Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Heroes Discussion => Topic started by: Legion on May 25, 2025, 07:29:40 PM
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Feyenoord and Porto so we can add to our list of European Champions played, please.
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Let’s pick out who we’re going to surprisingly bomb out too in the latter stages - I go with, Nice. That’ll have some symmetry.
Sorry pissed off right now, I’ll mellow.
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Trying to be positive here. We missed out on CL again on goal difference, while making the CL QF and FA Cup SF. Hopefully the Europa League will be slightly less of a strain on the squad, and we'll finish higher in the league than we did this season.
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Let’s pick out who we’re going to surprisingly bomb out too in the latter stages - I go with, Nice. That’ll have some symmetry.
Sorry pissed off right now, I’ll mellow.
It’ll be to Palace in the Final, obviously.
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The evidence based on how this season's English qualifiers finished doesn't suggest it will serve as a boost to our league position, though.
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Let’s pick out who we’re going to surprisingly bomb out too in the latter stages - I go with, Nice. That’ll have some symmetry.
Sorry pissed off right now, I’ll mellow.
It’ll be to Palace in the Final, obviously.
Of course, and we’ll set up as we always do.
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I assume we'll play Go Ahead Eagles, and lose.
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Tottenham and Man Utd are shit anyway. You can definitely get to the later stages without going full pelt and needing a squad as deep as the CL. We will still lose to someone like Zagreb though in a calamitous away performance.
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Oh FFS, not more bloody Eagles.
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Legia Warsaw hovering in pot 3…..
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At least we have a good record against Celta Vigo.
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Looking at a lot of those teams, if we don’t get to the final then it has to be a huge failure.
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Let’s pick out who we’re going to surprisingly bomb out too in the latter stages - I go with, Nice. That’ll have some symmetry.
Last minute Morgan Sanson winner.
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Midtjylland feel like a nice 90s Villa defeat type team.
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Realised we played them before.
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Anderlecht in the semis please.
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Looks winnable based on those sides. Provided we avoid Palace of course.
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Juventus have just dropped into the Europa League... still only in the first half though so they could still end up in either of the other two competitions.
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Assume we can't get drawn against Palace in the league phase, so the next worst thing would be Go Ahead Eagles.
Not sure what Turkish teams are in it yet, the final is in Istanbul.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025%E2%80%9326_UEFA_Europa_League
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There are an absurd amount of assumptions in this. Only the teams with ticks will definitely be in the league phase.
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Yeah, it's more complicated trying to work out potential opponents than it was this season, as you need to keep an eye on two different competitions.
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Well let’s hope Unai can win Europa League number 5.
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Juventus winning so Roma back in the Europa League.
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WMP would probably prefer if we didn't draw Rangers, Maccabi Tel Aviv, Legia Warsaw and Utrecht at home.
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WMP would probably prefer if we didn't draw Rangers, Maccabi Tel Aviv, Legia Warsaw and Utrecht at home.
Especially not all at the same time.
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After all, last year it was Conference L (semis), this year CL (qf) and then it is logic that next year will be EL (reaching the final (should be the target)).
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Along with the fa cup it's another competition I've never seen us win so its a chance to add another trophy to the set.
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Another semi-final defeat to Palace beckons
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Anyone know if the FA Cup final is being played the weekend before the Europa final next season?
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Another semi-final defeat to Palace beckons
Assuming Palace qualify as they have shit starts to the season normally. This season they were on 9 points after 13 games.
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Anyone know if the FA Cup final is being played the weekend before the Europa final next season?
I think so, most sites online suggest 16th and 20th May, respectively.
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EuroCelta are back! Vigo'98 were the best.
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That is going to be tough for us next season then as I assume the moved league match will be the Tuesday/Wednesday before the FA Cup final so will have to play 5 matches in two weeks.
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All over in Serie A. Juventus won in the end to take the final Champions League spot, so Roma take a Europa League place, along with cup winners Bologna.
I reckon it will be between Villa and Roma for who starts the tournament as favourites.
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Palace should just by virtue of the fact they have our number.
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I think we are more likely to win the tournament if we don't meet, they're more likely to win it if we do. Hopefully some of their stars fuck off for pastures new in the summer.
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Sadly this competition has been discredited by this years finalists,.
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Palace are going to find their resources stretched being in a 4th competition. Of course if they find a way to get through the group stage and play us…well you know the rest.
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Let’s hope the home ticketing pricing is a tad less painful than this year’s ECL.
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Don’t fancy a visit from Rangers again
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Off the top of my head, can't really remember too many problems with their supporters at English away games in recent years. They acted like twats in Manchester when they made a final, but there were at least ten times as many of them there as there would be at Villa Park. Legia another issue. I hope we'd deny them any tickets and UEFA wouldn't stand in our way.
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Moving onto more positive thoughts - if we tweak the squad well, we can balance our league campaign better in the front end, and there are some fun potential games there.
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Legia Warsaw have four qualifying rounds to get through. Which seems unlikely.
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Moving onto more positive thoughts - if we tweak the squad well, we can balance our league campaign better in the front end, and there are some fun potential games there.
This was my take on Europa League too. I don't think we'll go as far as Chelsea and leave top players out of the European squad, but we should be able to use some players a little less, and maybe even bring in some of the younger players at times, build up their experience and playing time.
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I think Chelsea have a lot more young players who are pretty close to being first team standard already. Even though we won the youth "treble" this year, I feel that our youngsters are mostly a loan or two away from being good enough to be options against decent European opposition.
We ran out of legs last year. If you take Disasi, Rashford and Asensio out of our current squad, it isn't much stronger than it was then. So whether we will have a strong enough squad to compete on all fronts will likely depend on how many players we are able to (re-)sign.
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Moving onto more positive thoughts - if we tweak the squad well, we can balance our league campaign better in the front end, and there are some fun potential games there.
This was my take on Europa League too. I don't think we'll go as far as Chelsea and leave top players out of the European squad, but we should be able to use some players a little less, and maybe even bring in some of the younger players at times, build up their experience and playing time.
All well and good but there’s still some decent teams in there and it’s not something UE has done too much in the past.
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Again, not saying do a Chelsea on it, but maybe the likes of Barkley or Ramsey gets a full 90 midweek while Tielemans or Rogers gets a day off. Some of the squad played an awful lot of football this season, arguably unnecessarily. You'd like to think we're not fielding the same team against the likes of SK Sigma Olomouc as we would have against Bayern Munich, for example.
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Yeah, sure. That seems entirely sensible.
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Funny how the Europa League feels like the Zenith Data Systems Cup this evening.
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Could be worse, I suppose. Thank fuck Wood decided to twat one over the bar with minutes left of the Forest game today.
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Our youths won three comps?! Wow, go on da boiz.
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Funny how the Europa League feels like the Zenith Data Systems Cup this evening.
Understandable really, with all the European trophies we've won.
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All over in Serie A. Juventus won in the end to take the final Champions League spot, so Roma take a Europa League place, along with cup winners Bologna.
I reckon it will be between Villa and Roma for who starts the tournament as favourites.
Lille will be tough too.
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French League (except for PSG) is in shit due to a TV deal falling through, I think. Maybe they'll be forced to sell players.
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Same as this season. Finish top 8, bypass last 32 and see who's left when we come into the last 16 in the March.
We can't be deriding Man. United/Spurs and then claiming this competition is beyond us with endless amazing teams.
Got to be looking to win this.
If someone streetwise could knock out Palace before we get to the last 16 then that would be ideal!
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French League (except for PSG) is in shit due to a TV deal falling through, I think. Maybe they'll be forced to sell players.
And losing two of their best players (David and Gomes) for nothing isn't going to help them rebuild much either.
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Too soon. Raw
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Same as this season. Finish top 8, bypass last 32 and see who's left when we come into the last 16 in the March.
We can't be deriding Man. United/Spurs and then claiming this competition is beyond us with endless amazing teams.
Got to be looking to win this.
If someone streetwise could knock out Palace before we get to the last 16 then that would be ideal!
Please God/Allah/Brahma/Zeus/Baal/Ahura Mazda/Ra/Jove/Huitzilopochtli and all the lads, let someone (preferably foreign and not in the Europa League) sign Eze and Sarr this summer so we might actually have a chance against the bastards.
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Same as this season. Finish top 8, bypass last 32 and see who's left when we come into the last 16 in the March.
We can't be deriding Man. United/Spurs and then claiming this competition is beyond us with endless amazing teams.
Got to be looking to win this.
If someone streetwise could knock out Palace before we get to the last 16 then that would be ideal!
Please God/Allah/Brahma/Zeus/Baal/Ahura Mazda/Ra/Jove/Huitzilopochtli and all the lads, let someone (preferably foreign and not in the Europa League) sign Eze and Sarr this summer so we might actually have a chance against the bastards.
And Mateta, just to be safe.
