LOI in Europe 2023

[sbgawa]

Yes the draw is today. 1pm Irish time
Rovers are seeded with the following possible draws

Ki Klaksvik (Faroes)
Preliminary round winner
BK Hacken (Swedan) PLEASE AVOID
Balkani (KOS)
FC Struga (North Macedonia)

Apart from Hacken where we would be big under dogs the rest all look like ties we have a chance in

[MichaelCherrito]

Derry City’s potential rivals in today’s draw:

Riga, Crusaders, KF Shkendija, Levadia Tallin or HB Torshavn.

Dundalk’s potential rivals:

Vikingur, FCB Magpies, Vllaznia, Akureyri or SC Gjilani.

Draw is at 14.00.

[sbgawa]

Conference League draw in at 2pm Irish time
Groups for the Irish teams below

Seeded
1 Linfield FC (NIR)
2 Dundalk FC (IRL)
3 Connah's Quay Nomads FC (WAL)
4 FC Progrès Niederkorn (LUX)
5 Inter Club d'Escaldes (AND)
Unseeded
6 KA Akureyri (ISL)
7 Víkingur (FRO)
8 SC Gjilani (KOS)
9 KF Vllaznia (ALB)
10 FCB Magpies (GIB)


Seeded
1 Riga FC (LVA)
2 KF Shkëndija (MKD)
3 FC Levadia Tallinn (EST)
4 HB Tórshavn (FRO)
5 Crusaders FC (NIR)

Unseeded
6 MŠK Žilina (SVK)
7 FC Haka Valkeakoski (FIN)
8 Derry City FC (IRL)
9 Víkingur Reykjavík (ISL)
10 Haverfordwest County AFC (WAL)



Seeded
1 F91 Diddeleng (LUX)
2 FC Shkupi 1927 (MKD)
3 B36 Tórshavn (FRO)
4 G?ira United FC (MLT)
5 Europa FC (GIB)
6 FC Santa Coloma (AND)

Unseeded
7 Paide Linnameeskond (EST)
8 Saint Patrick's Athletic FC (IRL)
9 KF Dukagjini (KOS)
10 Glentoran FC (NIR)
11 FC Hegelmann Litauen (LTU)
12 Penybont FC (WAL

[Jack B]

Would rather not have the North Macedonian or Faroe sides.

So I look forward to have to play one of them.

[sidewayspasser]

Could be Faroese opposition for all four clubs

[pineapple stu]

It's hard to find a tough draw for anyone in those tbh.

The unseeded pot in Derry's pool in particular is stronger than the seeded pot

[sbgawa]

Would rather not have the North Macedonian or Faroe sides.

So I look forward to have to play one of them.

We played FC Skupi last year and one thing i can tell you from having been in North Macedonia is you will enjoy the beer at €2 a pint and taxis where a 15 minute ride costs 3 or 4 euro........plus they are very beatable

[pineapple stu]

Struga is a great spot - Lake Ohrid is beautiful and a stay in Ohrid town is well worth it. Plus an airport right on the door. There's far worse places to go.

[sbgawa]

This draw is so important , avoid Hacken and we have a real chance ..its night and day and so important.
The first round that guarantees you 3 more rounds with a win is the single biggest game in the season..

[culloty82]

After Ballkani's run last season, was expecting them to have beaten stronger opponents, but seems they only had to get past teams from the Faeroes, San Marino and Shkupi of Macedonia.

[EatYerGreens]

Yes the draw is today. 1pm Irish time
Rovers are seeded with the following possible draws

Ki Klaksvik (Faroes)
Preliminary round winner
BK Hacken (Swedan) PLEASE AVOID
Balkani (KOS)
FC Struga (North Macedonia)

Apart from Hacken where we would be big under dogs the rest all look like ties we have a chance in

That's a kind draw for Rovers. Larne got a brutal set of potential opponents in Group 2, so hard to see how they'll progress this year.

[sbgawa]

At homw to the preliminary winners. Avoided hacken the mainthing

[Buller]

Where are Preliminary from?

[pineapple stu]

Where are Preliminary from?
I know that's a joke btw, but worth saying it's probably Budocnost Podgorica of Montenegro. Maybe Breidablik of Iceland, but unlikely to be the Andorra or San Marino team.

There's probably easier ties out there than the Montenegrin champions, but it's doable and certainly not Sweden!

