Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Heroes Discussion => Topic started by: cdbearsfan on May 15, 2026, 10:01:39 PM
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We are back. League stage draw, 27th August.
First qualifying round
Draw 16 June, first leg 7-8 July, second leg 14-15 July
Shamrock Rovers (Ire)
KuPS (Fin)
Drita (Kos)
Lincoln Red Imps (Gib)
Borac Banja Luka (Bos)
Vikingur Reykjavik (Ice)
Kairat (Kaz)
Riga (Lat)
KÍ Klaksvik (FI)
Floral (Est)
Larne (NI)
Petrocub Hînceşti (Mol)
The New Saints (Wal)
Inter Club d'Escaldes (And)
Levski Sofia (Bul)
Sabah (Aze)
Kauno Žalgiris (Lit)
Iberia 1999 (Geo)
Tre Fiori (SM)
Vardar (NM)
ML Vitebsk (Blr)
Győr (Hun)
Universitat Craiova (Rom)
Floriana (Mal)
Sutjeska (Mon)
Ararat Armenia (Arm)
Atert Bissen (Lux)
Egnatia (Alb)
Second qualifying round
Draw 17 June, first leg 21-22 July, second leg 28-29 July
Champions Path
Red Star Belgrade (Ser)
Dinamo Zagreb (Cro)
Slovan Bratislava (Svk)
Omonia (Cyp)
AGF (Den)
Thun (Sui)
Mjällby (Swe)
Lech Poznań (Pol)
Hapoel Be'er Sheva (Isr)
League Path
Fenerbahçe (Tur)
Heart of Midlothian (Sco)
Sturm Graz (Aut)
Lech Poznań (Pol)
Third qualifying round
Draw 20 July, first leg 4-5 August, second leg 11 August
Champions Path
No new entrants
League Path
Sparta Prague (Cze)
NEC Nijmegen (Ned)
Lyon (Fra)
Union Saint-Gilloise (Bel)
Bodø/Glimt (Nor)
Olympiacos (Gre)
Play-off round
Draw 3 August, first leg 18-19 August, second leg 25-26 August
Champions Path
AEK Athens (Gre)
Viking (Nor)
Celtic (Sco)
LASK (Aut)
League Path
No new entrants
League Phase
Draw 27 August 2026, matches 8-10 September, 13-14 October, 20-21 October, 3-4 November, 24-25 November, 8-9 December, 19-20 January, 27 January
Arsenal (Eng)
Manchester City (Eng)
Manchester United (Eng)
Aston Villa (Eng)
Liverpool (Eng)
Inter Milan (Ita)
Napoli (Ita)
Roma (Ita)
Como (Ita)
Barcelona (Esp)
Real Madrid (Esp)
Villarreal (Esp)
Atlético Madrid (Esp)
Real Betis (Esp)
Bayern Munich (Ger)
Borussia Dortmund (Ger)
RB Leipzig (Ger)
Stuttgart (Ger)
Paris Saint-Germain (Fra)
Lens (Fra)
Lille (Fra)
PSV Eindhoven (Ned)
Feyenoord (Ned)
Porto (Por)
Sporting (Por)
Slavia Prague (Cze)
Galatasaray (Tur)
Shakhtar Donetsk (Ukr)
Club Brugge (Bel)
Remaining rounds
Knock-out phase play-offs (for teams finishing 9th-24th in League phase), draw 29 January, first leg 16-17 February, second leg 23-24 February
Draw for all remaining rounds 26 February.
Round of 16 (teams finishing top 8 enter here), first leg 9-10 March, second leg 16-17 March
Quarter-Finals, first leg 6-7 April, second leg 13-14 April
Semi-Finals, first leg 27-28 April, second leg 4-5 May
Final, 5 June at Metropolitano Stadium, Madrid
Winners qualify for 2027/28 UEFA Champions League, 2027 UEFA Super Cup, 2027 FIFA Intercontinental Cup and 2029 FIFA Club World Cup.
UEFA Super Cup
To be contested by the winner of the Champions League, Paris Saint-Germain, and the Mighty Aston Villa. Wednesday 12th August, 2000 UK/2100 local time, Red Bull Arena, Salzburg.
UEFA-CONMEBOL Club Challenge - possibly.
Introduced in 2023, this is an intended annual match between the winners of Europa League and the CONMEBOL Sudamericana.
However, the game hasn't been played since its first edition, when Sevilla defeated Ecuadorians Independiente del Valle.
Scheduling issues prevented it from being played in 2024, it doesn't seem to have been mentioned last year and it is unclear if it will be returning.
If it does, we would probably be up against Argentinians Club Atlético Lanús. Date and venue very much TBC, if it happens at all.
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(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/HIY46UiWwAAlRNp?format=jpg&name=small)
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We'll win it.
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Nice work!
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Right, can we draw Real, Milan and Benfica this time please?
Magnificent. Was beginning to worry that we'd ran out of steam, but we just wanted to make it exciting.
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Bizarrely, Benfica don't look likely to qualify even though they're unbeaten in the league.
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We are back. League stage draw, 27th August.
Pot two and 11/12th depending whether Leverkuesen qualify.
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We'll beat them all.
Some of them.
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Bizarrely, Benfica don't look likely to qualify even though they're unbeaten in the league.
They will need Sporting to lose to Gil Gerard and they have to beat Estee Lauder to get into the knockouts. Whoever does finish second in Portugal could go straight into the League Phase if we win Wednesday and stay 4th.
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Thoughts and prayers for BC Villan at this difficult time.
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2 times in 3 seasons - what a time to be alive.
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(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/HIZQK8rWEAAEOGJ?format=jpg&name=medium)
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Bizarrely, Benfica don't look likely to qualify even though they're unbeaten in the league.
Mourinho's masterpiece.
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We are back. League stage draw, 27th August.
Pot two and 11/12th depending whether Leverkuesen qualify.
Think they're unlikely to qualify. Have to win today and hope the 2 teams above them fail to win. Stuttgart and Hoffenheim from memory.
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026%E2%80%9327_UEFA_Champions_League
All the info you need here. Still a lot of places up for grabs in the Italian league. Our old mates Lille in pole position to get 3rd in France. Belgian and Austrian championships down to the wire. NEC could sneak in through the Dutch league. I love looking at this stuff now we're safely in.
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2 times in 3 seasons - what a time to be alive.
And the 1 was due to goal difference and getting screwed on the last day. Otherwise it would have been 3 straight years.
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2 times in 3 seasons - what a time to be alive.
And the 1 was due to goal difference and getting screwed on the last day. Otherwise it would have been 3 straight years.
And are we being taken serious yet?
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This is, I think, the first time in our history that we have qualified for Europe four seasons in a row.
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Hopefully Juve miss out.
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Right, can we draw Real, Milan and Benfica this time please?
Magnificent. Was beginning to worry that we'd ran out of steam, but we just wanted to make it exciting.
I wonder if we'll draw Celtic away this time.
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I'm sure we will find a way to draw Bologna.
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More detailed look at potential opponents, etc, will try to update as more teams get confirmed.
First qualifying round
Draw 16 June, first leg 7-8 July, second leg 14-15 July
Confirmed:
Celje (Svn)
Shamrock Rovers (Ire)
KuPS (Fin)
Drita (Kos)
Lincoln Red Imps (Gib)
Borac Banja Luka (Bos)
Vikingur Reykjavik (Ice)
Kairat (Kaz)
Riga (Lat)
KÍ Klaksvik (FI)
Floral (Est)
Larne (NI)
Petrocub Hînceşti (Mol)
The New Saints (Wal)
Inter Club d'Escaldes (And)
Levski Sofia (Bul)
Sabah (Aze)
Kauno Žalgiris (Lit)
Iberia 1999 (Geo)
Tre Fiori (SM)
Vardar (NM)
ML Vitebsk (Blr)
To be confirmed:
Champions of...
Hungary
Romania
Armenia
Malta
Albania
Montenegro
Luxembourg
Second qualifying round
Draw 17 June, first leg 21-22 July, second leg 28-29 July
Champions Path
Confirmed:
Red Star Belgrade (Ser)
Dinamo Zagreb (Cro)
Slovan Bratislava (Svk)
Omonia (Cyp)
AGF (Den)
Thun (Sui)
Mjällby (Swe)
To be confirmed:
Champions of...