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Same as this season. Finish top 8, bypass last 32 and see who's left when we come into the last 16 in the March.
We can't be deriding Man. United/Spurs and then claiming this competition is beyond us with endless amazing teams.
Got to be looking to win this.
If someone streetwise could knock out Palace before we get to the last 16 then that would be ideal!
Please God/Allah/Brahma/Zeus/Baal/Ahura Mazda/Ra/Jove/Huitzilopochtli and all the lads, let someone (preferably foreign and not in the Europa League) sign Eze and Sarr this summer so we might actually have a chance against the bastards.
And Mateta, just to be safe.
Good idea. We might need Odin on the case, too.
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Win it or get someone else in Villa - especially if we lose to Palace again!
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Don't talk pish.
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Europe 3 years in a row - unimaginable just a few short years ago. .
Europa league is fine, we should embrace it and do our darnedest to win it and go for top 4 again.
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Looking at the Europa League sides there’s nothing scary in there. Other than Crystal Palace and Aston Villa on a big occasion.
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Same as this season. Finish top 8, bypass last 32 and see who's left when we come into the last 16 in the March.
We can't be deriding Man. United/Spurs and then claiming this competition is beyond us with endless amazing teams.
Got to be looking to win this.
If someone streetwise could knock out Palace before we get to the last 16 then that would be ideal!
Please God/Allah/Brahma/Zeus/Baal/Ahura Mazda/Ra/Jove/Huitzilopochtli and all the lads, let someone (preferably foreign and not in the Europa League) sign Eze and Sarr this summer so we might actually have a chance against the bastards.
And Mateta, just to be safe.
Wouldn't mind seeing us take Mateta tbh.
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WMP would probably prefer if we didn't draw Rangers, Maccabi Tel Aviv, Legia Warsaw and Utrecht at home.
Battle of the condiments 2.0
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Palace are going to find their resources stretched being in a 4th competition. Of course if they find a way to get through the group stage and play us…well you know the rest.
Well it depends if they outscore us more at Selhurst then we do against them at Villa Park.
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Imagine we will take it pretty seriously. As well as an important competition, it's another route into the Champion's League.
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It's a great way to blood younger players, like he did at Arsenal with Saka and Martinelli. Given that we need to lower the wage to turnover ratio to comply with Uefa rules, it makes sense to bring in players like Nypan and Cherki.
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Can’t wait tbh. Will miss the first two match days as I’m away in the US but can’t wait to get the planning boots on for travel and hotels again. Watching the seeding pots fill up with some good names over the next few days/weeks should bring some excitement to the summer as well. Onwards….
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I genuinely think the only that can beat Aston Villa in the Europa League is Aston Villa.
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Europa is better, by a good way, than Conference. So I'm happy we got this at least, and it's another chance to qualify for the CL, which is where we really ought to be.
This isn't a competition for 'going far' in though, it's something we need to win.
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Booked hotel room in Istanbul already. Anyone else?
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Best book an appointment with a carpet factory while you're there. Their rugs are to die for.
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Booked hotel room in Istanbul already. Anyone else?
Not yet. Are prices much above average for the final dates? For those that have been, where should be looking at staying?
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Booked hotel room in Istanbul already. Anyone else?
Not yet. Are prices much above average for the final dates? For those that have been, where should be looking at staying?
Constantinople.
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Let’s call the whole thing off!
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Typical the one year we qualify for this it's the season when the final is being played at a smaller ground than the Conference League final...
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Booked hotel room in Istanbul already. Anyone else?
No Paulie, don’t fancy watching Viking Stavanger v Azerbaijani United in the final.
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Best book an appointment with a carpet factory while you're there. Their rugs are to die for.
Teeth whitening? Hair transplants anyone?
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Not yet. Are prices much above average for the final dates? For those that have been, where should be looking at staying?
I visited last year and got a bestiktas game in, stayed in taxsim and walked to the stadium
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I see Celta Vigo and Real Betis are the Spanish representatives. I they are in it every time we qualify.
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Two words.
Crystal Palace. .
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Booked hotel room in Istanbul already. Anyone else?
Yes. In the Besiktas area, near the stadium.
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Two words.
Crystal Palace. .
Extra words. Lots of other teams, and HOME and away legs.
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Europa is better, by a good way, than Conference. So I'm happy we got this at least, and it's another chance to qualify for the CL, which is where we really ought to be.
This isn't a competition for 'going far' in though, it's something we need to win.
I think it's a competition where we can field an almost second string side for many of the games, particularly in the league stage. That means we can really prioritise the Premier League and pushing to get back into those Champions League places.
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Europa is better, by a good way, than Conference. So I'm happy we got this at least, and it's another chance to qualify for the CL, which is where we really ought to be.
This isn't a competition for 'going far' in though, it's something we need to win.
I think it's a competition where we can field an almost second string side for many of the games, particularly in the league stage. That means we can really prioritise the Premier League and pushing to get back into those Champions League places.
Or take the Spurs route into CL football. Doesn't matter where we finish, as long as we win the Europa!
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Now teams getting eliminated from the Champions league to the Europa league no longer exists, this should be a lot easier to win. Under the previous rules no way would Spurs have won it.
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It's absolutely true it is an easier competition to win than the Champions' League but that doesn't mean that it's a cakewalk. Great to have another potential route to CL qualification though.
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Now teams getting eliminated from the Champions league to the Europa league no longer exists, this should be a lot easier to win. Under the previous rules no way would Spurs have won it.
The rejigged format means the CL has eight extra teams, I think, so the overall quality is reduced too.
All Sunday games are now televised, so with Thursday/Sunday football we will get more £900k lumps from Sky/TNT for each game.
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In our last two semi final appearances, Conference League and FA Cup, we have had our arses handed to us on a plate...so not overly confident of a trip to Istanbul if I'm honest.
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I assume we'll play Go Ahead Eagles, and lose.
Doubt we would lose to Go Ahead, they are not very good. Hope we do play them, as Deventer is only 15 minutes drive from my Dutch office. I follow Zwolle as my Dutch team, so not a fan of Go Ahead.
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I assume we'll play Go Ahead Eagles, and lose.
Doubt we would lose to Go Ahead, they are not very good. Hope we do play them, as Deventer is only 15 minutes drive from my Dutch office. I follow Zwolle as my Dutch team, so not a fan of Go Ahead.
Eagles.
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I assume we'll play Go Ahead Eagles, and lose.
Doubt we would lose to Go Ahead, they are not very good. Hope we do play them, as Deventer is only 15 minutes drive from my Dutch office. I follow Zwolle as my Dutch team, so not a fan of Go Ahead.
They have the same name as the Palace nick-name.
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Now teams getting eliminated from the Champions league to the Europa league no longer exists, this should be a lot easier to win. Under the previous rules no way would Spurs have won it.
The rejigged format means the CL has eight extra teams, I think, so the overall quality is reduced too.
All Sunday games are now televised, so with Thursday/Sunday football we will get more £900k lumps from Sky/TNT for each game.
My Missus will be thrilled about all our extra TV games.
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Now teams getting eliminated from the Champions league to the Europa league no longer exists, this should be a lot easier to win. Under the previous rules no way would Spurs have won it.
Only 8 times has a CL drop out won the Europa in 20 odd years. I suspect normally those teams have either not been good enough, or had a high league position anyway so didn't need to push for Europa win for CL qualification
The rejigged format means the CL has eight extra teams, I think, so the overall quality is reduced too.
All Sunday games are now televised, so with Thursday/Sunday football we will get more £900k lumps from Sky/TNT for each game.
Are they? Not seen that anywhere in announcements when checking. Noticed more midweek matches and Friday matches announced plus all games on the final day.
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At least Rapid Vienna aren't in this .
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Now teams getting eliminated from the Champions league to the Europa league no longer exists, this should be a lot easier to win. Under the previous rules no way would Spurs have won it.
Only 8 times has a CL drop out won the Europa in 20 odd years. I suspect normally those teams have either not been good enough, or had a high league position anyway so didn't need to push for Europa win for CL qualification
The rejigged format means the CL has eight extra teams, I think, so the overall quality is reduced too.
All Sunday games are now televised, so with Thursday/Sunday football we will get more £900k lumps from Sky/TNT for each game.
Are they? Not seen that anywhere in announcements when checking. Noticed more midweek matches and Friday matches announced plus all games on the final day.
Only 40%? That's really high isn't it?
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Now teams getting eliminated from the Champions league to the Europa league no longer exists, this should be a lot easier to win. Under the previous rules no way would Spurs have won it.
Only 8 times has a CL drop out won the Europa in 20 odd years. I suspect normally those teams have either not been good enough, or had a high league position anyway so didn't need to push for Europa win for CL qualification
Only 40%? That's really high isn't it?
Well it is less then that as it was 8 out of 25. But just stating the odds were not in favour of someone dropping down and stopping Spurs or Manure from reaching the final. Obviously the chance is now 0 of someone dropping down midway through from the CL so even better for us.