[sidewayspasser]

Preliminary round participants:
Breidablik (Iceland)
Buducnost Podgorica (Montenegro)
Atletic d'Escaldes (Andorra)
Tre Penne (San Marino)

I'd say the Icelandic team is the most likely.

[joey B]

Larne draw HJK Helsinki..

[Asterix]

Breidablik beat Buducnost Podgorica last year, also knocked austria wien out the previous year.

[pineapple stu]

Those games are next week it's worth noting - Tues/Fri. So won't be until Friday week that the exact team is confirmed

[pineapple stu]

Dundalk v Bruno's Magpies (GIB)
Pat's v Dudelange (LUX)
Derry v HB Torshavn (FAR)

Worst possible draw for Pat's; other two should be big favourites though.

[ger121]

Dundalk v Bruno's Magpies (GIB)
Pat's v Dudelange (LUX)
Derry v HB Torshavn (FAR)

Worst possible draw for Pat's; other two should be big favourites though.

Dudelange not the side of 3-4 years ago. Really saw it against us in 2021.

[pineapple stu]

Fair point - though the alternatives were Malta, Gibraltar, Andorra, the Faroes or North Macedonia, so I think it's still the worst draw out of that lot.

Which is definitely a relative thing!

[nigel-harps1954]

There's a genuine chance of progression for all four teams here.

[Jd2793]

faroes away is tougher than it sounds. theres been some decent scalps out there in the last few years. tricky one for a derry side that looks very ordinary in the league considering what was spent.
agree re- dudelange, that league has rapidly gone downhill. lots of players have left for better clubs aroudn europe. think pats will get through handy.

[Philosophizer]

Very good draw all things considered.
Dundalk and Derry probably got the easiest draws they could get. Pats is also winnable.
The most dangerous opponents like Riga, Talinn, Hacken etc were all avoided

[Nesta99]

Dundalk v Bruno's Magpies (GIB)
Pat's v Dudelange (LUX)
Derry v HB Torshavn (FAR)

Worst possible draw for Pat's; other two should be big favourites though.


Thats a big 'should' for Dundalk. Its one of the easiest ever draws in Europe but not one I will take as a forgone conclusion. Form has been so sketchy it could also be up there with a worst ever LoI eclipsimg Shels loss to Hibs Malta or a couple of Cork and Rovers efforts!

[ger121]

Fair point - though the alternatives were Malta, Gibraltar, Andorra, the Faroes or North Macedonia, so I think it's still the worst draw out of that lot.

Which is definitely a relative thing!

Well in that context then I suppose it is. Better trip than some of the others from a logistic standpoint.

[Buller]

Thats a big 'should' for Dundalk. Its one of the easiest ever draws in Europe but not one I will take as a forgone conclusion. Form has been so sketchy it could also be up there with a worst ever LoI eclipsimg Shels loss to Hibs Malta or a couple of Cork and Rovers efforts!

And Bohs infamous 4 nil defeat to The New Saints, lest we forget!

[ger121]

And Bohs infamous 4 nil defeat to The New Saints, lest we forget!

Two words. Flora Tallinn. Every LOI side got a couple of them at least in the record books.

[ger121]

With the preliminary tournament taking place in Iceland, you would fancy Breidablik to maybe win through.

[Nesta99]

Two words. Flora Tallinn. Every LOI side got a couple of them at least in the record books.

Beg to differ on the 'every club' bit. Most clubs maybe - would be fun to rank the worst mind, starting with Longford v The Welsh Unknowns.

[sbgawa]

i think if Dundalk lose to an ACTUAL pub team it will top the list to be fair.
All joking aside these are good draws for all of the Irish teams, with a bit of luck we could have all 4 through and building uo the points from consistant winning snowballs into success....in terms of seedings

[ger121]

Beg to differ on the 'every club' bit. Most clubs maybe - would be fun to rank the worst mind, starting with Longford v The Welsh Unknowns.

What LOI clubs in Europe have not had some horror show results? UCD?

[ger121]

i think if Dundalk lose to an ACTUAL pub team it will top the list to be fair.
All joking aside these are good draws for all of the Irish teams, with a bit of luck we could have all 4 through and building uo the points from consistant winning snowballs into success....in terms of seedings

I could swear Crusaders scraped through against them last year.

[Philosophizer]

What LOI clubs in Europe have not had some horror show results? UCD?
Let’s face it, no LOI club is in a position to slag off another about results in Europe. Pretty much every LOI team has been on the end of a drubbing in Europe at some stage.
And if they haven’t it’s because they aren’t good enough to get into Europe regularly and play quality opposition.