Poland
Israel
League Path
Confirmed:
Bodø/Glimt (Nor)
Fenerbahçe (Tur)
To be confirmed:
Runners-up of:
Greece
Austria
Scotland
Poland
Third qualifying round
Draw 20 July, first leg 4-5 August, second leg 11 August
Champions Path
No new entrants
League Path
Confirmed:
Sparta Prague (Cze)
To be confirmed:
Runners-up of:
Portugal
Greece
Belgium
Third place of:
Netherlands
Fourth place of:
France
Play-off round
Draw 3 August, first leg 18-19 August, second leg 25-26 August
Champions Path
Confirmed:
AEK Athens (Gre)
Viking (Nor)
To be confirmed:
Champions of:
Austria
Scotland
League Path
To be confirmed:
Runners-up of:
Portugal*
League Phase
Draw 27 August 2026, matches 8-10 September, 13-14 October, 20-21 October, 3-4 November, 24-25 November, 8-9 December, 19-20 January, 27 January
Confirmed:
Arsenal (Eng)
Manchester City (Eng)
Manchester United (Eng)
Aston Villa (Eng)*
Inter Milan (Ita)
Barcelona (Esp)
Real Madrid (Esp)
Villarreal (Esp)
Atlético Madrid (Esp)
Real Betis (Esp)
Bayern Munich (Ger)
Borussia Dortmund (Ger)
RB Leipzig (Ger)
Paris Saint-Germain (Fra)
Lens (Fra)
PSV Eindhoven (Ned)
Feyenoord (Ned)
Porto (Por)
Slavia Prague (Cze)
Galatasaray (Tur)
Shakhtar Donetsk (Ukr)
To be confirmed:
Europa League winners*
Champions of:
Belgium
Additional teams from:
England*
Italy x 3
Germany
France
*Note: if Villa win the Europa League and finish in the top four, Europa League place will not be used. Vacant spot in League phase passes to Portuguese runners-up, two highest ranked clubs in second qualifying round (TBC) will be moved to third qualifying round. If Villa win the Europa League and finish fifth, they will qualify as Europa League winners and 6th placed English team will also qualify for League phase.
Remaining rounds
Knock-out phase play-offs (for teams finishing 9th-24th in League phase), draw 29 January, first leg 16-17 February, second leg 23-24 February
Draw for all remaining rounds 26 February.
Round of 16 (teams finishing top 8 enter here), first leg 9-10 March, second leg 16-17 March
Quarter-Finals, first leg 6-7 April, second leg 13-14 April
Semi-Finals, first leg 27-28 April, second leg 4-5 May
Final, 5 June at Metropolitano Stadium, Madrid
Winners qualify for 2027/28 UEFA Champions League, 2027 UEFA Super Cup, 2027 FIFA Intercontinental Cup and 2029 FIFA Club World Cup.
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Update.
First qualifying round
Draw 16 June, first leg 7-8 July, second leg 14-15 July
Confirmed:
Celje (Svn)
Shamrock Rovers (Ire)
KuPS (Fin)
Drita (Kos)
Lincoln Red Imps (Gib)
Borac Banja Luka (Bos)
Vikingur Reykjavik (Ice)
Kairat (Kaz)
Riga (Lat)
KÍ Klaksvik (FI)
Floral (Est)
Larne (NI)
Petrocub Hînceşti (Mol)
The New Saints (Wal)
Inter Club d'Escaldes (And)
Levski Sofia (Bul)
Sabah (Aze)
Kauno Žalgiris (Lit)
Iberia 1999 (Geo)
Tre Fiori (SM)
Vardar (NM)
ML Vitebsk (Blr)
To be confirmed:
Champions of...
Hungary
Romania
Armenia
Malta
Albania
Montenegro
Luxembourg
Second qualifying round
Draw 17 June, first leg 21-22 July, second leg 28-29 July
Champions Path
Confirmed:
Red Star Belgrade (Ser)
Dinamo Zagreb (Cro)
Slovan Bratislava (Svk)
Omonia (Cyp)
AGF (Den)
Thun (Sui)
Mjällby (Swe)
To be confirmed:
Champions of...
Poland
Israel
League Path
Confirmed:
Bodø/Glimt (Nor)
Fenerbahçe (Tur)
Heart of Midlothian (Sco)
To be confirmed:
Runners-up of:
Greece
Austria
Poland
Third qualifying round
Draw 20 July, first leg 4-5 August, second leg 11 August
Champions Path
No new entrants
League Path
Confirmed:
Sparta Prague (Cze)
To be confirmed:
Runners-up of:
Portugal
Greece
Belgium
Third place of:
Netherlands
Fourth place of:
France
Play-off round
Draw 3 August, first leg 18-19 August, second leg 25-26 August
Champions Path
Confirmed:
AEK Athens (Gre)
Viking (Nor)
Celtic (Sco)
To be confirmed:
Champions of:
Austria
League Path
To be confirmed:
Runners-up of:
Portugal*
League Phase
Draw 27 August 2026, matches 8-10 September, 13-14 October, 20-21 October, 3-4 November, 24-25 November, 8-9 December, 19-20 January, 27 January
Confirmed:
Arsenal (Eng)
Manchester City (Eng)
Manchester United (Eng)
Aston Villa (Eng)*
Inter Milan (Ita)
Barcelona (Esp)
Real Madrid (Esp)
Villarreal (Esp)
Atlético Madrid (Esp)
Real Betis (Esp)
Bayern Munich (Ger)
Borussia Dortmund (Ger)
RB Leipzig (Ger)
Paris Saint-Germain (Fra)
Lens (Fra)
PSV Eindhoven (Ned)
Feyenoord (Ned)
Porto (Por)
Slavia Prague (Cze)
Galatasaray (Tur)
Shakhtar Donetsk (Ukr)
To be confirmed:
Europa League winners*
Champions of:
Belgium
Additional teams from:
England*
Italy x 3
Germany
France
*Note: if Villa win the Europa League and finish in the top four, Europa League place will not be used. Vacant spot in League phase passes to Portuguese runners-up, two highest ranked clubs in second qualifying round (TBC) will be moved to third qualifying round. If Villa win the Europa League and finish fifth, they will qualify as Europa League winners and 6th placed English team will also qualify for League phase.
Remaining rounds
Knock-out phase play-offs (for teams finishing 9th-24th in League phase), draw 29 January, first leg 16-17 February, second leg 23-24 February
Draw for all remaining rounds 26 February.
Round of 16 (teams finishing top 8 enter here), first leg 9-10 March, second leg 16-17 March
Quarter-Finals, first leg 6-7 April, second leg 13-14 April
Semi-Finals, first leg 27-28 April, second leg 4-5 May
Final, 5 June at Metropolitano Stadium, Madrid
Winners qualify for 2027/28 UEFA Champions League, 2027 UEFA Super Cup, 2027 FIFA Intercontinental Cup and 2029 FIFA Club World Cup.
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Excellent work cdbearsfan. You will be rewarded in afterlife.
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Excellent work cdbearsfan. You will be rewarded in afterlife.
It's the least he deserves after all the football 'heartbreak' he's suffered in this one.
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Aston Villa qualifying for the Champions League again is a new high under Emery… so far
Jacob Tanswell
May 16, 2026
The Champions League anthem echoed gloriously around Villa Park.
The final word — “champion” — was stretched out and sung in unison by every home supporter.
Aston Villa, a triumph of consistency and endurance, had secured qualification for Europe’s premier competition for the second time in three seasons, having painfully missed out on goal difference last year.
Players bathed in the accomplishment during a lap of appreciation. Unai Emery, who, so usually focused on the next game and invariably heads straight for the tunnel, allowed himself to enjoy. He marched towards the Holte End, taking in all the adoration from the fans who worship him.
“We are going to play for you, for a trophy,” Emery said.
Peering into the crowd, he finished with a flourish, bellowing into the microphone, “UP THE VILLA!”
Once they returned to the dressing room, the team posed for a photo, with coaches, backroom staff and co-owner, Nassef Sawiris.
Friday’s 4-2 victory also meant he had finally beaten Liverpool as Villa manager. In doing so, he had gone through all of the Premier League’s ‘big six’, even if his team now have a strong argument to be firmly ensconced among them. It just so happened to be his 600th win as a manager; it is astounding that Emery was not considered one of the six nominees for Premier League manager of the year.
This was the perfect send-off for Istanbul, where Villa face Freiburg in the Europa League final on Wednesday. Home supporters were singing about Istanbul in the final throes, knowing that the opportunity of silverware — a first major trophy in three decades and a first European final in 44 years — will never be greater in this era of brilliance.
Villa staff enjoyed a five per cent pay rise after qualifying for the Champions League in the 2023-24 campaign and a further three per cent for a Europa League finish last season. This Villa side has elevated a club beyond its expected growth, founded on mental toughness and a combination of excellence within the coaching and core group of players.
“To keep this level… ‘wow’,” said Emery in his press conference, appearing more relieved and delighted than ever before.
“We’ve been through thick and thin together,” said Watkins. “There is an English core which has been here since day one. The team is pretty much the same since Dean Smith was here. We’ve been through highs and lows together.”
Together, the latest achievement — until Wednesday at least — is definitely the best of Emery’s Villa. Very few thought a top-five finish was feasible after a turbulent summer, no goal in the first four games, and no win in the first five.
“Injuries, no a f…penalty for us in one year, biggest investment in the history for the bigger budget clubs, playing Thursday and Sunday 2 pm… well CHAMPIONS LEAGUE!!!” said director of football operations, Damian Vidagany, on X. “No excuses culture, a great group of committed players and the best manager (yes EPL the best manager). UTV. Next stop Istanbul!!!! See you there lads!!!! One more push, more desire and ambition than ever!!!”