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At least Rapid Vienna aren't in this .
Unfortunately Crystal Bastard Palace are.
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At least Rapid Vienna aren't in this .
Unfortunately Crystal Bastard Palace are.
Wherever we go, we.......... :'(
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At least Rapid Vienna aren't in this .
😃 I was just thinking the same thing! Am I right in thinking Forest will end up in this competition if Chelsea win tomorrow?
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Forest are already in the conference. The question seemed to be whether 8th would get a position if Chelsea won but only if they finished outside the CL places. So no, no changes whatever happens tomorrow in the Final.
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At least Rapid Vienna aren't in this .
Unfortunately Crystal Bastard Palace are.
Wherevewr we go, we.......... :'(
At least Rapid Vienna aren't in this .
Unfortunately Crystal Bastard Palace are.
Wherever we go, we.......... :'(
Ironically, if we play them in the final Istanbul will be easier to get to than Selhurst Park.
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Forest are already in the conference. The question seemed to be whether 8th would get a position if Chelsea won but only if they finished outside the CL places. So no, no changes whatever happens tomorrow in the Final.
At least Forest fans can wholeheartedly support Betis in the Final then, a small crumb of comfort.
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Forest are already in the conference. The question seemed to be whether 8th would get a position if Chelsea won but only if they finished outside the CL places. So no, no changes whatever happens tomorrow in the Final.
At least Forest fans can wholeheartedly support Betis in the Final then, a small crumb of comfort.
We are all Betis tomorrow night.
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Midtjylland feel like a nice 90s Villa defeat type team.
Yes in a sort of Banik Ostrava type way. Edit...we beat them.
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Now teams getting eliminated from the Champions league to the Europa league no longer exists, this should be a lot easier to win. Under the previous rules no way would Spurs have won it.
Only 8 times has a CL drop out won the Europa in 20 odd years. I suspect normally those teams have either not been good enough, or had a high league position anyway so didn't need to push for Europa win for CL qualification
The rejigged format means the CL has eight extra teams, I think, so the overall quality is reduced too.
All Sunday games are now televised, so with Thursday/Sunday football we will get more £900k lumps from Sky/TNT for each game.
Are they? Not seen that anywhere in announcements when checking. Noticed more midweek matches and Friday matches announced plus all games on the final day.
https://www.premierleague.com/news/3807882
They have the ability to show 'multiple' or the 'majority' of Sunday 1400 kick-off games, so there's a good chance we'll be shown in some shape or form more than not.
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I think it is that line that is key.
For the first time in the UK, all matches taking place outside of the Saturday 3pm "closed period", including those displaced to Sunday 2pm because of club participation in European competitions, will be broadcast live.
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Sky's adverts have focussed on there being 215 live games next year but I think their marketing department missed a trick. It's just a big number, and we're used to hearing that sort of thing every time there's a new deal coming in.
It sounds more impressive you think there must be 380 games a season. And there's even more context when you know that's 56% of all league games.
But it means more when you know that for each matchday weekend, they'll be showing 5 or 6 of the possible 10 games.
And that's just Sky. There will probably only be 3 Saturday 3pm games that aren't televised most weekends.
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Sky's adverts have focussed on there being 215 live games next year but I think their marketing department missed a trick.
By not having more Villa in it.
*If it's the same ad I'm thinking of.
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I don't even remember anything they showed in the ad other than their big claim about the number of games they're showing.
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Forest are already in the conference. The question seemed to be whether 8th would get a position if Chelsea won but only if they finished outside the CL places. So no, no changes whatever happens tomorrow in the Final.
At least Forest fans can wholeheartedly support Betis in the Final then, a small crumb of comfort.
We are all Betis tomorrow night.
We are all bourgeois now (McCarthy*, 1986)
*Not Mick, he's a thick fucker from Barnsley as Roy Keane might have put it.
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Now the dust has settled, I'm actually more than OK with us playing in the Europa League. Let's be realistic, we aren't going to win the Champions League, but this is a trophy we can and probably should win on paper based on the teams that are in it. Having said that, we need to be competing for those top 4 spots each season now. That's the standard we have set ourselves and to not be competitive in each competition should be seen as falling short.
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I know the potential to win a trophy is nice, but the CL is the only place to be.
The prestige, the kudos, the occasion of every single game.
And as someone said about the CL, the first season in it is for the benefit of the fans, subsequent years are for the benefit of the club.
I’ll miss it.
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Now the dust has settled, I'm actually more than OK with us playing in the Europa League. Let's be realistic, we aren't going to win the Champions League, but this is a trophy we can and probably should win on paper based on the teams that are in it. Having said that, we need to be competing for those top 4 spots each season now. That's the standard we have set ourselves and to not be competitive in each competition should be seen as falling short.
I think the Europa League gives us the opportunity to have a shot at winning it without having to field a full strength side in every game. Means we can really prioritise the Premier League and try and finish in the top 4/5.
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Now the dust has settled, I'm actually more than OK with us playing in the Europa League. Let's be realistic, we aren't going to win the Champions League, but this is a trophy we can and probably should win on paper based on the teams that are in it. Having said that, we need to be competing for those top 4 spots each season now. That's the standard we have set ourselves and to not be competitive in each competition should be seen as falling short.
I think the Europa League gives us the opportunity to have a shot at winning it without having to field a full strength side in every game. Means we can really prioritise the Premier League and try and finish in the top 4/5.
Exactly. Keeping players fit would be nice too….fewer long-term injuries is crucial.
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Midtjylland feel like a nice 90s Villa defeat type team.
Yes in a sort of Banik Ostrava type way. Edit...we beat them.
Trabzonspor and Helsingborgs were our epic (away goals) fails in the 90s.
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Midtjylland feel like a nice 90s Villa defeat type team.
Yes in a sort of Banik Ostrava type way. Edit...we beat them.
Trabzonspor and Helsingborgs were our epic (away goals) fails in the 90s.
You missed out Varteks which was even worse.
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Midtjylland feel like a nice 90s Villa defeat type team.
Yes in a sort of Banik Ostrava type way. Edit...we beat them.
Trabzonspor and Helsingborgs were our epic (away goals) fails in the 90s.
You missed out Varteks which was even worse.
In the 00s but definitely of the same ilk. We beat better quality teams to win the Intertoto.
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I got fed up with losing to sides I had never heard of.
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Varteks had a row of Leylandia behind one of the goals
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Midtjylland feel like a nice 90s Villa defeat type team.
Yes in a sort of Banik Ostrava type way. Edit...we beat them.
Trabzonspor and Helsingborgs were our epic (away goals) fails in the 90s.
You missed out Varteks which was even worse.
In the 00s but definitely of the same ilk. We beat better quality teams to win the Intertoto.
Sorry missed the 90s reference. I remember my now ex wife having to come into the room to stop me swearing at the TV watching that Varteks away performance. It was an absolute disgrace. I’d just about forgiven Gregory for the Atleti Qtr final performance and then he served that up.
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In the early 70s, Bristol Rovers had a bed of flowers behind each goal at Eastville.
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Midtjylland feel like a nice 90s Villa defeat type team.
Yes in a sort of Banik Ostrava type way. Edit...we beat them.
Trabzonspor and Helsingborgs were our epic (away goals) fails in the 90s.
Falling to Trabzonspor after the epic against Inter Milan was so Aston Villa.
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In the early 70s, Bristol Rovers had a bed of flowers behind each goal at Eastville.
Kents Canterbury ground had a Lime tree within the boundary rope until it blew down in 2005.
(https://i.ibb.co/kgzJF2R1/Lime-Tree-Spitfire-Ground-kent-cricket-kcht-tours-jpg-opt583x354o0-0s583x354.jpg) (https://ibb.co/kgzJF2R1)
(https://i.ibb.co/wNpdWqnm/Old-Lime-Tree-fallen-Spitfire-Ground-Kent-Cricket.jpg) (https://ibb.co/wNpdWqnm)
(https://imgbb.com/)
https://www.kentcricket.co.uk/news/kent-crickets-lime-tree-legend/
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I used to like that. They had to have it especially written into the rules that it was four if it hit the tree at Canterbury. I like weird quirks like that. I'm also a fan of that Portuguese ground where one of the ends is a quarry (Braga?).
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Dinamo Zagreb confirmed in league stage. They took Conference League winners spot by virtue of having highest UEFA coefficient out of teams in qualifiers.
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Samsunspor are in the playoff round having scored twice in injury time to win 2-1. Besiktas enter in the first qualifying round.
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I think that's all the qualifiers confirmed now (excluding the teams that drop from Champions League qualifying rounds).
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I visited St Lawrence's ground once just to see the old tree in 2001. I am so glad that a replacement tree was planted in 2005.
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Aye, 11 from CL qualifiers, 12 from EL qualifiers so we're going to be none the wiser for some time.
