FK Sarajevo (BIH)
Qarabag (AZE) vs. Sheriff Tiraspol (MDA)

League Path
PAOK (GRE) vs. Besiktas (TUR)
AZ Alkmaar (NED) vs. Viktoria Plzen (CZE)
Lokomotiva Zagreb (CRO) vs. Rapid Wien (AUT)

 

[les Habs]

So we could see LFC,barca, RB and Atalanta lool

Or Zenith, Barca, Olympiakos and Brugge.

Wonder which is more likely?

Hopefully somewhere in between so we finished third and parachute into the Europa League.

 

[Adele Dazeem]

I tend to agree with Evilo concerning this iteration of the European Cup. It was much better before when you had teams like Ararat upset a giant like Bayern 1-0. Stuff like that cannot happen with the "Champions League". It should be all the 1st place teams from every European league in tournament style knockouts until they can divide the remaining teams into groups. By having the top-4 from England make it to the Champions League defeats the purpose of battling for 1st place when a team can settle for 4th and have the "same" placement in the Champions League. 1st place or bust. It would make things in the league that much more interesting.