Villa sources stated at the start of the season that Morgan Rogers and Watkins would have a heavy burden on them to provide the goals.
With both hitting double figures, they have produced under pressure. Emery had been demanding more goals from other areas and better incision inside the box, yet it was startling that Villa managed to record 11 straight wins across all competitions over the winter, with Watkins, their long-running talisman, scoring just two league goals by December. He has since come back with vengeance, hitting 11 in his previous 14 appearances.
In many ways, Villa’s response to Virgil van Dijk’s second-half equaliser is what, fundamentally, explains their success. Their resilience and ability to recover from setbacks have defined Villa’s campaign.
Speak to those around the team and they will admit there is, at this stage of the campaign, fatigue among the players. Perhaps some even had one eye on ensuring they did not pick up an injury ahead of the final. Yet, when they needed to mobilise and fight back after Van Dijk scored, players found the energy and ripped Liverpool apart through pace, directness, and ruthlessness in transition.
It has been a wildly fluctuating season, fraught with emotion. After a terrible start, from October to the end of January, Villa won more games than any other Premier League side (13). At the opposite end of the scale and before Liverpool’s visit, only four sides had accrued fewer points than Villa (13) since the start of February.
“The season we started poorly,” Emery said. “We were fantastic for three months, then again we were down, not feeling comfortable or confident, but the consistency and the demands always were high, and we never gave up.”
Villa are still relatively new to the Champions League party, though their participation is vital to keep fuel in the tank. Financial restrictions are still expected to be a challenge this summer, limiting Villa’s ability to spend and increasing their openness to sell. They will have more room for manoeuvre with Champions League revenues, with Villa’s commercial income, particularly potential sponsorship deals, significantly aided.
Emery’s team, so far, has shown a way to battle against such limitations. Financial sanctions were viewed as stifling progress last summer, and led to an increasingly stagnant mood setting in. This was an ageing squad, with many uncertain futures. It is hard to remember now or to mock, but there was a feeling that direct rivals — such as Newcastle United — had strengthened and were stretching beyond them. Sporting director Monchi left, owing to developing tensions with Emery.
This seeped onto the pitch. Villa were running less and sprinting less. Noises from the dressing room suggested players were behind the manager, but there was a crisis of confidence, and no one could put a finger on the main issue.
Emery has largely worked with the same players for three years, and through his collective structure, he has maximised their abilities. The only response he and his team had to those troubles was to train harder and trust the principles of work that had delivered previous success.
“Today is the summary, because this team, this atmosphere, this result is when we are feeling strong,” said Emery. “I am so happy, so proud of every Aston Villa supporter, every worker, every player, every coach.”
It was apt that Watkins, a player who has been criticised heavily this season and who Emery has repeatedly defended, scored twice. Similarly, John McGinn’s stunning goal, his team’s fourth, with Villa’s captain seemingly at the epicentre of any big game, or any big moment in the club’s recent history. The goal was sublime, from outside the box and bending into the far corner. Of course, it was from outside the box — defying underlying metrics and scoring from long range has been one of the themes of Villa’s season.
They will now head to Istanbul in search of footballing immortality. As staff say, players have one more match to make themselves legends. Achieving Champions League qualification beforehand, though, represents another extraordinary feat.
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Update.
First qualifying round
Draw 16 June, first leg 7-8 July, second leg 14-15 July
Confirmed:
Celje (Svn)
Shamrock Rovers (Ire)
KuPS (Fin)
Drita (Kos)
Lincoln Red Imps (Gib)
Borac Banja Luka (Bos)
Vikingur Reykjavik (Ice)
Kairat (Kaz)
Riga (Lat)
KÍ Klaksvik (FI)
Floral (Est)
Larne (NI)
Petrocub Hînceşti (Mol)
The New Saints (Wal)
Inter Club d'Escaldes (And)
Levski Sofia (Bul)
Sabah (Aze)
Kauno Žalgiris (Lit)
Iberia 1999 (Geo)
Tre Fiori (SM)
Vardar (NM)
ML Vitebsk (Blr)
To be confirmed:
Champions of...
Hungary
Romania
Armenia
Malta
Albania
Montenegro
Luxembourg
Second qualifying round
Draw 17 June, first leg 21-22 July, second leg 28-29 July
Champions Path
Confirmed:
Red Star Belgrade (Ser)
Dinamo Zagreb (Cro)
Slovan Bratislava (Svk)
Omonia (Cyp)
AGF (Den)
Thun (Sui)
Mjällby (Swe)
To be confirmed:
Champions of...
Poland
Israel
League Path
Confirmed:
Bodø/Glimt (Nor)
Fenerbahçe (Tur)
Heart of Midlothian (Sco)
To be confirmed:
Runners-up of:
Greece
Austria
Poland
Third qualifying round
Draw 20 July, first leg 4-5 August, second leg 11 August
Champions Path
No new entrants
League Path
Confirmed:
Sparta Prague (Cze)
To be confirmed:
Runners-up of:
Portugal
Greece
Belgium
Third place of:
Netherlands
Fourth place of:
France
Play-off round
Draw 3 August, first leg 18-19 August, second leg 25-26 August
Champions Path
Confirmed:
AEK Athens (Gre)
Viking (Nor)
Celtic (Sco)
To be confirmed:
Champions of:
Austria
League Path
To be confirmed:
Runners-up of:
Portugal*
League Phase
Draw 27 August 2026, matches 8-10 September, 13-14 October, 20-21 October, 3-4 November, 24-25 November, 8-9 December, 19-20 January, 27 January
Confirmed:
Arsenal (Eng)
Manchester City (Eng)
Manchester United (Eng)
Aston Villa (Eng)*
Inter Milan (Ita)
Barcelona (Esp)
Real Madrid (Esp)
Villarreal (Esp)
Atlético Madrid (Esp)
Real Betis (Esp)
Bayern Munich (Ger)
Borussia Dortmund (Ger)
RB Leipzig (Ger)
Stuttgart (Ger)
Paris Saint-Germain (Fra)
Lens (Fra)
PSV Eindhoven (Ned)
Feyenoord (Ned)
Porto (Por)
Slavia Prague (Cze)
Galatasaray (Tur)
Shakhtar Donetsk (Ukr)
To be confirmed:
Europa League winners*
Champions of:
Belgium
Additional teams from:
England*
Italy x 3
France
*Note: if Villa win the Europa League and finish in the top four, Europa League place will not be used. Vacant spot in League phase passes to Portuguese runners-up, two highest ranked clubs in second qualifying round (TBC) will be moved to third qualifying round. If Villa win the Europa League and finish fifth, they will qualify as Europa League winners and 6th placed English team will also qualify for League phase.
Remaining rounds
Knock-out phase play-offs (for teams finishing 9th-24th in League phase), draw 29 January, first leg 16-17 February, second leg 23-24 February
Draw for all remaining rounds 26 February.
Round of 16 (teams finishing top 8 enter here), first leg 9-10 March, second leg 16-17 March
Quarter-Finals, first leg 6-7 April, second leg 13-14 April
Semi-Finals, first leg 27-28 April, second leg 4-5 May
Final, 5 June at Metropolitano Stadium, Madrid
Winners qualify for 2027/28 UEFA Champions League, 2027 UEFA Super Cup, 2027 FIFA Intercontinental Cup and 2029 FIFA Club World Cup.
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So no Leverkuesen means we are the 11th team in the draw in Pot 2, not that Pots mean too much these days, just nice to see us there 3 years after our first game in Europe and 4th English team. (Or even 3rd if plop fail against Brentford and other results go against them).
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We are currently ranked 19th in UEFA, 6th out of the English teams.
We are guaranteed to overtake Spurs as the new season starts, as they lose 5 points and accrue sod all for being shit.
If Chelsea don’t get europe, we also overtake them as they lose 25 points.
So effectively the 5th, and potentially 4th best English team in UEFA rankings this summer.
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We overtake them whether they are in it or not as they lose those 25 points regardless. It is whether they add any next season and beat our total next season.
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Yeah, you can filter them by season on the link below. As of the start of next season we are 12th, 4th among English teams. We are 6th and 2nd in the respective provisional 2027/28 lists, 5th and 2nd 2028/29, 4th and 2nd 29/30.
https://www.uefa.com/nationalassociations/uefarankings/club/?year=2027
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Update.
First qualifying round
Draw 16 June, first leg 7-8 July, second leg 14-15 July
Confirmed:
Celje (Svn)
Shamrock Rovers (Ire)
KuPS (Fin)
Drita (Kos)
Lincoln Red Imps (Gib)
Borac Banja Luka (Bos)
Vikingur Reykjavik (Ice)
Kairat (Kaz)
Riga (Lat)
KÍ Klaksvik (FI)
Floral (Est)
Larne (NI)
Petrocub Hînceşti (Mol)
The New Saints (Wal)
Inter Club d'Escaldes (And)
Levski Sofia (Bul)
Sabah (Aze)
Kauno Žalgiris (Lit)
Iberia 1999 (Geo)
Tre Fiori (SM)
Vardar (NM)
ML Vitebsk (Blr)
Győr (Hun)
To be confirmed:
Champions of...
