zequist Posted May 31, 2009 Report Share Posted May 31, 2009 Of the 13 leagues in Europe who get an automatic qualifier into the Champions League group stages, only Romania is still undecided. The rest have settled all of their CL and EL entrants. The highlights of our EL competition from those leagues (not including other English teams, since we wouldn't see them before the knockout rounds): 2nd round qualifiers NAC Breda (Holland) Galatasaray (Turkey) 3rd round qualifiers Athletic Bilbao (Spain) AS Roma (Italy) Lille (France) Hamburg (Germany) Sporting Braga (Portugal) PSV Eindhoven (Holland) Fenerbahce (Turkey) Metalist Kharkiv (Ukraine) Club Brugge (Belgium) Fellow 4th round qualifiers Villareal, Valencia (Spain) Lazio, Genoa (Italy) Werder Bremen, Hertha Berlin (Germany) Zenit St. Petersburg (Russia) Benfica (Portugal) Heerenveen, Ajax (Holland) Hearts (Scotland) Trabzonspor (Turkey) Among the teams we could see in the group stages IF they bombed their Champions' League qualifying: Atletico Madrid, Fiorentina, Lyon, Stuttgart, Sporting Lisbon, FC Twente, and Celtic Some of those teams (Bilbao, Genoa, Hearts) have few enough qualifying points that we could potentially see them in a 4th round match, but after four straight draws against tough qualifying opponents, we're well past due for a nice, easy draw against some no-namers from Sweden or Hungary or something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeO Posted May 31, 2009 Report Share Posted May 31, 2009 Thanks for that JD, interesting. It is seeded is it? I believe the final qualifying round of the Champs League isn't this year. Nice easy draw would be great this time, and at least we don't start until the end of August....Fulham's first game will be at the end of July (Aberdeen 16th July). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zequist Posted June 1, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 1, 2009 (edited) Thanks for that JD, interesting. It is seeded is it? I believe the final qualifying round of the Champs League isn't this year. Nice easy draw would be great this time, and at least we don't start until the end of August....Fulham's first game will be at the end of July (Aberdeen 16th July). Yes, it is seeded. According to the website where I usually go for information on these things, any team with at least 25 European points is guaranteed a seed in the 4th round (the cutoff could and probably will be a bit lower, since upsets do happen, but it can't get any higher than that) - we have 35.899 points, so we exceed the minimum by a comfortable margin, as do the majority of the teams I listed. Frankly, I hope it does go lower than that, because there are a few teams sitting right around 24 points (Bilbao, Metalist, Levski Sofia if they bust out of the CL) that I would rather not see on the unseeded side of the bracket. I don't remember if the 3rd and 4th qualifying rounds of the Champs League are seeded or not, but the major change is that they are now subdivided. For those two rounds, league champions will only play other league champions, and non-champions will only play non-champions. So a mid-level champion like Wisla Krakow or Maccabi Haifa, instead of potentially having to face a juggernaut like Arsenal or Lyon to make the group stages, has a better shot at a more manageable opponent like an FC Copenhagen or Partizan Belgrade. Edited June 1, 2009 by JD in DC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Romey 1878 Posted June 1, 2009 Report Share Posted June 1, 2009 There will be 5 officials for the Europa League Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StevO Posted June 1, 2009 Report Share Posted June 1, 2009 There will be 5 officials for the Europa League what will the extra official do? even in prem games the 4th official cant have a deciding effect of the game can he? there are some big clubs in this, could be a tough one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Romey 1878 Posted June 1, 2009 Report Share Posted June 1, 2009 what will the extra official do?even in prem games the 4th official cant have a deciding effect of the game can he? there are some big clubs in this, could be a tough one. They'll be standing behind the goal to see if the ball goes over the line Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamiemaher85 Posted June 1, 2009 Report Share Posted June 1, 2009 I think its a good idea and was pleased when I heard about this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StevO Posted June 1, 2009 Report Share Posted June 1, 2009 until they block the view of a fan, and end up with a coin in the back of their heads Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barryh Posted June 2, 2009 Report Share Posted June 2, 2009 On the subject of the Europa Leaugue..........does anyone know if its a new trophy or are they stickin with the Euefa Cup ???? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adpom Posted June 2, 2009 Report Share Posted June 2, 2009 what round do we Enter an get the hardest team in it like normal? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louis Posted June 2, 2009 Report Share Posted June 2, 2009 The existing UEFA Cup will be the prize for Europa League.. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/...tournament.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeO Posted June 2, 2009 Report Share Posted June 2, 2009 what round do we Enter an get the hardest team in it like normal? Play-off round (20th and 27th August), so just one win and we're in the group stage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adpom Posted June 3, 2009 Report Share Posted June 3, 2009 i smell a villareal rematch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian C Posted June 3, 2009 Report Share Posted June 3, 2009 i smell a villareal rematch. Co-efficients make that very unlikely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeO Posted June 3, 2009 Report Share Posted June 3, 2009 Co-efficients make that very unlikely. Impossible fortunately. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adpom Posted June 3, 2009 Report Share Posted June 3, 2009 with Plantini in charge anything possible Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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