UEFA Champions League Qualifying Rounds 2020-21

[HajdukSplit]

AZ save themselves with literally the last kick of the game, they went on to beat Plzen in ET

 

[Ajacied]

AZ save themselves with literally the last kick of the game, they went on to beat Plzen in ET

AZ deserved the win I think, but they were very lucky with their penalty in the 94th minute. They even escaped one with an apparent handball in ET. Myron Boadu especially played an awful, awful game. Balls were bouncing from his shoes and he wiffed on clear opportunities.

 

[Eye of Ra]

why do teams from bosnia always struggle? if slovenia, serbia and croatia can do it why not bosnia?

 

[HajdukSplit]

Bosnian league is of extremely low quality, overall it’s a poor country with little to no football infrastructure and any decent player leaves, even to the neighboring leagues. The league is overly physical and lots of crazy ethnic rivalries. Modrić started his pro career there on loan at Zrinjski (pro-Croatian club) and he said the league toughened him up with the physicality and tough away games

None of the ex-YU leagues are any good honestly, Croatia only recently got their act together and reduced the league to 10 clubs, but even then there is often 1-2 clubs which go broke halfway through the season. Not enough money in these leagues and in the case of Croatia ever since entering the EU guys now leave when they are teenagers, only 10 years ago guys like Modrić we’re staying until early 20s

 

[Pouchkine]

How about the Polish league why is it so weak?

 

[Eye of Ra]

celtic, what on earth are they doing.

 

[Pouchkine]

Celtic already out!

 

[Alklha]

celtic, what on earth are they doing.

Neil Lennon is their manager, it's hardly a surprise. Their 1-0 win at the weekend was fortunate, a goal with about 5 minutes to go that could very easily have been blocked. Started tonight without a striker, then didn't bother bringing one on until the last 12 minutes.

 

[HajdukSplit]

And Celtic fans on twitter are always bitching about having to start in the early rounds yet in recent years haven’t they lost to the likes of Cluj, Maribor, Astana and now Ferencvaros? Legia is out losing at home to Omonia who aren’t even one of the Cypriot sides with Euro experience in last few years. Dinamo needed penalties to beat Cluj

 

[Eye of Ra]

And Celtic fans on twitter are always bitching about having to start in the early rounds yet in recent years haven’t they lost to the likes of Cluj, Maribor, Astana and now Ferencvaros? Legia is out losing at home to Omonia who aren’t even one of the Cypriot sides with Euro experience in last few years. Dinamo needed penalties to beat Cluj

malmö also beat them.

 

[HajdukSplit]

Seeding for the third round, draw is on Monday

Champions Path
SEEDED: Dinamo Zagreb (CRO), Young Boys (SUI), Red Star Belgrade (SRB), Qarabag (AZE), Maccabi Tel-Aviv (ISR)
UNSEEDED: Molde (NOR), Midtjylland (DEN), Ferencvaros (HUN), Omonia Nicosia (CYP), Dynamo Brest (BLR)

League Path
SEEDED: Benfica (POR), Dynamo Kiev (UKR), Gent (BEL)
UNSEEDED: Rapid Wien (AUT), PAOK (GRE), AZ Alkmaar (NED)

 

[Corto]

Dinamo dodged a bulet, played with a man down from minute 51, Livakovic saved a penalty, etc.
Went through on penalties. One leg games are such a lottery at times, that one even (red card + pen) nearly killed the season for them.

 

[Pouchkine]

Dinamo dodged a bulet, played with a man down from minute 51, Livakovic saved a penalty, etc.
Went through on penalties. One leg games are such a lottery at times, that one even (red card + pen) nearly killed the season for them.

They have 0 chance in the CL anyway, might as well play in the Europa...

 

[Corto]

They have 0 chance in the CL anyway, might as well play in the Europa...

Eh, last year they choked away a spot in the 2nd round in 3 mins, they should've qualified ahead of Atalanta and Shakhtar.

This year, they lost Olmo and Moro, but everyone else is here... It's still a decent team. Just without Bjelica as manager - they sacked him to make room for Mamic's brother to take over.

I'd rather watch some good CL games and hope for a 3rd spot and Europa League in the spring, then some EL group games, even though, as you say, they might be more competitive in the EL.

 

[Pouchkine]

Yes I must say you have a good point, anyway the goal is 3rd place but you might get lucky for the 2nd spot as well. Europa group stage is terrible, it's fun in the knockouts!