Romania
Armenia
Malta
Albania
Montenegro
Luxembourg
Second qualifying round
Draw 17 June, first leg 21-22 July, second leg 28-29 July
Champions Path
Confirmed:
Red Star Belgrade (Ser)
Dinamo Zagreb (Cro)
Slovan Bratislava (Svk)
Omonia (Cyp)
AGF (Den)
Thun (Sui)
Mjällby (Swe)
To be confirmed:
Champions of...
Poland
Israel
League Path
Confirmed:
Bodø/Glimt (Nor)
Fenerbahçe (Tur)
Heart of Midlothian (Sco)
To be confirmed:
Runners-up of:
Greece
Austria
Poland
Third qualifying round
Draw 20 July, first leg 4-5 August, second leg 11 August
Champions Path
No new entrants
League Path
Confirmed:
Sparta Prague (Cze)
To be confirmed:
Runners-up of:
Portugal
Greece
Belgium
Third place of:
Netherlands
Fourth place of:
France
Play-off round
Draw 3 August, first leg 18-19 August, second leg 25-26 August
Champions Path
Confirmed:
AEK Athens (Gre)
Viking (Nor)
Celtic (Sco)
To be confirmed:
Champions of:
Austria
League Path
To be confirmed:
Runners-up of:
Portugal*
League Phase
Draw 27 August 2026, matches 8-10 September, 13-14 October, 20-21 October, 3-4 November, 24-25 November, 8-9 December, 19-20 January, 27 January
Confirmed:
Arsenal (Eng)
Manchester City (Eng)
Manchester United (Eng)
Aston Villa (Eng)*
Inter Milan (Ita)
Barcelona (Esp)
Real Madrid (Esp)
Villarreal (Esp)
Atlético Madrid (Esp)
Real Betis (Esp)
Bayern Munich (Ger)
Borussia Dortmund (Ger)
RB Leipzig (Ger)
Stuttgart (Ger)
Paris Saint-Germain (Fra)
Lens (Fra)
PSV Eindhoven (Ned)
Feyenoord (Ned)
Porto (Por)
Slavia Prague (Cze)
Galatasaray (Tur)
Shakhtar Donetsk (Ukr)
To be confirmed:
Europa League winners*
Champions of:
Belgium
Additional teams from:
England*
Italy x 3
France
*Note: if Villa win the Europa League and finish in the top four, Europa League place will not be used. Vacant spot in League phase passes to Portuguese runners-up, two highest ranked clubs in second qualifying round (TBC) will be moved to third qualifying round. If Villa win the Europa League and finish fifth, they will qualify as Europa League winners and 6th placed English team will also qualify for League phase.
Remaining rounds
Knock-out phase play-offs (for teams finishing 9th-24th in League phase), draw 29 January, first leg 16-17 February, second leg 23-24 February
Draw for all remaining rounds 26 February.
Round of 16 (teams finishing top 8 enter here), first leg 9-10 March, second leg 16-17 March
Quarter-Finals, first leg 6-7 April, second leg 13-14 April
Semi-Finals, first leg 27-28 April, second leg 4-5 May
Final, 5 June at Metropolitano Stadium, Madrid
Winners qualify for 2027/28 UEFA Champions League, 2027 UEFA Super Cup, 2027 FIFA Intercontinental Cup and 2029 FIFA Club World Cup.
-
This sounds mad, but the confirmed clubs list isn’t intimidating at all.
-
Probably because in the last 18 months we've beaten three of this year's four semi-finalists. The one we haven't played (since 1998 anyway) is the worst of the four. Get a bit of added quality in this summer and anything could happen.
-
It will be very poor if we don't win it. Unai's job should depend on it.
-
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/HIcsXm8W8AA7J_3?format=jpg&name=medium)
-
Like it, Tuscans.
-
I'd like to get one of Real Madrid, Barca or Inter, or an away day at Dortmund or Villarreal.
-
Real Madrid and AC Milan are the teams I most want. Probably the only two genuinely global clubs we have never played. Real Madrid at Villa Park, especially, would be amazing. Even with only three stands. Would also like Porto, Benfica (if they qualify), PSV, Dortmund and Red Star to add to our list of former European Cup winners played. Not sure Red Star will get through qualifiers, though.
-
Can I just say I’m liking this thread already. Loved our last bash, can’t wait for more.
-
AC Milan are the one for me. Being young in the 90s they hold a mystique as a club and I’d love for us to play them.
-
Thought we (as in home fans) were unlucky this season with nearly all the attractive games away and a couple of repeats and a downright unpleasant one at home.
-
Been smiling all day.
Financially speaking, like it or not it is monumentally important for us to mixing with Big Boys regularly and the more we do it, the more we will get used to it and the more one or two of the other Big6 don't.
-
One sexy team at home and another away and then a load of dross so as we go straight to R16.
-
Can someone advise how our value ladder is looking?
-
Bet the Holte End tickets will be the cost of a single kidney again... :'(
-
With reduced capacity I expect them to be a decent amount more than last time.
-
They did reduce them between Bologna and Forest after getting bad feedback, I think. Same price as last time, maybe a bit lower, I reckon.
-
Can someone advise how our value ladder is looking?
We’ll be doing a a lot better cd. Our UEFA coefficient progress is quite frankly staggering and means we’ll get much bigger shares of the Value Pillar in the CL.
The pillar is split in two:
75% is made up of Domestic and European rights distribution which is calculated by your 5 year coefficient and how big your domestic TV deal is. Being an English club (largest TV deal) and now being probably top 12 in terms of coefficient means we’ll get plenty of the 666 shares available. If you think 2 years ago we were in Pot 4 now Pot 2 so that means more.
The other 25% is the non European rights distribution based on your 10 year coefficient, again we’ve gone from being in the 90s (?) last time to we’re in the top 50 now so will get more this time.
Obviously once all the qualifiers are sorted out we’ll know more exactly. I’ll keep an eye on the Reddit forums in August as they’ll be some updates issued then.
We’ve done well out of the Europa League than virtually every other club in it and with participation, value pillar and performance payments I think we will make between €40-€50m out of the competition.
-
Great work, thanks mate.
-
They did reduce them between Bologna and Forest after getting bad feedback, I think. Same price as last time, maybe a bit lower, I reckon.
Would you like to buy a bridge?
-
No thanks, I've just put one out.
-
Great work, thanks mate.
Not a problem cd, I know the finances stuff isn’t everyone’s cup of tea but we need to keep abreast of things so we as fans can see progress. I’d love a bit of insight into where we think the CL qualification will put us in turnover terms next season despite the likelihood of dropping back this season a bit from last seasons £375m. Hopefully we’ll be breaking that £400m barrier.
-
I’d love a bit of insight into where we think the CL qualification will put us in turnover terms next season despite the likelihood of dropping back this season a bit from last seasons £375m. Hopefully we’ll be breaking that £400m barrier.
What's the point, it'll still be nothing compared to what Blose will earn in a few years' time.
-
Update.
First qualifying round
Draw 16 June, first leg 7-8 July, second leg 14-15 July
Confirmed:
Celje (Svn)
Shamrock Rovers (Ire)
KuPS (Fin)
Drita (Kos)
Lincoln Red Imps (Gib)
Borac Banja Luka (Bos)
Vikingur Reykjavik (Ice)
Kairat (Kaz)
Riga (Lat)
KÍ Klaksvik (FI)
Floral (Est)
Larne (NI)
Petrocub Hînceşti (Mol)
The New Saints (Wal)
Inter Club d'Escaldes (And)
Levski Sofia (Bul)
Sabah (Aze)
Kauno Žalgiris (Lit)
Iberia 1999 (Geo)
Tre Fiori (SM)
Vardar (NM)
ML Vitebsk (Blr)
Győr (Hun)
To be confirmed:
Champions of...
Romania
Armenia
Malta
Albania
Montenegro
Luxembourg
Second qualifying round
Draw 17 June, first leg 21-22 July, second leg 28-29 July
Champions Path
Confirmed:
Red Star Belgrade (Ser)
Dinamo Zagreb (Cro)
Slovan Bratislava (Svk)
Omonia (Cyp)
AGF (Den)
Thun (Sui)
Mjällby (Swe)
Lech Poznań (Pol)
To be confirmed:
Champions of...