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Long shot, but the first round proper is over two days, the 24 or 25 September.
Anyone know how the dates are chosen? Looking to do a long weekend away arranged around a Thursday game (25th) so a clue on who has a 50/50 chance of playing that day would be great.
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I don't think we know anything.
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At least it wasn't that pair of cvnts who chainsaw'd down the famous Sycamore Gap tree at Hadrian's Wall.
If it was Mother Nature herself, well, you just gotta let her do her thing, I guess.
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Looking to do a long weekend away arranged around a Thursday game (25th) so a clue on who has a 50/50 chance of playing that day would be great.
The draw's on Aug. 29th so we'll know then. That still gives you almost 4 weeks to book something nice.
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Looking to do a long weekend away arranged around a Thursday game (25th) so a clue on who has a 50/50 chance of playing that day would be great.
The draw's on Aug. 29th so we'll know then. That still gives you almost 4 weeks to book something nice.
Sorry to be that pedantic twat but didn’t we find out the day afterwards what order and where we played our games? Or was it that evening?
That said as BV says you’ll have about 4 weeks to do something. I’m hoping for 2 really shit games for the first two match days as I’m in the US.
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On the day of the draw we knew who we were playing, it was the next day that we knew times due to security induced changes.
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Is it true that we've been fucked into Pot 2 so we're not a top seed?
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We don't know yet. There will be nine top seeds. Five teams that are definitely in the League Stage are ranked above us. If fewer than four more teams that are seeded above us end up in the League Stage, either by progressing from the Europa League Qualifiers or dropping from the Champions League Qualifiers, we will be top seeds. If four or more better-ranked teams qualify, we will be among the second seeds. Not that it really matters. We still play two teams from each seeding pot, anyway.
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Yep we were in pot 4 in the Champs League and it didn’t seem to do us much harm.
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All seeding is in the current competition is a method of sorting. You are no more likely to get a harder draw in any of the pots. Also, any "projected seedings" are bullshit at this stage. Nearly 2/3rds of our potential opponents aren't known yet so they're just guessing.
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For anyone who wants to check, we are 45th at the moment.
https://www.uefa.com/nationalassociations/uefarankings/club/?year=2025
Of the teams above us, most are guaranteed CL or aren't in Europe at all. Some will be dropping in qualifiers.
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All seeding is in the current competition is a method of sorting. You are no more likely to get a harder draw in any of the pots. Also, any "projected seedings" are bullshit at this stage. Nearly 2/3rds of our potential opponents aren't known yet so they're just guessing.
Yeah, you're getting 2 clubs from each of the brackets anyway so there's no disadvantage to being seeded lower. I can't think of a way you could game having an artificially higher/lower seeding either, really - it's as likely to work against you as it is to go in your favour.
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I think the Europa League is a decent tournament and a proper trophy if we manage to win it.
Gutted we didn't make the CL, but hopefully the players will see it as an opportunity.
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It gives us two paths into the CL also. Shit as it is to miss out next season we can get back into it.
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It will feel like after the Lord Mayors show.
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It will feel like after the Lord Mayors show.
It depends how we do in the domestic league to some extent. Had spurs finished 3rd or 4th and won the europa it would be one of their best ever seasons.
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It will feel like after the Lord Mayors show.
It depends how we do in the domestic league to some extent. Had spurs finished 3rd or 4th and won the europa it would be one of their best ever seasons.
The respective league positions of the finalists significantly undermines the prestige of this competition.
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Apart from the loss of CL revenue, I'm looking forward to the Europa League because we have a good chance of winning it. We need to win a cup and then move forward, hopefully using that experience in the Champions League.
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It will feel like after the Lord Mayors show.
It depends how we do in the domestic league to some extent. Had spurs finished 3rd or 4th and won the europa it would be one of their best ever seasons.
The respective league positions of the finalists significantly undermines the prestige of this competition.
Does it really matter where they are in the league? They qualified by their league position but once you’re in it, you’re in it. I think people are conflating their distaste for all things Man U and Spuds with distaste for the secondary UEFA competition which is on a par with the FA Cup which was won by Crystal Sodding Palace who finished <checks notes> 12th.
I just don’t get the sniffy attitude of so many on here to European Qualification. It should be the bare minimum we accept for a club of our size.
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1 final, 2 semi finals, 5 quarter finals. 1 trophy. Not a record that speaks to a snobbish attitude to Europe.
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1 final, 2 semi finals, 5 quarter finals. 1 trophy. Not a record that speaks to a snobbish attitude to Europe.
I agree that it’s pretty meagre fare Ads but since Emery arrived there’s been a distinct undercurrent on here of “we can’t be doing with this Europe nonsense”, “it’s a distraction we don’t need”, “focus on something else” etc etc. if we’re aiming to be the club we want us to be then qualifying for Europe each season is one of the benchmarks I’d put on us achieving each season.
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The only thing that bothers me is we were one of the favourites for the Conference League, even more so after West Ham won it and it’ll be the same in next seasons Europa especially with our managers record. Can we live up to the expectations?!
I’d obviously rather be in the biggie but I’m quite looking forward to it.
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It will feel like after the Lord Mayors show.
It depends how we do in the domestic league to some extent. Had spurs finished 3rd or 4th and won the europa it would be one of their best ever seasons.
The respective league positions of the finalists significantly undermines the prestige of this competition.
You're right, the European Cup was a pointless trophy when we entered it. Forest only finished 7th in the league when they won it. And 12th the season after.
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Here's a question, would you accept a season like Spurs had just had? I.e. win the Europa League but finish 17th?
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Yep. I wonder if Unai would still be here for the final if we did, though.
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The only thing that bothers me is we were one of the favourites for the Conference League, even more so after West Ham won it and it’ll be the same in next seasons Europa especially with our managers record. Can we live up to the expectations?!
I’d obviously rather be in the biggie but I’m quite looking forward to it.
I suspect if we had concentrated on one competition (Conference) at the expense of the league, we would have won it. But as we had the opportunity of 3rd/ 4th and a solid try at the league win up until Jan, the expenditure of energy cost us in Europe and almost in the league as well.
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Here's a question, would you accept a season like Spurs had just had? I.e. win the Europa League but finish 17th?
Yes.
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Here's a question, would you accept a season like Spurs had just had? I.e. win the Europa League but finish 17th?
No, the league form would have too much of an impact on Unai and 'the project'.
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No agreed - 17th would be utterly unacceptable, and it should be for Spurs.
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Financially, qualifying for and playing in the CL is regarded as a more successful season than winning the Europa.
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Financially, qualifying for and playing in the CL is regarded as a more successful season than winning the Europa.
Fair point but you don't get a trophy for finances. If we could win the Europa Cup it would be massive. It would smash that glass ceiling that seems to be affecting our players and hopefully push us on to the next level. Winning breeds winners.
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I don’t think it does if you completely fail in the league at the same time. If you perform well in the league AND win the Europa league then absolutely.
Also, can you imagine how awful the feeling around the club would be if we were getting turned over every week? Spurs got lucky they were the least bad team, but it’s not a model to follow.
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I don’t think it does if you completely fail in the league at the same time. If you perform well in the league AND win the Europa league then absolutely.
Also, can you imagine how awful the feeling around the club would be if we were getting turned over every week? Spurs got lucky they were the least bad team, but it’s not a model to follow.
Spurs is not a model to follow and that's not what I'm saying. Pushing for top 4 is where we expect to be now. Winning a cup be it Europa or otherwise would hopefully be a catalyst for further success.
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Here's a question, would you accept a season like Spurs had just had? I.e. win the Europa League but finish 17th?
Usually I’d put a trophy above finishing 4th, however “the journey” must’ve been horrid with 80% of weekends ruined.
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Same as this season. Finish top 8, bypass last 32 and see who's left when we come into the last 16 in the March.
We can't be deriding Man. United/Spurs and then claiming this competition is beyond us with endless amazing teams.
Got to be looking to win this.
If someone streetwise could knock out Palace before we get to the last 16 then that would be ideal!
Please God/Allah/Brahma/Zeus/Baal/Ahura Mazda/Ra/Jove/Huitzilopochtli and all the lads, let someone (preferably foreign and not in the Europa League) sign Eze and Sarr this summer so we might actually have a chance against the bastards.
And Mateta, just to be safe.
Maybe we could sign Mateta?
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It will feel like after the Lord Mayors show.
It depends how we do in the domestic league to some extent. Had spurs finished 3rd or 4th and won the europa it would be one of their best ever seasons.
The respective league positions of the finalists significantly undermines the prestige of this competition.
You're right, the European Cup was a pointless trophy when we entered it. Forest only finished 7th in the league when they won it. And 12th the season after.
Fantastic comparison, spot on.
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It will feel like after the Lord Mayors show.
It depends how we do in the domestic league to some extent. Had spurs finished 3rd or 4th and won the europa it would be one of their best ever seasons.