 

[Savi]

This year, they lost Olmo and Moro, but everyone else is here... It's still a decent team. Just without Bjelica as manager - they sacked him to make room for Mamic's brother to take over.

lol those guys still run the show?

 

[HajdukSplit]

Well Zdravko is in “hiding” in Bosnia but he still pretty much runs things from there. Zoran was named manager late last season but he was sporting director before, basically in Croatia they call Zoran English-style manager as he has say in all transfers etc

 

[Corto]

lol those guys still run the show?

Yeah, Zdravko, the older, is a fugitive from justice, had a 5 year prison sentence waiting for him (5 years in Croatia means you can't wait for appeal on the outside, have to be jailed).
So he now lives in Bosnia and runs things from there. As you do...

Zoran, the younger, has a 4y 11m sentence against him - this means he can await appeal on the outside. So, he's now the manager of Dinamo.
Replacing the most successful manager in well... Like 40 years. Because, why not, right...?

 

[Savi]

Third Qualifying Round Draw (games to be played 15/16 September, 1 leg only)

Champions Path
Ferencvaros (HUN) vs Dinamo Zagreb (CRO)
Qarabag (AZE) vs Molde (NOR)
Omonia Nicosia (CYP) vs Red Star Belgrade (SRB)
Midtjylland (DEN) vs Young Boys (SUI)
Maccabi Tel-Aviv (ISR) vs Dynamo Brest (BLR)

League Path
PAOK (GRE) vs Benfica (POR)
Dynamo Kyiv (UKR) vs AZ Alkmaar (NED)
AA Gent (BEL) vs Rapid Wien (AUT)

Even though the League path playoff draw still has to be made, we know the winner of PAOK/Benfica will play Krasnodar - since both Benfica and Kiev are seeded and Krasnodar are unseeded, Kiev and Krasnodar can't be drawn against eachother.

 

[Pouchkine]

Yeah, Zdravko, the older, is a fugitive from justice, had a 5 year prison sentence waiting for him (5 years in Croatia means you can't wait for appeal on the outside, have to be jailed).
So he now lives in Bosnia and runs things from there. As you do...

Zoran, the younger, has a 4y 11m sentence against him - this means he can await appeal on the outside. So, he's now the manager of Dinamo.
Replacing the most successful manager in well... Like 40 years. Because, why not, right...?

And what is the media coverage like for all of this crap?

 

[HajdukSplit]

Corto will know better than me but most of the mainstream sports media seem to be 'pro' Mamic because Dinamo is successful, believe me he has his supporters, I would say small but vocal. It's largely based on politics as well depending on what side you lean on but I won't get into that

 

[S E P H]

Third Qualifying Round Draw (games to be played 15/16 September, 1 leg only)

Champions Path
Ferencvaros (HUN) vs Dinamo Zagreb (CRO)
Qarabag (AZE) vs Molde (NOR)
Omonia Nicosia (CYP) vs Red Star Belgrade (SRB)
Midtjylland (DEN) vs Young Boys (SUI)
Maccabi Tel-Aviv (ISR) vs Dynamo Brest (BLR)

League Path
PAOK (GRE) vs Benfica (POR)
Dynamo Kyiv (UKR) vs AZ Alkmaar (NED)
AA Gent (BEL) vs Rapid Wien (AUT)

Even though the League path playoff draw still has to be made, we know the winner of PAOK/Benfica will play Krasnodar - since both Benfica and Kiev are seeded and Krasnodar are unseeded, Kiev and Krasnodar can't be drawn against eachother.

Arsenal is better than all those scrub clubs.

 

[Savi]

Playoff draw (two legs, to be played on 22/23 and 29/30 September)

Champions Path
Slavia Prague (CZE) v Midtjylland (DEN)/Young Boys (SUI)
Maccabi Tel-Aviv (ISR)/Dynamo Brest (BLR) v Red Bull Salzburg (AUT)
Olympiacos FC (GRE) v Omonia Nicosia (CYP)/Red Star Belgrade (SRB)
Qarabag (AZE)/Molde (NOR) v Ferencvaros (HUN)/Dinamo Zagreb (CRO)

League Path
Krasnodar (RUS) vs PAOK (GRE)/Benfica (POR)
AA Gent (BEL)/Rapid Wien (AUT) vs Dynamo Kyiv (UKR)/AZ Alkmaar (NED)

 

[Aladyyn]

Of course Slavia gets the toughest possible draw )))

 

[Jersey Fresh]

Guess that's that for Maccabi.