Champions League 2016 / 2017 playoffs

1

kicks off in earnest on 28/29th June

first qualifying round draw is as below

Flora Tallinn (Estonia) v Lincoln (Gibraltar)
The New Saints FC (Wales) v Tre Penne (San Marino)
Valletta (Malta) v B36 Tórshavn (Faroe Islands)
Santa Coloma (Andorra) v Alashkert (Armenia)

Suprised to see Valetta down this low after Birkirkara took west ham to spotters last year in the UEFA cup

looking forward to these now,
the qualifying rounds are my favourite part of the football season and are a tournament in themself reallly

2

Flora Tallinn (Estonia) or Lincoln (Gibraltar) v Celtic

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Second qualifying round draw (12/13 & 19/20 July)
Qarabağ (AZE) v F91 Dudelange (LUX)
Hapoel Beer-Sheva (ISR) v Sheriff (MDA) v
Olimpija Ljubljana (SVN) v Trenčín (SVK)
Salzburg (AUT) v Liepāja (LVA)
Vardar (MKD) v GNK Dinamo (CRO)

The New Saints FC (WAL)/Tre Penne (SMR) v APOEL (CYP)
Zrinjski (BIH) v Legia Warszawa (POL)
Ludogorets Razgrad (BUL) v Mladost Podgorica (MNE)
Dinamo Tbilisi (GEO) v Santa Coloma (AND)/Alashkert (ARM)
Žalgiris Vilnius (LTU) v Astana (KAZ)
Skënderbeu* (ALB) v Ferencváros (HUN)

BATE Borisov (BLR) v SJK Seinäjoki (FIN)
Valletta (MLT)/B36 Tórshavn (FRO) v Crvena zvezda (SRB)
Rosenborg (NOR) v IFK Norrköping (SWE)
Dundalk (IRL) v FH Hafnarfjördur (ISL)
Flora Tallinn (EST)/Lincoln (GIB) v Celtic (SCO)
Crusaders (NIR) v FC København (DEN)

irish interest in bold

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Better draw for Dundalk than last year, fingers crossed they can get by that Icelandic team.

5

how many rounds for them to make the Europa league?

6

Afaik they only have to win this game.

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yes i think so Matty
last year that got BATE at his stage so this is a lot better target
they dodged a few right bullets there, Norkopping or Norshopping as they are pronounced, Copenhagen , Celtic and Red Star Belgrade

8

I think it’s 2. First one gets you to EL qualifiers, second round to EL groups, third round to CL groups.

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Tough trip for Dudelange on the cards.

10

kicks off tonight lads
im not sure of the TV listings yet

17:00 Flora Tallinn - Lincoln Red Imps FC
18:00 Valletta - B36 Torshavn
19:00 FC Santa Coloma - Alashkert FC
19:00 TNS - Tre Penne Galazzano

tie of the round is probably Torshavn at Valetta
up until only 2 season ago this stage was contested by only 4 teams but now its been extended to 8,
id fancy the Andorrans to shcock Alashkert, 2 seasons ago Santa Coloma beat Pyuunik Yerevan in away goals and this one could be an interesting tie

11

Valetta take a slender lead back to Torshavn next week thanks to a late winner in the Ta’Qali a stadium etched in irish folklore from november 1989
The Lincoln Red Imps went down 2-1 in Tallinn, that away goal could be vital but we all know what they are capable of after a battling performance against Myjittland last year
Joe Chipolina who featured v Ireland twice in the campaign with the strike

TNS take a slender 2-1 to San Marino whilst Andorran champs Santa Coloma go to Armenia with the tie at 0-0…

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12

wow,
scenes tonight

Alashkert FC 3 - 0 FC Santa Coloma (3-0 agg)- Coloma finish with 8 men
B36 Torshavn 2 - 1 Valletta (2-2- Valetta on away goals- gutted for Brian Kerrr
Tre Penne Galazzano 0 - 3 TNS(1-5 on agg)

TNS now play APOEL

13

Celtic are off to Gibraltar

Lincoln Red Imps have beaten Flora Tallinn 3-2 on aggregate

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14

Incredible scenes tonight as Lincoln Red imps do it again
well , this is the second year in a row they have negotiated it thru to the 2nd qualifying round , this surely justifies Gibraltan clubs existence in european competition.
actually @Rocko we need to get a coefficient discussion going and how the calculation is done
with the red imps and Europa FC probably progressing over Latvian and Armenian opposition respectively,id expect to see Gibralter move up the rankings
from my calculations Gibralter now have more clubs left in Europe than Latvia and Armenia combined if Europa beat Pyuunik Yerevan tomoro night (already 2 up)
enjoy your trip to the Victoria stadium on Winston Churchill Avenue @thedancingbaby

15

The cigarette mules sitting on the Spanish side wouldn’t know how to deal with a few hundred Celtic fans standing around them drinking cans.

Are the lads playing for that club mainly ex pats or what type of league is there in Gib?

16

Was hoping we’d get around to this.

Firstly, Gibraltar are handicapped by having no entrants in 2 of the past 5 seasons which limits their ranking badly. Only Kosovo were below them at the start of the season and they haven’t managed to pass licensing yet.

Secondly, their entry to UEFA was conditional on capping their entrants to club competitions at 2, irrespective of coefficient. I think their performances mean that is likely to be lifted but I don’t think we’ve heard anything definitive from Nyon yet. UEFA are due to review the position this summer.

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the success of the Lincoln Red Imps didnt suprise readers of this thread
i see College Europa FC have every chance of beating swedish opposition tomorro nite also

anyway,
back to tonight
im watching Dundalk here, they were ripped asunder for the opener in fairness
they can score tho as the natives look poor at the back but going forward

fuck it
David Macmillan , what a goal

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scenes

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20

Celtic are off to Kazakstan so
Hapoel Be er Sheva won last night also
big result there for Albanian football with NK Partizani beating Ferencvaros
NK Olimpija Ljubliana won us a a fortune but they go out on away goals, 6-6 on agg