The respective league positions of the finalists significantly undermines the prestige of this competition.
You're right, the European Cup was a pointless trophy when we entered it. Forest only finished 7th in the league when they won it. And 12th the season after.
Fantastic comparison, spot on.
Thanks, though it was your point that really did all the work.
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Two words.
Crystal Palace. .
might be kicked out of Europa yet ?
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No. Not worth the misery and league form is a reflection of where you are.
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Two words.
Crystal Palace. .
might be kicked out of Europa yet ?
Should be expelled from the Premier League, Football League and UEFA just for the fact they have a twat with a drum.
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Here's a question, would you accept a season like Spurs had just had? I.e. win the Europa League but finish 17th?
Usually I’d put a trophy above finishing 4th, however “the journey” must’ve been horrid with 80% of weekends ruined.
My thoughts too. Although Spurs fans seem to be pretty happy about things at the moment.
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EUFA have rejected Crystal Palace's owners plans to put their shares into a 'blind' trust,don't ask,as they missed the deadline. One owner owns shares in Lyon also in the Europa League,.Lyon's league position was higher than Palace's,so it's Palace who have to miss out.
They can't be relegated to the Conference as the other owner holds shares in Brondby.
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It is starting to sound like they might actually be banned from Europe. Does seem a bit daft that you have to do the blind trust thing two months before most teams know if they're in Europe.
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2025/jun/05/crystal-palace-europe-place-uefa-rejects-owners-blind-trust-move
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Their owners have been stupid.Having shares in Lyon and Brondby who are no strangers to European football and Palace finished last season strongly.So a top 7 finish or a League Cup win not outlandish.
A FA Cup win somewhat remote as teams in the CL like Villa take it more serious,oh...
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Maybe, it's a shame for their supporters though. Even more so if it means Brighton qualify, bit of a kick in the teeth.
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Maguire dismissed this possibility out of hand on his podcast, which I listened to yesterday (don’t know when it came out).
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They’ll be fine and UEFA will help them navigate it. We had similar issues lest we forget.
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We had more time to deal with the issues.
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Draw for the First Qualifying Round made today at 1400. There is also the draw for the First Qualifying Round of the Champions League at 1300... doesn't affect us yet, but from the Second Qualifying round onwards the losers will drop straight into the Europa League (either into the qualifying rounds or straight into the group stage, depending on the round of elimination).
Preliminary Europa League pairings here...
https://bsky.app/profile/footrankings.bsky.social/post/3lrrv75fs2p2a
Champions League pairings here...
https://bsky.app/profile/footrankings.bsky.social/post/3lrrv5npp5p2y
Hopefully Legia get twatted.
Draws for all the Second Qualifying Rounds are tomorrow.
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Shelbourne vs Linfield in Champions League Qualifier, so one of them will enter the Europa League (assuming they don't make it all the way to the CL League stage).
https://bsky.app/profile/footrankings.bsky.social/post/3lrshzdebsd24
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You’re having a typo nightmare cd!
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I even went back and amended it to a different wrong spelling!
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There's the Europa League First Qualifying Round:
https://bsky.app/profile/footrankings.bsky.social/post/3lrsl3sorx72v
Back tomorrow with even more fun!
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AEK larnaca please 😃
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I had a look and by my reckoning one team from this round got through to the league stage last season so someone would have to have a good run to make it. Hopefully Legia Bellends get knocked out nice and early.
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Maguire dismissed this possibility out of hand on his podcast, which I listened to yesterday (don’t know when it came out).
Kieron's gone to shit during the same time that his big-head cousin Harry has fought back from the brink. Families, eh?
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I want Legia through or Poznan for a Polish visit.
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I want Legia through or Poznan for a Polish visit.
Polands a wonderful place bud just ashame about the football fans. I would wantvto avoid legia at all costs aftee what happened a few seasons ago. There is bad blood with their fans
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Here's the Second Qualifying Round draw for the Europa League. Winners from this round go into the Third Qualifying Round which is the penultimate set of qualifying ties before we enter in the League Stage.
https://bsky.app/profile/footrankings.bsky.social/post/3lruuy62klq25
Here's the Second Qualifying Round of the Champions League, split into two sections. The losers from this round will drop into the Third Qualifying Round of the Europa League. Winners will still drop into the Europa League if they lose in either of the remaining Champions League qualifying rounds.
https://bsky.app/profile/footrankings.bsky.social/post/3lrusg6clcx2v
https://bsky.app/profile/footrankings.bsky.social/post/3lrushncnpy25
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Winners in the Champions path could still end up in Conference League if they lose CL 3QR and EL playoff round.
Winners of the main path drop straight into league stage from CL 3QR.
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Winners in the Champions path could still end up in Conference League if they lose CL 3QR and EL playoff round.
Winners of the main path drop straight into league stage from CL 3QR.
That’s yer hope for the likes of TNS, win the first round qualifier for the Champions League and then you only have to win 1 more game to qualify for the Conference League and bank a load of money from that. Guess the same would be true for the Irish sides
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Yeah, I think The New Saints and Shamrock Rovers both played in all three competitions last season.
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Yeah, I think The New Saints and Shamrock Rovers both played in all three competitions last season.
Shelbourne should beat Linfield and have a chance to do the same.
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Qarabag (Azerbaijan) in 2QR if they get through.
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I worry Damien Duff wil do something silly at Windsor Park, like stick a tricolour flag in the centre-circle.
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EUFA have rejected Crystal Palace's owners plans to put their shares into a 'blind' trust,don't ask,as they missed the deadline. One owner owns shares in Lyon also in the Europa League,.Lyon's league position was higher than Palace's,so it's Palace who have to miss out.
They can't be relegated to the Conference as the other owner holds shares in Brondby.
Drogheda have been kicked out of the Conference League due to multi club ownership rules. Will cost them at least €500K which is big money for LOI clubs
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I worry Damien Duff wil do something silly at Windsor Park, like stick a tricolour flag up his arse.
Ftfy
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Palace decision delayed again.
Edit: Awaiting Lyon appeal on relegation.
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Palace decision delayed again.
Edit: Awaiting Lyon appeal on relegation.
I missed this - what happens if they get expelled. Does another English team take their place?
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Forest would move up from Conference League to Europa League, Brighton would take Forest's Conference League spot. Just as well Forest didn't get a late goal on the final day of the season or we wouldn't know which competition we were in and would be getting very pissed off with these delays.
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If i was a betting man i think palace will be allowed to stay in europa
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You would have thought that it would have been announced that they were fine no matter what happens with Lyon. But it still seems to be hanging on that decision. Maybe they want an easier justification in case of others complaining (Drogheda?) so if Lyon lose their position, Palace are in, no lawsuits. If Lyon win and they still allow Palace in, they have to justify the difference being as plans needed to be in place by 1st March.
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Lyon have been reinstated to Ligue One so a decision on Palace should be this week.
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Top 2 in the leagues have constant home second legs all the way to the Semi final in the new rules. Not sure what happens if, like this year, Liverpool get knocked out by a lower team placed team in the R16. I'm assuming PSG would still be playing all the second legs away.
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The lower placed team takes the second leg home advantage, if they beat one of the top group finishers
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So PSG would have still been home 2nd leg of the semi (and against us) if the rules were in place last season. Just pointing out because it was one of the moans Arse had "Mwah, we finished third and should have had home advantage as they finished 15th. We also beat them anyway because of XG".
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Well we don’t have to worry about Palace they’ve been demoted to the conference league.
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Palace demoted. Europa League - it’s on.
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And Forest selling their best players also won’t help. Of course I’ve jinxed us now and Emi, Kamara, Ollie and Konsa will be sold this week.
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Oh great so Palace game will be moved... again. To a shitey Sunday, that's even worse than a Friday game.
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How come it will be moved?
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They'll have a Conference League Play-Off game the day before. International week afterwards so assuming it can't be on the Monday so will almost certainly be on Sunday. Boooo.
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Palace demoted. Europa League - it’s on.
Oh that's a shame. Not to worry. Nevermind.
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Joking aside, Palace fans don't deserve that....will they appeal?
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There's nothing wrong with the Conference League - just ask West Ham.
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I was just about to book train and hotel for that Friday night! FFS
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Joking aside, Palace fans don't deserve that....will they appeal?
Yes.
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The reporter on Sky is apoplectic in his reporting of the demotion, embarrassing himself greatly in the process. Talking like a fan, “ would this happen to Real Madrid etc. suck it up Palace, you’ve had enough time to get your shit in place.
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They haven't really. They changed the rules at the end of February to be effective 1st March. By all means change the rules but give teams some time to comply with them.
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If i have read it correctly it was down to the owners having shares in both teams? So why did they not dump / sell shares like we did in the Portuguese team?
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If i have read it correctly it was down to the owners having shares in both teams? So why did they not dump / sell shares like we did in the Portuguese team?