Israel
League Path
Confirmed:
Bodø/Glimt (Nor)
Fenerbahçe (Tur)
Heart of Midlothian (Sco)
To be confirmed:
Runners-up of:
Greece
Austria
Poland
Third qualifying round
Draw 20 July, first leg 4-5 August, second leg 11 August
Champions Path
No new entrants
League Path
Confirmed:
Sparta Prague (Cze)
Sporting (Por)
To be confirmed:
Runners-up of:
Greece
Belgium
Third place of:
Netherlands
Fourth place of:
France
Play-off round
Draw 3 August, first leg 18-19 August, second leg 25-26 August
Champions Path
Confirmed:
AEK Athens (Gre)
Viking (Nor)
Celtic (Sco)
To be confirmed:
Champions of:
Austria
League Path
No new entrants
League Phase
Draw 27 August 2026, matches 8-10 September, 13-14 October, 20-21 October, 3-4 November, 24-25 November, 8-9 December, 19-20 January, 27 January
Confirmed:
Arsenal (Eng)
Manchester City (Eng)
Manchester United (Eng)
Aston Villa (Eng)*
Inter Milan (Ita)
Barcelona (Esp)
Real Madrid (Esp)
Villarreal (Esp)
Atlético Madrid (Esp)
Real Betis (Esp)
Bayern Munich (Ger)
Borussia Dortmund (Ger)
RB Leipzig (Ger)
Stuttgart (Ger)
Paris Saint-Germain (Fra)
Lens (Fra)
PSV Eindhoven (Ned)
Feyenoord (Ned)
Porto (Por)
Slavia Prague (Cze)
Galatasaray (Tur)
Shakhtar Donetsk (Ukr)
To be confirmed:
Europa League winners*
Champions of:
Belgium
Additional teams from:
England*
Italy x 3
France
*Note: if Villa win the Europa League and finish in the top four, Europa League place will not be used. Vacant spot in League phase passes to Portuguese runners-up, two highest ranked clubs in second qualifying round (TBC) will be moved to third qualifying round. If Villa win the Europa League and finish fifth, they will qualify as Europa League winners and 6th placed English team will also qualify for League phase.
Remaining rounds
Knock-out phase play-offs (for teams finishing 9th-24th in League phase), draw 29 January, first leg 16-17 February, second leg 23-24 February
Draw for all remaining rounds 26 February.
Round of 16 (teams finishing top 8 enter here), first leg 9-10 March, second leg 16-17 March
Quarter-Finals, first leg 6-7 April, second leg 13-14 April
Semi-Finals, first leg 27-28 April, second leg 4-5 May
Final, 5 June at Metropolitano Stadium, Madrid
Winners qualify for 2027/28 UEFA Champions League, 2027 UEFA Super Cup, 2027 FIFA Intercontinental Cup and 2029 FIFA Club World Cup.
-
Great work, thanks mate.
Not a problem cd, I know the finances stuff isn’t everyone’s cup of tea but we need to keep abreast of things so we as fans can see progress. I’d love a bit of insight into where we think the CL qualification will put us in turnover terms next season despite the likelihood of dropping back this season a bit from last seasons £375m. Hopefully we’ll be breaking that £400m barrier.
You would hope it will be a couple of mil extra on our deals with other sponsorship entities doing so well in Europe 4 years on the trot.
-
The North Stand reduced to a construction site with tarpaulin flapping in the wind as we toil to a scoreless draw with Lech Poznań in November, the Holte struggling to generate the twelfth man atmosphere required. Suddenly Cold Blow Lane, Millwall doesn't seem so far away...
Merry New Champions League!
-
Update.
First qualifying round
Draw 16 June, first leg 7-8 July, second leg 14-15 July
Confirmed:
Celje (Svn)
Shamrock Rovers (Ire)
KuPS (Fin)
Drita (Kos)
Lincoln Red Imps (Gib)
Borac Banja Luka (Bos)
Vikingur Reykjavik (Ice)
Kairat (Kaz)
Riga (Lat)
KÍ Klaksvik (FI)
Floral (Est)
Larne (NI)
Petrocub Hînceşti (Mol)
The New Saints (Wal)
Inter Club d'Escaldes (And)
Levski Sofia (Bul)
Sabah (Aze)
Kauno Žalgiris (Lit)
Iberia 1999 (Geo)
Tre Fiori (SM)
Vardar (NM)
ML Vitebsk (Blr)
Győr (Hun)
To be confirmed:
Champions of...
Romania
Armenia
Malta
Albania
Montenegro
Luxembourg
Second qualifying round
Draw 17 June, first leg 21-22 July, second leg 28-29 July
Champions Path
Confirmed:
Red Star Belgrade (Ser)
Dinamo Zagreb (Cro)
Slovan Bratislava (Svk)
Omonia (Cyp)
AGF (Den)
Thun (Sui)
Mjällby (Swe)
Lech Poznań (Pol)
To be confirmed:
Champions of...
Israel
League Path
Confirmed:
Bodø/Glimt (Nor)
Fenerbahçe (Tur)
Heart of Midlothian (Sco)
To be confirmed:
Runners-up of:
Greece
Austria
Poland
Third qualifying round
Draw 20 July, first leg 4-5 August, second leg 11 August
Champions Path
No new entrants
League Path
Confirmed:
Sparta Prague (Cze)
Sporting (Por)*
To be confirmed:
Runners-up of:
Greece
Belgium
Third place of:
Netherlands
Fourth place of:
France
Play-off round
Draw 3 August, first leg 18-19 August, second leg 25-26 August
Champions Path
Confirmed:
AEK Athens (Gre)
Viking (Nor)
Celtic (Sco)
To be confirmed:
Champions of:
Austria
League Path
No new entrants
League Phase
Draw 27 August 2026, matches 8-10 September, 13-14 October, 20-21 October, 3-4 November, 24-25 November, 8-9 December, 19-20 January, 27 January
Confirmed:
Arsenal (Eng)
Manchester City (Eng)
Manchester United (Eng)
Aston Villa (Eng)*
Inter Milan (Ita)
Napoli (Ita)
Barcelona (Esp)
Real Madrid (Esp)
Villarreal (Esp)
Atlético Madrid (Esp)
Real Betis (Esp)
Bayern Munich (Ger)
Borussia Dortmund (Ger)
RB Leipzig (Ger)
Stuttgart (Ger)
Paris Saint-Germain (Fra)
Lens (Fra)
PSV Eindhoven (Ned)
Feyenoord (Ned)
Porto (Por)
Slavia Prague (Cze)
Galatasaray (Tur)
Shakhtar Donetsk (Ukr)
To be confirmed:
Europa League winners*
Champions of:
Belgium
Additional teams from:
England*
Italy x 2
France
*Note: if Villa win the Europa League and finish in the top four, Europa League place will not be used. Vacant spot in League phase passes to Portuguese runners-up, two highest ranked clubs in second qualifying round (TBC) will be moved to third qualifying round. If Villa win the Europa League and finish fifth, they will qualify as Europa League winners and 6th placed English team will also qualify for League phase.
Remaining rounds
Knock-out phase play-offs (for teams finishing 9th-24th in League phase), draw 29 January, first leg 16-17 February, second leg 23-24 February
Draw for all remaining rounds 26 February.
Round of 16 (teams finishing top 8 enter here), first leg 9-10 March, second leg 16-17 March
Quarter-Finals, first leg 6-7 April, second leg 13-14 April
Semi-Finals, first leg 27-28 April, second leg 4-5 May
Final, 5 June at Metropolitano Stadium, Madrid
Winners qualify for 2027/28 UEFA Champions League, 2027 UEFA Super Cup, 2027 FIFA Intercontinental Cup and 2029 FIFA Club World Cup.
-
Update.
First qualifying round
Draw 16 June, first leg 7-8 July, second leg 14-15 July
Confirmed:
Celje (Svn)
Shamrock Rovers (Ire)
KuPS (Fin)
Drita (Kos)
Lincoln Red Imps (Gib)
Borac Banja Luka (Bos)
Vikingur Reykjavik (Ice)
Kairat (Kaz)
Riga (Lat)
KÍ Klaksvik (FI)
Floral (Est)
Larne (NI)
Petrocub Hînceşti (Mol)
The New Saints (Wal)
Inter Club d'Escaldes (And)
Levski Sofia (Bul)
Sabah (Aze)
Kauno Žalgiris (Lit)
Iberia 1999 (Geo)
Tre Fiori (SM)
Vardar (NM)
ML Vitebsk (Blr)
Győr (Hun)
To be confirmed:
Champions of...
Romania
Armenia
Malta
Albania
Montenegro
Luxembourg
Second qualifying round
Draw 17 June, first leg 21-22 July, second leg 28-29 July
Champions Path
Confirmed:
Red Star Belgrade (Ser)
Dinamo Zagreb (Cro)
Slovan Bratislava (Svk)
Omonia (Cyp)
AGF (Den)
Thun (Sui)
Mjällby (Swe)
Lech Poznań (Pol)
To be confirmed:
Champions of...