[Nesta99]

Let’s face it, no LOI club is in a position to slag off another about results in Europe. Pretty much every LOI team has been on the end of a drubbing in Europe at some stage.
And if they haven’t it’s because they aren’t good enough to get into Europe regularly and play quality opposition.

All philosophing aside not all drubbings are equal!! Some have a lot more entertainmnt value that others...like a Rovers side struggling against an Albanian team that were trying to throw the tie!

[pineapple stu]

Let’s face it, no LOI club is in a position to slag off another about results in Europe.
Yup. Which is exactly why every LoI club is in a position to slag each other off about results in Europe :p

[ontheotherhand]

The 4-0 loss to a computer repair shop still stands alone obviously.

[Philosophizer]

In recent years we’ve had a few big wins too, which hopefully continues. Maybe not drubbings, but many have had comprehensive victories in Europe in recent years. Sligo totally dismantled Motherwell, which was utterly hilarious, even if they were comprehensively beaten in the next round. Pats performances and results last year were very commendable. Rovers were convincing when they dispatched Hibs and Shkupi last year, most unlike a LOI team to be so steady and not too many crazy moments. Bohs had big wins at the Aviva in recent years. Dundalk set the bar in 2016 and followed it up in 2020. Lots of positive progress in the past 7/8 years.

[Jamesie]

The 4-0 loss to a computer repair shop still stands alone obviously.

In fairness it was played on a concrete plastic hybrid surface

[placid casual]

From a Rovers perspective, I think our most embarrassing European result was losing 7 nil to Gornik Zabze, although my personal euro hell moment was us losing to the giants of Lithuanian football Ekranas, with one S Kenny failing to convince in the Rovers dugout - whatever became of that joker I wonder.

[JC_GUFC]

Could I just point out that Galway United have a 100% record in Europe - having faced one Dutch and two Danish clubs.

Overall they were great draws for the Irish clubs particularly for Derry as an unseeded side.

Pat's were unseeded and although the Luxemburgers were the top ranked seeded side in the whole first round there definitely look like there would have been tougher draws for them. I've just realised because of this Pat's are seeded for the 2nd round draw if they qualify. Dundalk also will be on the back of their own coefficient

I'd be disappointed if any fewer than 3 sides progressed and 4 is a real possibility.

[ger121]

Rovers, if they get through, will play Copenhagen, or your old pals Molde and Ferencváros (or KI)

[D24Saint]

Dudelange is a tricky but winnable tie. The fact that the winner gets seeded is only beneficial if we avoid Luzern in the next round. It was handy enough to sort out for the fans to get to Luxemburg so there should be a decent turnout.

[joey B]

Copenhagen for Rovers in the next round if they win…..

[sbgawa]

Copenhagen won't be easy, drew at home with man city, dortmund and sevilla last year , did lose all 3 away but you'd have to say if we win first round that's as good a guarantee of round 3 europa league as you are going to get

[JC_GUFC]

Copenhagen the worst of the three Rovers could have drawn. Focus as you say has to be on the First Qualifying Round and hoping for a good draw in Europa/Conference League quals.

I would hope that if Rovers do make the group stages they'll make a bit more of an impression - it was a tough group Rovers got and understandable that focus had to be on winning the league again but by the end if became fairly embarrassing.

[sbgawa]

Copenhagen the worst of the three Rovers could have drawn. Focus as you say has to be on the First Qualifying Round and hoping for a good draw in Europa/Conference League quals.

I would hope that if Rovers do make the group stages they'll make a bit more of an impression - it was a tough group Rovers got and understandable that focus had to be on winning the league again but by the end if became fairly embarrassing.


Cant disagree but unless we can pick up 6 points against Bohs and Derry this weekend the same thing could happen again.
If Bradley has to choose between the 4 in a row and winning a mid week European match there wont even be a decison to make.
We need to step up this weekend,

[joey B]

The defeated side in Rovers Champions League 1st Qualifying Round tie will play the defeated side in the tie between KÍ Klaksvik v Ferencváros in the Europa Conference League 2nd Qualifying Round.

[ger121]

Decent potential draws for all LOI sides in UECL Qualifying Round 2. The Derry one the most tricky but winnable.

[Candystripe]

Decent potential draws for all LOI sides in UECL Qualifying Round 2. The Derry one the most tricky but winnable.

Kups are top of their league so definitely a hard draw.