I think they tried but didn’t pull it off in time .
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You have to feel sorry for the Palace fans,players and manager etc.
Not as if they are queuing up to play in Europe every year.
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You have to feel sorry for the Palace fans,players and manager etc.
Not as if they are queuing up to play in Europe every year.
I get that but the demotion will probably see them as favourites for the trophy, just as every English club is.
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If i have read it correctly it was down to the owners having shares in both teams? So why did they not dump / sell shares like we did in the Portuguese team?
They have, but haven't satisfied UEFA that they don't having ruling interest in each. I think.
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You have to feel sorry for the Palace fans,players and manager etc.
Not as if they are queuing up to play in Europe every year.
I get that but the demotion will probably see them as favourites for the trophy, just as every English club is.
I am sorry, but given recent history, while not revelling in this news, I am less than gutted for them.
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You have to feel sorry for the Palace fans,players and manager etc.
Not as if they are queuing up to play in Europe every year.
I get that but the demotion will probably see them as favourites for the trophy, just as every English club is.
I am sorry, but given recent history, while not revelling in this news, I am less than gutted for them.
Just messaged my brother in law "Don't worry, we'll win it for you"
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You have to feel sorry for the Palace fans,players and manager etc.
Not as if they are queuing up to play in Europe every year.
I get that but the demotion will probably see them as favourites for the trophy, just as every English club is.
I am sorry, but given recent history, while not revelling in this news, I am less than gutted for them.
Just messaged my brother in law "Don't worry, we'll win it for you"
Haha - nice work.
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You have to feel sorry for the Palace fans,players and manager etc.
Not as if they are queuing up to play in Europe every year.
I get that but the demotion will probably see them as favourites for the trophy, just as every English club is.
I am sorry, but given recent history, while not revelling in this news, I am less than gutted for them.
Oh I agree but from their point of view, every cloud…
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Fuck 'em, just for the drums and the ground being in Narnia.
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They haven't promoted Forest to Europa have they? Thought they might have.
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They haven't promoted Forest to Europa have they? Thought they might have.
It's all pending an appeal by Palace.
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Crystal Palace was required to place its shares in a blind trust. However, the club did not do so before the deadline, as it did not believe its association with the Eagle Group constituted a case of multi-club ownership. This was based on the assessment that John Textor did not exert significant influence over Palace’s strategic decisions.
In contrast, RB Leipzig and RB Salzburg are legally independent entities with separate ownership structures. Meanwhile, Manchester City and Girona were initially flagged for multi-club ownership concerns, but they restructured their holdings to comply with UEFA guidelines. This involved transferring ownership stakes into a blind trust, which is now overseen by UEFA’s financial control body.
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Crystal Palace was required to place its shares in a blind trust. However, the club did not do so before the deadline, as it did not believe its association with the Eagle Group constituted a case of multi-club ownership. This was based on the assessment that John Textor did not exert significant influence over Palace’s strategic decisions.
In contrast, RB Leipzig and RB Salzburg are legally independent entities with separate ownership structures. Meanwhile, Manchester City and Girona were initially flagged for multi-club ownership concerns, but they restructured their holdings to comply with UEFA guidelines. This involved transferring ownership stakes into a blind trust, which is now overseen by UEFA’s financial control body.
I'm amazed that Manchester City weren't caught in the same way. I'm glad the rules have been applied to them and everyone else in a completely fair and consistent manner.
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Deadline dates changed between last season and this season for one. But they did put the shares in a blind trust where it seems Palace refused to. I suspect at the deadline, and whilst still being in the cup, UEFA qualification was far from guaranteed.
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Palace missed the deadline for putting shares in a blind trust. Because the date was brought forward to start of March, but the change was only announced two days before the end of February. Something like that, anyway.
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The deadline changes might be their defence but they also seem to be using the "we didn't need to because although Eagle Holdings own a greater amount then UEFA would accept, they have no say in the club." They could always have put a blind trust plan in place back at the deadline just in case of the 1-in 15 chance they had to win the cup at that point. Then they enact the plans if required. But from the outside, they didn't put any plans in place until after they won the cup.
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Maybe. But you make a big rule change, give people more than a couple of days to read the new rule and act accordingly.
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I thought it was a structural issue with the eagle holdings which meant that utilising the blind trust process was not possible.
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Does anyone know when we will know the dates for our home fixtures?
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I think the draw is on the 29th of August.
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I think the draw is on the 29th of August.
Cheers.
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Winners of first Europa qualifers.
Legia Warszawa
Shakhtar Donetsk
Häcken
CFR Cluj
Celje
Levski Sofia
Sheriff
Not sure what is happening between Partizan and AEL Larnaca as BEEB as 1-1 FT and nothing about pens.
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AEK Larnaca won 6-5 on pens.
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Must have been a very late finish.
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Yep particularly with the punch up after the last penalty, 4 sent off and 1 booked.
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Does anyone know when we will know the dates for our home fixtures?
These are the general fixture dates:
(https://i.ibb.co/2Y8J58sC/IMG-4665.jpg) (https://ibb.co/2Y8J58sC)
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Does anyone know when we will know the dates for our home fixtures?
These are the general fixture dates:
(https://i.ibb.co/2Y8J58sC/IMG-4665.jpg) (https://ibb.co/2Y8J58sC)
The draw is on the 29 August and once we know our 8 opponents the H/A and KO times are usually confirmed that night or the day after.
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On to our old friends Banik Ostrava to knock out our old enemies Legia Warsaw
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Winners of first Europa qualifers.
Legia Warszawa
Shakhtar Donetsk
Häcken
CFR Cluj
Celje
Levski Sofia
Sheriff
Not sure what is happening between Partizan and AEL Larnaca as BEEB as 1-1 FT and nothing about pens.
What I saw showed two players from each side being sent off after 137 minutes so I have no idea what happened.
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On to our old friends Banik Ostrava to knock out our old enemies Legia Warsaw
Was looking earlier at who Warsaw had next and when I spotted that came out in a cold sweat. Had forgotten about their existence.
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Palace have submitted an appeal to UEFA against their demotion. Whoda funk it?
Decision expected by the 11th of August.
Three ring bullshit circus sideshow.
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Do people think that Unai will really go for this competition and if necessary drop off the Premier League? By winning this we would get Champions League next season by only having fewer important games than League games. He could keep the top players fully available to win this and get us back to where they want to be.
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Do people think that Unai will really go for this competition and if necessary drop off the Premier League? By winning this we would get Champions League next season by only having fewer important games than League games. He could keep the top players fully available to win this and get us back to where they want to be.
We still need to aim for top 6. Although I can't see it.
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Palace have submitted an appeal to UEFA against their demotion. Whoda funk it?
Decision expected by the 11th of August.
Three ring bullshit circus sideshow.
Which will then have an impact on our game v palace. Cause if they are In Europa conf then the newly moved Friday night game end of August will have to move again as they would have a conf game the day before
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Do people think that Unai will really go for this competition and if necessary drop off the Premier League? By winning this we would get Champions League next season by only having fewer important games than League games. He could keep the top players fully available to win this and get us back to where they want to be.
We still need to aim for top 6. Although I can't see it.
We'll definitely be aiming for top 6. You only focus on Europa when you're in the quarter/semi finals and it's almost impossible to qualify through your league position.
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Palace have submitted an appeal to UEFA against their demotion. Whoda funk it?
Decision expected by the 11th of August.
Three ring bullshit circus sideshow.
Which will then have an impact on our game v palace. Cause if they are In Europa conf then the newly moved Friday night game end of August will have to move again as they would have a conf game the day before
They’d still manage to turn us over 😂
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Just reading that each time we play on a Sunday it will be televised and each time we will get nearly a million pounds in TV money. That’s nice compensation for the faff of Thursday-Sunday each week.
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Just reading that each time we play on a Sunday it will be televised and each time we will get nearly a million pounds in TV money. That’s nice compensation for the faff of Thursday-Sunday each week.
And yet we pay more for the privilege of the disruption. It stinks.
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Just reading that each time we play on a Sunday it will be televised and each time we will get nearly a million pounds in TV money. That’s nice compensation for the faff of Thursday-Sunday each week.
Yes, it makes me feel lots better.
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After this weeks 1st leg matches, it looks like Hamrun, RFS, Zerinjski, Breiðablik, Brann and Shlebourne are dropping to Europa. Might be Panathinaikos as well. In Europa qualifying, only Utrecht and Shaktar Donetsk seem to be through to the next round.
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I'd look forward to seeing Max from Villa On Tour's vlog of an away leg in Donetsk.
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I'd look forward to seeing Max from Villa On Tour's vlog of an away leg in Donetsk.
Don't they play their "home" games at Schalke? (Sorry to be boring)
Though they seem to be on tour for their qualifiers as they've been at home in Ljubljana and Krakow so far.
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I'd look forward to seeing Max from Villa On Tour's vlog of an away leg in Donetsk.