Israel
League Path
Confirmed:
Bodø/Glimt (Nor)
Fenerbahçe (Tur)
Heart of Midlothian (Sco)
To be confirmed:
Runners-up of:
Greece
Austria
Poland
Third qualifying round
Draw 20 July, first leg 4-5 August, second leg 11 August
Champions Path
No new entrants
League Path
Confirmed:
Sparta Prague (Cze)
Sporting (Por)*
NEC Nijmegen (Ned)
To be confirmed:
Runners-up of:
Greece
Belgium
Fourth place of:
France
Play-off round
Draw 3 August, first leg 18-19 August, second leg 25-26 August
Champions Path
Confirmed:
AEK Athens (Gre)
Viking (Nor)
Celtic (Sco)
To be confirmed:
Champions of:
Austria
League Path
No new entrants
League Phase
Draw 27 August 2026, matches 8-10 September, 13-14 October, 20-21 October, 3-4 November, 24-25 November, 8-9 December, 19-20 January, 27 January
Confirmed:
Arsenal (Eng)
Manchester City (Eng)
Manchester United (Eng)
Aston Villa (Eng)*
Inter Milan (Ita)
Napoli (Ita)
Barcelona (Esp)
Real Madrid (Esp)
Villarreal (Esp)
Atlético Madrid (Esp)
Real Betis (Esp)
Bayern Munich (Ger)
Borussia Dortmund (Ger)
RB Leipzig (Ger)
Stuttgart (Ger)
Paris Saint-Germain (Fra)
Lens (Fra)
PSV Eindhoven (Ned)
Feyenoord (Ned)
Porto (Por)
Slavia Prague (Cze)
Galatasaray (Tur)
Shakhtar Donetsk (Ukr)
To be confirmed:
Europa League winners*
Champions of:
Belgium
Additional teams from:
England*
Italy x 2
France
*Note: if Villa win the Europa League and finish in the top four, Europa League place will not be used. Vacant spot in League phase passes to Portuguese runners-up, two highest ranked clubs in second qualifying round (TBC) will be moved to third qualifying round. If Villa win the Europa League and finish fifth, they will qualify as Europa League winners and 6th placed English team will also qualify for League phase.
Remaining rounds
Knock-out phase play-offs (for teams finishing 9th-24th in League phase), draw 29 January, first leg 16-17 February, second leg 23-24 February
Draw for all remaining rounds 26 February.
Round of 16 (teams finishing top 8 enter here), first leg 9-10 March, second leg 16-17 March
Quarter-Finals, first leg 6-7 April, second leg 13-14 April
Semi-Finals, first leg 27-28 April, second leg 4-5 May
Final, 5 June at Metropolitano Stadium, Madrid
Winners qualify for 2027/28 UEFA Champions League, 2027 UEFA Super Cup, 2027 FIFA Intercontinental Cup and 2029 FIFA Club World Cup.
-
Any chance of just making the post with the area and change and then editing a main one on the first page rather then the whole caboodle every time with a bold addition or two.
-
Okeydokey.
-
Update.
First qualifying round
Draw 16 June, first leg 7-8 July, second leg 14-15 July
Confirmed:
Celje (Svn)
Shamrock Rovers (Ire)
KuPS (Fin)
Drita (Kos)
Lincoln Red Imps (Gib)
Borac Banja Luka (Bos)
Vikingur Reykjavik (Ice)
Kairat (Kaz)
Riga (Lat)
KÍ Klaksvik (FI)
Floral (Est)
Larne (NI)
Petrocub Hînceşti (Mol)
The New Saints (Wal)
Inter Club d'Escaldes (And)
Levski Sofia (Bul)
Sabah (Aze)
Kauno Žalgiris (Lit)
Iberia 1999 (Geo)
Tre Fiori (SM)
Vardar (NM)
ML Vitebsk (Blr)
Győr (Hun)
To be confirmed:
Champions of...
Romania
Armenia
Malta
Albania
Montenegro
Luxembourg
Second qualifying round
Draw 17 June, first leg 21-22 July, second leg 28-29 July
Champions Path
Confirmed:
Red Star Belgrade (Ser)
Dinamo Zagreb (Cro)
Slovan Bratislava (Svk)
Omonia (Cyp)
AGF (Den)
Thun (Sui)
Mjällby (Swe)
Lech Poznań (Pol)
To be confirmed:
Champions of...
Israel
League Path
Confirmed:
Bodø/Glimt (Nor)
Fenerbahçe (Tur)
Heart of Midlothian (Sco)
To be confirmed:
Runners-up of:
Greece
Austria
Poland
Third qualifying round
Draw 20 July, first leg 4-5 August, second leg 11 August
Champions Path
No new entrants
League Path
Confirmed:
Sparta Prague (Cze)
Sporting (Por)
To be confirmed:
Runners-up of:
Greece
Belgium
Third place of:
Netherlands
Fourth place of:
France
Play-off round
Draw 3 August, first leg 18-19 August, second leg 25-26 August
Champions Path
Confirmed:
AEK Athens (Gre)
Viking (Nor)
Celtic (Sco)
To be confirmed:
Champions of:
Austria
League Path
No new entrants
League Phase
Draw 27 August 2026, matches 8-10 September, 13-14 October, 20-21 October, 3-4 November, 24-25 November, 8-9 December, 19-20 January, 27 January
Confirmed:
Arsenal (Eng)
Manchester City (Eng)
Manchester United (Eng)
Aston Villa (Eng)*
Inter Milan (Ita)
Barcelona (Esp)
Real Madrid (Esp)
Villarreal (Esp)
Atlético Madrid (Esp)
Real Betis (Esp)
Bayern Munich (Ger)
Borussia Dortmund (Ger)
RB Leipzig (Ger)
Stuttgart (Ger)
Paris Saint-Germain (Fra)
Lens (Fra)
PSV Eindhoven (Ned)
Feyenoord (Ned)
Porto (Por)
Slavia Prague (Cze)
Galatasaray (Tur)
Shakhtar Donetsk (Ukr)
To be confirmed:
Europa League winners*
Champions of:
Belgium
Additional teams from:
England*
Italy x 3
France
*Note: if Villa win the Europa League and finish in the top four, Europa League place will not be used. Vacant spot in League phase passes to Portuguese runners-up, two highest ranked clubs in second qualifying round (TBC) will be moved to third qualifying round. If Villa win the Europa League and finish fifth, they will qualify as Europa League winners and 6th placed English team will also qualify for League phase.
Remaining rounds
Knock-out phase play-offs (for teams finishing 9th-24th in League phase), draw 29 January, first leg 16-17 February, second leg 23-24 February
Draw for all remaining rounds 26 February.
Round of 16 (teams finishing top 8 enter here), first leg 9-10 March, second leg 16-17 March
Quarter-Finals, first leg 6-7 April, second leg 13-14 April
Semi-Finals, first leg 27-28 April, second leg 4-5 May
Final, 5 June at Metropolitano Stadium, Madrid
Winners qualify for 2027/28 UEFA Champions League, 2027 UEFA Super Cup, 2027 FIFA Intercontinental Cup and 2029 FIFA Club World Cup.
I’d love a bit of insight into where we think the CL qualification will put us in turnover terms next season despite the likelihood of dropping back this season a bit from last seasons £375m. Hopefully we’ll be breaking that £400m barrier.
What's the point, it'll still be nothing compared to what Blose will earn in a few years' time.
How will they earn all those millions in the Championship?
-
Careful with quotathons please.
-
Update.
First qualifying round
Draw 16 June, first leg 7-8 July, second leg 14-15 July
Confirmed:
Celje (Svn)
Shamrock Rovers (Ire)
KuPS (Fin)
Drita (Kos)
Lincoln Red Imps (Gib)
Borac Banja Luka (Bos)
Vikingur Reykjavik (Ice)
Kairat (Kaz)
Riga (Lat)
KÍ Klaksvik (FI)
Floral (Est)
Larne (NI)
Petrocub Hînceşti (Mol)
The New Saints (Wal)
Inter Club d'Escaldes (And)
Levski Sofia (Bul)
Sabah (Aze)
Kauno Žalgiris (Lit)
Iberia 1999 (Geo)
Tre Fiori (SM)
Vardar (NM)
ML Vitebsk (Blr)
Győr (Hun)
To be confirmed:
Champions of...
Romania
Armenia
Malta
Albania
Montenegro
Luxembourg
Second qualifying round
Draw 17 June, first leg 21-22 July, second leg 28-29 July
Champions Path
Confirmed:
Red Star Belgrade (Ser)
Dinamo Zagreb (Cro)
Slovan Bratislava (Svk)
Omonia (Cyp)
AGF (Den)
Thun (Sui)
Mjällby (Swe)
Lech Poznań (Pol)
To be confirmed:
Champions of...
Israel
League Path
Confirmed:
Bodø/Glimt (Nor)
Fenerbahçe (Tur)
Heart of Midlothian (Sco)
To be confirmed:
Runners-up of:
Greece
Austria
Poland
Third qualifying round
Draw 20 July, first leg 4-5 August, second leg 11 August
Champions Path
No new entrants
League Path
Confirmed:
Sparta Prague (Cze)
Sporting (Por)
To be confirmed:
Runners-up of:
Greece
Belgium
Third place of:
Netherlands
Fourth place of:
France
Play-off round
Draw 3 August, first leg 18-19 August, second leg 25-26 August
Champions Path
Confirmed:
AEK Athens (Gre)
Viking (Nor)
Celtic (Sco)
To be confirmed:
Champions of:
Austria
League Path
No new entrants
League Phase
Draw 27 August 2026, matches 8-10 September, 13-14 October, 20-21 October, 3-4 November, 24-25 November, 8-9 December, 19-20 January, 27 January
Confirmed:
Arsenal (Eng)
Manchester City (Eng)
Manchester United (Eng)
Aston Villa (Eng)*
Inter Milan (Ita)
Barcelona (Esp)
Real Madrid (Esp)
Villarreal (Esp)
Atlético Madrid (Esp)
Real Betis (Esp)
Bayern Munich (Ger)
Borussia Dortmund (Ger)
RB Leipzig (Ger)
Stuttgart (Ger)
Paris Saint-Germain (Fra)
Lens (Fra)
PSV Eindhoven (Ned)
Feyenoord (Ned)
Porto (Por)
Slavia Prague (Cze)
Galatasaray (Tur)
Shakhtar Donetsk (Ukr)
To be confirmed:
Europa League winners*
Champions of:
Belgium
Additional teams from:
England*
Italy x 3
France
*Note: if Villa win the Europa League and finish in the top four, Europa League place will not be used. Vacant spot in League phase passes to Portuguese runners-up, two highest ranked clubs in second qualifying round (TBC) will be moved to third qualifying round. If Villa win the Europa League and finish fifth, they will qualify as Europa League winners and 6th placed English team will also qualify for League phase.
Remaining rounds
Knock-out phase play-offs (for teams finishing 9th-24th in League phase), draw 29 January, first leg 16-17 February, second leg 23-24 February
Draw for all remaining rounds 26 February.
Round of 16 (teams finishing top 8 enter here), first leg 9-10 March, second leg 16-17 March
Quarter-Finals, first leg 6-7 April, second leg 13-14 April
Semi-Finals, first leg 27-28 April, second leg 4-5 May
Final, 5 June at Metropolitano Stadium, Madrid
Winners qualify for 2027/28 UEFA Champions League, 2027 UEFA Super Cup, 2027 FIFA Intercontinental Cup and 2029 FIFA Club World Cup.
I’d love a bit of insight into where we think the CL qualification will put us in turnover terms next season despite the likelihood of dropping back this season a bit from last seasons £375m. Hopefully we’ll be breaking that £400m barrier.
What's the point, it'll still be noth🎟️ing compared to what Blose will earn in a few years' time.
How will they earn all those millions in the Championship?
Firstly they will charge £290 a ticket , children will pay less I imagine £280 each plus holding 30 concerts a year, first concert will be UB4O who understand will not charge a fee as it's a privilege, so multiple by sixty thousand people plus food and drink profits, so that's about £3 billion a year according to a geezer in the pub
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That bunch of scumbags being mentioned in this thread is literally the closest they’ve ever come to the Champions League.
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Spurs based in London make about 20m profit from hosting 25+ non footballing events each year.
Helps pay some bills - not Core Business.
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Latest comfirmed teams, full list including dates in first post of thread.
First qualifying round
Universitat Craiova (Rom)
Floriana (Mal)
Second qualifying round
League Path
Sturm Graz (Aut)
Olympiacos (Gre)
Third qualifying round
League Path
Lyon (Fra)
Play-off round
Champions Path
LASK (Aut)
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Second qualifying round
Champions Path
Hapoel Be'er Sheva (Isr)
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Spurs based in London make about 20m profit from hosting 25+ non footballing events each year.
Helps pay some bills - not Core Business.
Blimey, that barely gets you a back up right back these days.
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Spurs based in London make about 20m profit from hosting 25+ non footballing events each year.
Helps pay some bills - not Core Business.
Blimey, that barely gets you a back up right back these days.
Aye it’s the 60000 seats filled every home game that brings in the big cash. Just like Blose are going to have soon 😭
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Updates below, full information in OP.
First qualifying round
Sutjeska (Mon)
Third qualifying round
League Path
Union Saint-Gilloise (Bel)
League Phase
Lille (Fra)
Club Brugge (Bel)
*Note: if Super Awesome Trophy-Winning Aston Villa finish in the top four, Europa League place will not be used. Vacant spot in League phase passes to Sporting, and Bodø/Glimt and Olympiacos will be moved to from second to third qualifying round. If Villa finish fifth, 6th placed English team will qualify for League phase.
UEFA Super Cup
To be contested by the winner of the Champions League and the Mighty Aston Villa. Wednesday 12th August, 2000 UK/2100 local time, Red Bull Arena, Salzburg.
UEFA-CONMEBOL Club Challenge - possibly.
Introduced in 2023, this is an intended annual match between the winners of Europa League and the CONMEBOL Sudamericana.
However, the game hasn't been played since its first edition, when Sevilla defeated Ecuadorians Independiente del Valle.
Scheduling issues prevented it from being played in 2024, it doesn't seem to have been mentioned last year and it is unclear if it will be returning.
If it does, we would probably be up against Argentinians Club Atlético Lanús. Date and venue very much TBC, if it happens at all.
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If it does, we would probably be up against Argentinians Club Atlético Lanús. Date and venue very much TBC, if it happens at all.
Yes please. Home and away ties, or a one-off game at a neutral venue like the Maracanã.
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Lanus play in colours pretty close to claret.
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Unlike for us, it's possible for Lanús to retain the Copa Sudamerica. They automatically qualified for Copa Libertadores when winning it, but if you finish 3rd in the Groups, then you got back into the Sudamerica (and they are 3rd in their group, with 1 to play.
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So with the Sturm Graz tweet from elsewhere, what was the rest of the knock-on with Sporting moving to league stages. Obviously Sturm Graz moved up a play-off round to replace the team who replaced Sporting in the 3rd round.
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Sturm Graz didn't move up a round, they just confirmed that they will be seeded in the round they have already qualified for. Sporting moved to league stage, Olympiacos and Bodø moved up a round. Will update, think we are just waiting on Albania to finish their league now.
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First qualifying round
Ararat Armenia (Arm)
Atert Bissen (Lux)
Third qualifying round
League Path
Bodø/Glimt (Nor)
Olympiacos (Gre)
League Phase
Liverpool (Eng)
Roma (Ita)
Como (Ita)
Sporting (Por)
Updates above. Full details in OP.
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Olympiacos must love us.
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Brilliant. Does that mean Liverplop has to play an awkward, hiding-to-nothing playoff in the middle of August?
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Brilliant. Does that mean Liverplop has to play an awkward, hiding-to-nothing playoff in the middle of August?
Ah edit, it seems not, sadly.
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The only English team that has to play a playoff round is Brighton, in the Conference League.
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There won't be many Villa fans at the Super Cup. We shall all be at our northern or Scottish estates for the start of the grouse shooting season.
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Super Cup final being advertised as
Wednesday 12th August in Salzberg, Austria
Versus PSG (hopefully) or The Red / White Wimbledon WWF team
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There won't be many Villa fans at the Super Cup. We shall all be at our northern or Scottish estates for the start of the grouse shooting season.
Even our manager wears tweed nowadays.
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Champions League. Current pot projections. We're in Pot 2.
We can't play English teams in the League phase.
2 teams from each Pot. 4 games at home,4 away
Pot 1
Bayern Munich But not Arsenal, Liverpool or ManC
Real Madrid
Paris Saint Germain
Inter Milan
Barcelona
Atlético Madrid
Pot 2
Borussia Dortmund But not ManU
Roma
Sporting CP
Porto
Club Brugge
Real Betis
PSV Eindhoven
Pot 3
Feyenoord
Lille
Olympique Lyon
Bodø/Glimt
Napoli
RB Leipzig
Villarreal
Shakhtar Donetsk
Galatasaray
Pot 4
Red Star Belgrade
Dinamo Zagreb
Celtic
Slavia Prague
Slovan Bratislava
Stuttgart
Lech Poznań
Como
Lens
AC Milan, Juventus, Chelsea, Bayer Leverkusen and Benfica are among big names missing.
Diary dates - League phase draw - Aug 27th
Matchday 1: September 8, 9 and 10
Matchday 2: September 16 and 17
Matchday 3: October 20 and 21
Matchday 4: November 3 and 4
Matchday 5: November 24 and 25
Matchday 6: December 8 and 9
Matchday 7: January 19 and 20
Matchday 8: January 27
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Would love to get one of those Pot 1 Spanish teams at home.
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Real Madrid, two of Dortmund, Porto or PSV and Red Star, please. Hopefully get eight teams we have never played before but at the very least eight teams we haven't played recently, unlike this season's shite draw (still, worked out okay in the end).
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Real Madrid, two of Dortmund, Porto or PSV and Red Star, please. Hopefully get eight teams we have never played before but at the very least eight teams we haven't played recently, unlike this season's shite draw (still, worked out okay in the end).
And Im sure Unai would love to get Villarreal from pot 3!
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As someone who pores over these things once we've qualified, I think I've spotted a glitch in the CL qualifying rounds. Polish champions (Lech Poznan) and runners-up (Gornik Zabzre) both join in the second qualifying round. If they both win their first tie, get in the third qualifying round but then lose that tie, Gornik end up automatically in the EL league phase while Lech end up in the EL playoff round and potentially the Conference League. Doesn't seem right to me.