I saw him in Kidderminster.
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Do people think that Unai will really go for this competition and if necessary drop off the Premier League? By winning this we would get Champions League next season by only having fewer important games than League games. He could keep the top players fully available to win this and get us back to where they want to be.
yes because this gives us a second way into the Champions League.
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I'd look forward to seeing Max from Villa On Tour's vlog of an away leg in Donetsk.
I saw him in Kidderminster.
He’ll be well prepared for Donetsk then.
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I'd look forward to seeing Max from Villa On Tour's vlog of an away leg in Donetsk.
I saw him in Kidderminster.
One of them was at the Villa sale earlier.
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Do people think that Unai will really go for this competition and if necessary drop off the Premier League? By winning this we would get Champions League next season by only having fewer important games than League games. He could keep the top players fully available to win this and get us back to where they want to be.
Risky strategy but a good concept and idea. We won't be competing top 5 this season based on whats happened so far this window.
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Do people think that Unai will really go for this competition and if necessary drop off the Premier League? By winning this we would get Champions League next season by only having fewer important games than League games. He could keep the top players fully available to win this and get us back to where they want to be.
As it stands we have to as i dont believe the team is strong enough and has enough goals in it to finish top 5
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Maybe. But you make a big rule change, give people more than a couple of days to read the new rule and act accordingly.
Can't have been that opaque - Forest twigged on and sorted themselves out. More likely that Palace didn't really think they'd qualify, in my view, and so did ot act.
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Regardless, there is no real need to introduce a rule change and only let people know a couple of days in advance.
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Our old pals Zrinjski drop into Europa League third qualifying round
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So has Red Imps, KuPS and Hanrun.
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Our old pals Zrinjski drop into Europa League third qualifying round
I would be ok playjng them. We made hard work of it but they are not good at all
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Be good to draw Roma and Porto at Villa Park two massive names in European football for big European nights.
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Be good to draw Roma and Porto at Villa Park two massive names in European football for big European nights.
I’m going for one of those away Darren. Actually they’re both in Pot 1 so we can’t have both at home in the League stage anyway.
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I'd like us to have played all the European Cup Winners in competitive games as that seems the sort of thing a "big club" should do. We only managed to add Celtic last year, and then PSG added themselves after our season was over.
So, list as below (haven't included English clubs as they're too easy):
GOT
Ajax, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Celtic, Hamburg, Inter Milan, Juventus, PSG, Steaua Bucharest
NEED
Benfica**, Borussia Dortmund, Feyenoord**, Marseille, Milan, Porto*, PSV, Real Madrid, Red Star Belgrade**
* team in Europa League Group Stage
** team in Champions League qualifying rounds, could drop into Europa League
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I'd like us to have played all the European Cup Winners in competitive games as that seems the sort of thing a "big club" should do. We only managed to add Celtic last year, and then PSG added themselves after our season was over.
So, list as below (haven't included English clubs as they're too easy):
GOT
Ajax, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Celtic, Hamburg, Inter Milan, Juventus, PSG, Steaua Bucharest
NEED
Benfica**, Borussia Dortmund, Feyenoord**, Marseille, Milan, Porto*, PSV, Real Madrid, Red Star Belgrade**
* team in Europa League Group Stage
** team in Champions League qualifying rounds, could drop into Europa League
I like that one, is there any in the need column we’ve not even played in a friendly, I don’t remember us playing Real before and possibly not Red Star.
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We have played Benfica, Borussia Dortmund, Feyenoord and Porto in friendlies, and play Marseille next month.
I can't find any reference to us ever having played Milan, PSV, Real Madrid or Red Star.
Our kids played PSV in the NextGen Series.
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We have played Benfica, Borussia Dortmund, Feyenoord and Porto in friendlies, and play Marseille next month.
I can't any reference to us ever having played Milan, PSV, Real Madrid or Red Star.
Our kids played PSV in the NextGen Series.
Surprised we haven’t played Milan somewhere down the line, we would have played Real in the mighty Peace Cup final but they lost to Juventus in the semis, before we smashed Juve on pens in the final
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Alessandro Del Piero still sees Brad Guzan in his nightmares.
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Thought that said "on his Instagram" first!
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One of the funniest pens ever
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I don't think there'll be another WTAF penalty like Ollie's against Celtic. Fortunately it didn't matter in the end.
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Yeah, I didn't laugh at that one
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Further teams joining us (depending on Europa Qualifier rounds).
Shelbourne
Rigas FS
FCSB
Rijeka
Noah
Maccabi Tel Aviv
Panathanoikas
Breidablik
Brann
And one of Servette and Viktoria Plzen.
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Servette dropped into Europa qualifiers this round.
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Yeah, I didn't laugh at that one
I got a video of that in the Lower Holte. As he scuffs/falls/misses a bloke nearby does the weirdest little squeal.
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Still in Europa
AEK Larnaca
Häcken
Cluj
Shaktar Donetsk
Utrecht
Midtjylland
Legia
Sporting Braga
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Next Round
Europa Matches (winning team stays in Europa)
Red Imps v Noah
Fredrikstad v Midtjylland
AEK Larnaca v Legia
Häcken v Brann
Cluj v Braga
PAOK v Wolfsberger
Zrinjski v Breiðablik
Panathanoikas v Shaktar
FCSB v Drita
Servette v Utrecht
Champs League (loser drops to Europa)
Malmö v Copenhagen
Dynamo Kiev v Pafos
Shkëndija v Qarabağ
Ranger v Viktoria Plzeň
Kairat Almatyv Bratislava
Salzburg v Brugge
Ludogrets v Ferencváros
Lech Poznań v Crvena Zvezda
Nice v Benfica
Feyenoord v Fenerbahçe
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It'd be interesting* to see Big Jhon back if it falls that way.
*Interesting = I would not like it.
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Next Round
Europa Matches (winning team stays in Europa)
Red Imps v Noah
Fredrikstad v Midtjylland
AEK Larnaca v Legia
Häcken v Brann
Cluj v Braga
PAOK v Wolfsberger
Zrinjski v Breiðablik
Panathanoikas v Shaktar
FCSB v Drita
Servette v Utrecht
Champs League (loser drops to Europa)
Malmö v Copenhagen
Dynamo Kiev v Pafos
Shkëndija v Qarabağ
Ranger v Viktoria Plzeň
Kairat Almatyv Bratislava
Salzburg v Brugge
Ludogrets v Ferencváros
Lech Poznań v Crvena Zvezda
Nice v Benfica
Feyenoord v Fenerbahçe
You’ve missed a few Europa League ties there.
Hamrun Spartans v Maccabi Tel Aviv
Rijeka v Shelbourne
RFS v Kups
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Thanks. I was looking at only Thursday as not expecting any the same days as the Champs.
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Play off draw on TNT now for anyone pissed off about the cricket.
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Play off draw on TNT now for anyone pissed off about the cricket.
I have massive football withdrawal so I’m here for it.
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Play off draw on TNT now for anyone pissed off about the cricket.
I don’t think that’s going to help mate. 5 bastard runs.
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Not many to call after the first leg of the Champs League although we are on course for both Nice and Fenerbache to drop. Viktoria Plzeň and Lech Poznań probably down to Europa so far.
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Not many to call after the first leg of the Champs League although we are on course for both Nice and Fenerbache to drop. Viktoria Plzeň and Lech Poznań probably down to Europa so far.
Yep can’t see Benfica fucking up their section of the draw. Looks like we’ll be top of Pot 2 unless something unlikely happens like Rangers getting in the CL.
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Although pots don't matter much anymore, it would be nice to see our name at the topend.
A good run in the Europa could see us up in the top 15 or so of the club list.
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Yep one more year of a good European run and we’ll be comfortably in the top 30 possibly top 20 ranking. It’s important for so many reasons.
On reflection you’re right on the pots, ultimately we can draw anyone except Forest/Palace.
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Not many to call after the first leg of the Champs League although we are on course for both Nice and Fenerbache to drop. Viktoria Plzeň and Lech Poznań probably down to Europa so far.
Nice would be the best away location ever.
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It would be nice to be able make use of my suite at the Negresco.
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In Europa looks like we won't be seeing loads of Polish backs.
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Apparently Palace's appeal is being heard tomorrow with the decision on Monday. The Standard seems to be listing their case (https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/how-crystal-palace-plan-to-win-cas-fight-europa-league-uefa-b1241716.html) but if that is it, I think they are fucked. The only argument seems to be that other clubs have done blind trusts in the past and we didn't. Then moaning that they delayed the decision because of Lyon maybe not being in the competition, you know the other team that was in dual ownership.
Someone in the comments mentioned that it was up to UEFA to tell Palace they needed to do something and if there is no correspondance between them talking about this in March or April, then that is UEFA's failing and not the clubs.
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Any mention of Palace is starting to set off the PTSD . We need to bury this monkey off the back this season , they'll become the new Boro .
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In Europa looks like we won't be seeing loads of Polish backs.
Could be 4 Polish teams in the Conference League though.
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Any mention of Palace is starting to set off the PTSD . We need to bury this monkey off the back this season , they'll become the new Boro .
We had a good record against Middlesboro (if that you're referring to).
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Middlesbrough more or less the complete opposite to Palace, for us. We tended to always win there while they had a pretty decent record at Villa Park.
Last eight meetings at Villa:
Villa 1 win, 4 draws, Boro 3 wins
Last eight meetings at Boro:
Villa 7 wins, 1 draw, Boro 0 wins
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Didn't we have a poor record at Middlesbrough in the Ayresome Park days?
With Peter Withe lying and saying he always won there, to help instill some confidence in our players.
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We had a bad run against them, home and away, prior to the penultimate game of the 1980/81 season when we twatted them 3-0. One draw and six defeats from the previous seven meetings.
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Palace lose appeal so we won't lose to them in Europe.
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Villa could probably have waited a day before sending out the email boasting about the return of Friday night football to Villa Park.
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Not much of a surprise after reading the supposed Palace defence the other day. It seemed to comprise of "because Palace didn't send any emails between Glassner and Textor in April about the ownership, UEFA were culpable." And "You allowed clubs to have blind trusts previously so not fair on us".
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Assuming Palace is now Sunday at stupid O'clock.?
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Palace lose appeal so we won't lose to them in Europe.
Well we might as well have completed the set as we've lost to them in everything else.
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Palace lose appeal so we won't lose to them in Europe.
They might as well give us the trophy now.
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There is a slim chance we could be playing Forest three times in 8 days if we both get through and are drawn in the quarter finals. Even slimmer that we play them 4 times in 13 days as well with FA Cup quarters being around then.
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Forest must have spent a fortune over the past few years (cant be bothered to check)?
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There is a slim chance we could be playing Forest three times in 8 days if we both get through and are drawn in the quarter finals. Even slimmer that we play them 4 times in 13 days as well with FA Cup quarters being around then.
League Cup Final is around then, too.
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A good few weeks beforehand on 22nd March so never bothered including it.
FA Cup Quarters is Weekend 4th April. UEFA Qtr 1st Leg is 9th, League match Weekend 11th, UEFA 2nd Leg 16th. (FA Cup Semis are weekend 25th).
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It's agreed then 🤝, we will play Forest 5 times.
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Feyenoord
Viktoria Plzen
Nice
RB Salzburg
Confirmed in league stage
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Feyenoord give us a chance to add to the number of former champions we've played in competitive games. Hopefully Benfica and Red Star lose in the final Champions League qualifying round and drop into the Europa League, too.
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The losers of Rangers/Brugge and Fenerbache/Benfica will be dropping into the league phases as well (along with 5 others but not many shocks expected so smaller names).
Also into the Europa playoff round so far is: (Four joined and Rijeka qualified on Tuesday, rest CL losers).
Aberdeen, Genk, Samsunspor, Sigma Olomouc, Rijeka, Malmo, Slovan Bratislava, Lech Poznan, Ludogrets, Dynamo Kyiv, Shkëndija
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Proposed A List below. Now we have let JJ go we can only do a max of 21 names. Kosta, Garcia and Barkley are some names who could be removed to make space for others. (edit: I think Bogarde is still B list qualification due to age but would fit into the home grown on A if he doesn't).
Martinez
Bizot
Matty Cash
Kosta Nedeljkovic
Ezri Konsa
Pau Torres
Garcia
Tyrone Mings
Ian Maatsen
Lucas Digne
Boubacar Kamara
Ross Barkley
John McGinn
Youri Tielemans
Buendia
Amadou Onana
Guessand
Morgan Rogers
Leon Bailey
Malen
Ollie Watkins
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We will be in pot 2 as we are already 8th and one of Rangers/Brugge is dropping down and they are currently above us. Not that pots matter now but it would be nice to be at the top.
Quick list of names through and select few who could drop.
Pot A
Roma
Porto
Feynoord
Lille
Dinamo Zagreb
Real Betis
Salzburg
(Benfica maybe)
Rangers/Brugge if no Benfica
Pot B
Rangers/Brugge if Benfica loses, otherwise Fenebache.
Us
Lyon
Viktoria Plzen
B or C
SC Freiburg
Forest (we can't draw these).
C or D
Nice
Bologna
Celta Vigo
Stuttgart
Go Ahead Eagles
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Proposed A List below. Now we have let JJ go we can only do a max of 21 names. Kosta, Garcia and Barkley are some names who could be removed to make space for others. (edit: I think Bogarde is still B list qualification due to age but would fit into the home grown on A if he doesn't).
Martinez
Bizot
Matty Cash
Kosta Nedeljkovic
Ezri Konsa
Pau Torres
Garcia
Tyrone Mings
Ian Maatsen
Lucas Digne
Boubacar Kamara
Ross Barkley
John McGinn
Youri Tielemans
Buendia
Amadou Onana
Guessand
Morgan Rogers
Leon Bailey
Malen
Ollie Watkins
That squad looks...a bit shit written down, doesn't it? Hard to be optimistic about the new season when we've at best stood still this summer while rivals have strengthened especially Yanited and Spurs. Plus the latter finally have a decent manager, the Scandinavian ski and sex instructor.
Oh and Kosta doesn't play for us no more.
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Apart from Duran and now Ramsey, it is pretty much the same squad that got us top 8 in the CL and top half in Jan when we could strengthen. Obviously Duran missing will remove some of the goals we had that helped that, but we also add Malen and Guessand who are both unknown quantities.
As for that list, I copied it from last years and just made some changes. I did check Kosta but missed he had been loaned again but knew he would be replaced.
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Yeah, hope you're right. Just feels a bit flat at the moment.
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Proposed A List below. Now we have let JJ go we can only do a max of 21 names. Kosta, Garcia and Barkley are some names who could be removed to make space for others. (edit: I think Bogarde is still B list qualification due to age but would fit into the home grown on A if he doesn't).
[....]
Who are the B-list players that might conceivably get game time?
Last season we had front-line players backing up from premier league games, getting minutes in latter part of games. Ideally, since it's a lower level we might use Hemming, Rowe, Jimoh-Aloba etc and give more rest to the remainder of the squad. Obviously it would depend on game state, but an advantage of being in Europa League is that we probably aren't forced to field our best players every mid-week.
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Apart from the league this is the most important competition this season
Obviously a long awaited Trophy and access into the champions league both massive for the club
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With the final play-off rounds to come, as it stands, we could just get into Pot 1 but as Somniloquism has pointed out there are quite a few ifs and buts yet...e.g. if Fenerbahce beat Benfica in CL qualifying, we will go to Pot 2.
Clubs in Bold are definitely in the Europa League, the rest are projected.
Pot 1
Roma
Porto
Rangers
Feyenoord
Lille
Dinamo Zagreb
Real Betis
Salzburg
Aston Villa
Pot 2
Fenerbahce.
Braga
Lyon
PAOK Salonika
Viktoria Plzen
Maccabi Tel Aviv
Slovan Bratislava
Basel
Midtjylland
Pot 3
Qarabag
Freiburg
Ludogorets
Nottingham Forest
Sturm Graz
FCSB
Nice
Bologna
Celta Vigo
Pot 4
Stuttgart
Panathinaikos
Malmo
Go Ahead Eagles
Utrecht
Genk
Pafos
AEK Larnaca
Kairat Almaty
The alternatives for those clubs above which have not yet definitely qualified are:
Losers from Champions League Play-Off round
Bodo Glimt (Sturm Graz)
Ferencvaros (Qarabag)
Celtic (Kairat)
Club Brugge (Rangers)
Copenhagen (Basel)
Red Star Belgrade (Pafos)
Fenerbahce (Benfica)
Winners from Europa League Play-Off Round
Young Boys (Slovan Bratislava)
Samsunspor (Panathinaikos)
Lech Poznan (Genk)
Aberdeen (FCSB)
Sigma Olomouc (Malmo)
Shkendija (Ludogorets)
Dynamo Kyiv (Maccabi Tel Aviv)
Rijeka (PAOK)
Brann Bergen (AEK Larnaca)
Lincoln Red Imps (Braga)
KuPS (Midtjylland)
Zrinjski (Utrecht)
Of course, it's quite likely some of those teams will either lose their CL play-off, or win their Europa League play-off and then the make up of the Pots will change.
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With the final play-off rounds to come, as it stands, we could just get into Pot 1 but as Somniloquism has pointed out there are quite a few ifs and buts yet...e.g. if Fenerbahce beat Benfica in CL qualifying, we will go to Pot 2.
Last night on the Wiki they stated 8 teams per pot and us moved to Pot 2 only. Now seems to have been changed and reverted back to a flux 1/2. schrodinger's Villa.