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Also, and I can't say this enough, those projected pots are horseshit because it includes guesses on who is getting through the qualifying rounds. Although I accept it makes marginally more sense for CL when 29 out of 36 teams are already known.
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The top two pots are confirmed, I think.
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Two out of pot 3 (Lyon and Bodo/Glimt) and five out of pot 4 (Red Star, Dinamo Zagreb, Celtic, Slovan Bratislava, Lech Poznan) have to win qualifying matches to qualify, some of them three ties. In fact, they've only projected one of the four champions who enter in the playoff round to get through and they're Scottish (i.e. shit)
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The top two pots are confirmed, I think.
That is true
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Are the coefficients for the pots going to be based on the ones at the end of this season or the ones at the start of the next when a year drops off? Won't make much of a difference for us but Dortmund and Atleti swap pots for next year.
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We are joint-10th favourites at 33/1.
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I haven't had a football bet in years, but I'm gonna back that.
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I hope we get Real Madrid at the Bernabeu in the league phase.
What a stage that would be for us.
I don't think we have ever played Real Madrid even in a friendly.
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For a poster who doesn't like to tempt fate, the dangling of the CONMEBOL carrot in the thread title feels quite egregious. If the fixture has only ever occurred once, three years ago, it feels that its return is little more than a hail mary.
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I've already bought a Villa-Lanus half and half scarf.
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I haven't had a football bet in years, but I'm gonna back that.
It might be safer to go each-way, in case we don't win it until 2028.
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How do we qualify for that stupid world club cup - isnt that worth £100m
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Win the Champions League or finish high enough in the coefficient rankings that we qualify. There will only be 12 teams from Europe and a max of 2 per country unless 3 or more have won the Champions League from 26-29.
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Ah - so were not getting in without winning the CL - we might get top 12 but Liverpool, Man City and Arsenal will be above us.
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Ah - so were not getting in without winning the CL - we might get top 12 but Liverpool, Man City and Arsenal will be above us.
Depends how the coefficients go in the next 3 seasons. We’ve massively closed the gap in terms of coefficients over the last 3 years (obvs) so if we maintain this rate of progress theirs no guarantee those 3 clubs stay ahead of us.
We are already up to 12th at the start of next season in UEFAs coefficient table
https://www.uefa.com/nationalassociations/uefarankings/club/?year=2027
and whilst it’s a stretch to say we will close the gap Liverpool are only 14pts ahead of us.
Forgot to mention as well there are only 3 clubs above us who’ve scored more than 30 coefficient points twice in the last 4 seasons, Arsenal, PSG and Barcelona. We’re now an elite European club, there’s no reason to think with Unai’s brilliance we can’t keep delivering that.
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Yep, we only have 3 years of points accumulated where the ones above us have four.
Current standings at the start of next season.
Arsenal = 119.0
Man City = 98.5
Liverpool = 97.0
Aston Villa = 83.0
Then the start of 27/28 with the other clubs losing a years worth of points we don't.
Arsenal = 102.0
Aston Villa = 83.0
Liverpool = 78.0
Man City = 65.5
So whilst I don't think we will gain 20 points on Arse next season, as long as we match Liverpool and score within 18 points of City we will be the 2nd best team in England. As long as one of the others (apart from Arse) don't win it, we should qualify as I believe it is the end of the 2028 season for qualifying.
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Only Champions League points count for the coefficient calculations that decide World Club Cup qualification.
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Only Champions League points count for the coefficient calculations that decide World Club Cup qualification.
You had to go and ruin my delusion.
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I've already bought a Villa-Lanus half and half scarf.
It probably doesn't look too bad given their kit is maroon.
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Only Champions League points count for the coefficient calculations that decide World Club Cup qualification.
Just have to win it either this season or next then, just to be sure.
But on that current setup.
Arsenal = 80.0
Liverpool = 58.0
Citeh = 37.5
Villa = 30.25
Spurs = 26.75
Chelsea = 23.25
Newcastle = 21.75
Manure = 0
I can easily see Citeh missing Champs League next season if Guardiola is a big miss although they are also catchable anyway. But we need Arse or Plop to miss a season and us to be in it the next two to stand a chance at CWC.
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With Egnatia winning the Albanian League, the full line-up in the OP is now complete.
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I hope we get Real Madrid at the Bernabeu in the league phase.
What a stage that would be for us.
I don't think we have ever played Real Madrid even in a friendly.
Yes please
My daughter is doing a year at Madrid Uni from September, would be an ideal time for a visit
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Who do I write to at FIFA to try to get the UEFA-CONMEBOL Challenge organised?
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Who do I write to at FIFA to try to get the UEFA-CONMEBOL Challenge organised?
Be sure to send it to UEFA in a brown envelope.
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I really hope we get Barcelona at home.
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First Qualifying Round
Ties to be played 7th-8th July/14th-15th July
Sabah (Aze) vs The New Saints (Wal)
Floriana (Mal) vs Shamrock Rovers (Ire)
Flora (Est) vs Iberian 1999 (Geo)
Lincoln Red Imps (Gib) vs Inter Club d'Escaldes (And)
Tre Fiori (San) vs Larne (NI)
Ararat-Armenia (Arm) vs Riga (Lat)
Vardar (Mac) vs KuPS (Fin)
Kauno Žalgiris (Lit) vs Drita (Kos)
ML Vitebsk (Blr) vs Universitat Craiova (Rom)
Petrocub Hinceşti (Mol) vs Engatia (Alb)
Borac Banja Luka (Bos) vs ETO Győr (Hun)
Kairat (Kaz) vs Sutjeska (Mon)
KÍ (Far) vs Atert Bissen (Lux)
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It’s hotting up.
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Universitat Craiova are Romanian.
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Of course, that's what I put...
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Irish should be happy. Welsh, not so much.
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Irish should be happy. Welsh, not so much.
Yeah, first round exit written all over that one unfortunately.
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Second Qualifying Round
Ties to be played 21-22 July/28-29 July
Champions Path
Mjällby AIF (Swe) vs Lincoln Red Imps (Gib) or Inter d'Escaldes (And)
Tre Fiori (San)/Larne (NI) vs Crvena Zvezda (Red Star) (Ser)
Sabah (Aze) or The New Saints (Wal) vs Vardar (Mac) or KuPS (Fin)
KÍ (Far) or Atert Bissen (Lux) vs Kauno Żalgiris (Lit) or Drita (Kos)
AGF (Den) vs Lech Poznań (Pol)
Ararat Armenia (Arm) or Riga (Lat) vs Floriana (Mal) or Shamrock Rovers (Ire)
Borac Banja Luka (Bos) or Levski Sofia (Bul) vs ML Vitebsk (Blr) or Universitat Craiova (Rom)
Omonia (Cyp) vs Kairat (Kaz) or Sutjeska (Mon)
Thun (Swi) vs Dinamo Zagreb (Cro)
Víkingur (Ice) or ETO Győr (Hun) vs Hapoel Beverly Sheva (Isr)
Flora Tallinn (Est) or Iberia 1999 (Geo) vs Slovan Bratislava (Svk)
Petrocub Hînceşti (Mol) or Egnatia (Alb) vs Celje (Svn)
League Path
Fenerbahçe (Tur) vs Górnik Zabrze (Pol)
Sturm Graz (Aut) vs Heart of Midlothian (Sco)
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That's a tough game for Hearts.
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It's the best draw they could have got, it was either them or Fenerbahçe. It does mean they would be unseeded if they do get through, though, so chances of getting through two rounds would be very slim.
Realistically, I think they need to win a qualifying round to be sure of at least Conference League Group Stage football.
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Still, their day might just have got a lot worse.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cn8k5jd0788o
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I don't know enough about football in Scotland to say, but aren't Rangers a complete shit show?
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We visited a bar in Sofia on the way out and back from Istanbul where the owner supported Levski Sofia. They won the league for the first time in ages. He showed us the highlights on the TV. It looked pretty mental. Great bloke and bar. We left him a Villa scarf to put up. It would be a great away trip.
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Booo, Botev Plovdiv forever!
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Stop calling them "SHAMROCK" ffs (not you, him).
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Stop calling them "SHAMROCK" ffs (not you, him).
Thank you!
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I'm not sure who is being told off.
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Not you, apparently but HIM.
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Death, from the Terry Pratchett novels?
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Not you, apparently but HIM.
RJ from Buffy?
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No, CD is a good lad. I was just pre-empting the eejits on Sky or BBC.
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Phew!
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No, CD is a good lad.
Sometimes. He can also be naughty.
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Never.
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It's the best draw they could have got, it was either them or Fenerbahçe. It does mean they would be unseeded if they do get through, though, so chances of getting through two rounds would be very slim.
Realistically, I think they need to win a qualifying round to be sure of at least Conference League Group Stage football.
Yeah I can easily see them losing three ties and having no league stage football. Rangers could lose two and get nowt. We can but hope.