LOI In Europe 2025

[sbgawa]

What a goal..3 nil rovers

[pineapple stu]

Virtus of San Marino go 1-0 up against Milsami of Moldova - 3-3 on aggregate. This is the tie they lost in the last minute last week despite playing against nine men for the last 10 minutes.

Would obviously be unprecedented for a Sammarinese side to reach the playoff rounds.

Edit - they go 2-0 up!

[pineapple stu]

4-0 Rovers now

But you never know - Uni Craiova were 4-0 up on aggregate against Trnava after half an hour tonight, and the tie's now gone to extra time

[ger121]

Virtus of San Marino go 1-0 up against Milsami of Moldova - 3-3 on aggregate. This is the tie they lost in the last minute last week despite playing against nine men for the last 10 minutes.

Would obviously be unprecedented for a Sammarinese side to reach the playoff rounds.

Edit - they go 2-0 up!

Good for us if the Moldovans go out.

[Dexy]

He hasn’t been 100% this season with a niggle and he still is brilliant most weeks. He has the heart of a lion and never throws the towel in despite what is happening. As for tonight I be very happy with how it turned out. When you come up against the likes of them you are always going to be in trouble. We managed to rattle their cage a bit and keep our heads up for Sunday.

He does not have the heart of a lion as the winner showed. This happens week after week for 3 years now, if this is him with a niggle, what would he be like with a knock. Poor technically, not great in the air, slow. He's great at last ditch tackles (not tonight!) cos he's always out of position. Pats fan btw, sick of ****ing away money on bang average players

[ger121]

Rovers seem toothless again. Goals dried up lately.

What do I know.

[D24Saint]

He does not have the heart of a lion as the winner showed. This happens week after week for 3 years now, if this is him with a niggle, what would he be like with a knock. Poor technically, not great in the air, slow. He's great at last ditch tackles (not tonight!) cos he's always out of position. Pats fan btw, sick of ****ing away money on bang average players

Clearly have an axe to grind.

[pineapple stu]

3-0 Virtus now; history is made here

Linfield win 2-0 and play Shels now. So Shels just need to beat Linfield twice to make the groups. Some difference from having to beat Hajduk and Depor

[ger121]

3-0 Virtus now; history is made here

Linfield win 2-0 and play Shels now. So Shels just need to beat Linfield twice to make the groups. Some difference from having to beat Hajduk and Depor

Linfield will be harder to beat this time but you got to hope Shels are battle hardened by their game to-date.

[yurt]

Rovers seem toothless again. Goals dried up lately.

This obviously didn't age well but it was my reading of the tie at the time.

About 20 minutes in Ballkani had a decent passage of possession where they played through Shams more than once. The goal really seemed to knock the stuffing out of Ballkani they never really had a sniff in the second half.

Really professional performance and Bradley deserves credit for building such a big squad.

Really looking forward to see how they fair against Santa Clara. Would be great if that tie is alive all the way to the end of the second leg.

[ger121]

This obviously didn't age well but it was my reading of the tie at the time.

About 20 minutes in Ballkani had a decent passage of possession where they played through Shams more than once. The goal really seemed to knock the stuffing out of Ballkani they never really had a sniff in the second half.

Really professional performance and Bradley deserves credit for building such a big squad.

Really looking forward to see how they fair against Santa Clara. Would be great if that tie is alive all the way to the end of the second leg.

Yeah, I called myself out of that one alright.

Larne got a draw in the Azores. I know the tie was effectively over but Rovers will be hoping for something similar over there.

[pineapple stu]

Linfield will be harder to beat this time but you got to hope Shels are battle hardened by their game to-date.

It would be strange to beat a side in Europe and then lose to them and fail to make the groups as a result

Not sure if it's happened before (and can't be bothered checking obviously!)

Surprised UEFA didn't rule it out tbh

[Comic Book Guy]

Yeah, I called myself out of that one alright.

Larne got a draw in the Azores. I know the tie was effectively over but Rovers will be hoping for something similar over there.

I know it's a step up for Rovers but I don't think it's the foregone thing that some people think.

[legendz]

Second year in a row that two LoI clubs are in the playoff rounds. One EL playoff and one CL playoff last year. Two CL playoffs this year.

[ger121]

Dinamo City of Albania currently doing to Hajduk what Shels hoped to do last night. 4-3 on Agg with 4 minutes of ET left. No easy ties.

[pineapple stu]

Dundee United gone to penalties against Rapid Wien

Jim Goodwin rebuilding his reputation there after the Aberdeen disaster

[patsdad]

He does not have the heart of a lion as the winner showed. This happens week after week for 3 years now, if this is him with a niggle, what would he be like with a knock. Poor technically, not great in the air, slow. He's great at last ditch tackles (not tonight!) cos he's always out of position. Pats fan btw, sick of ****ing away money on bang average players

You may say you’re a Pats fan but a search of your posts on foot.ie shows diddley squat evidence of that. There are two possibilities here - either you’re a football genius who knows more than all the pundits and supporters who consistently have Redmond on their team of the year - or you’re a sad clown getting your kicks from provoking people on the Internet.

[pineapple stu]

I mean, the "View Forum Posts" function gives four posts, three of which are in the Redmond discussion.

Do you not think the third possibility - that's **** all posts to go off - is worth considering?

[patsdad]

Can only take positives from that performance tonight. Hopefully we can carry that into Sunday and the remaining games and have more European magic nights next season.
That injury time free kick on the edge of the box would have been very interesting if there was an outfield player in goal which there would have been if the ref didn’t bottle the clear red card for handing outside the box and denying Melia a goal scoring opportunity. I guess the big boys always get the big decisions in the end.

[patsdad]

I mean, the "View Forum Posts" function gives four posts, three of which are in the Redmond discussion.

Do you not think the third possibility - that's **** all posts to go off - is worth considering?

I’d imagine that, tonight of all nights, a genuine Pats fan would have found something more positive to post about.
He could of course be a Pats fan with a personal agenda against Redmond.
Whatever he is, you certainly won’t find many Pats fans who agree with him.

[yurt]

3-0 Virtus now; history is made here

Linfield win 2-0 and play Shels now. So Shels just need to beat Linfield twice to make the groups. Some difference from having to beat Hajduk and Depor

Looking at Bert's updated table that Virtus result is great for the LOI. We'll finish ahead of the Moldovans for sure now. Would need an awful lot to go against us to not have a team in the Europa league in 27/28.

Even though everyone is dreaming about having 2 Irish sides in the league phase, it is more likely imo, that we have 0 rather than 2 going into the playoff round.

Even though the tie was close on the scoreboard it was pretty obvious, to me at least that Shels are a far better side than Linfield. It'd be a disaster if they didn't beat them over 2 legs.

[placid casual]

Quality performance from Rovers tonight, when it was needed.
A step up in class expected against the brazilian-dominated Santa Clara but we'll give it a go.

[sbgawa]

But will those Brazilians fancy it on a cold wet night in Tallaght ? Roll on a bit of proper weather

[Dexy]

You may sayyou’re a Pats fan but a search of your posts on foot.ie shows diddley squat evidence of that. There are two possibilities here - either you’re a football genius who knows more than all the pundits and supporters who consistently have Redmond on their team of the year - or you’re a sad clown getting your kicks from provoking people on the Internet.

I'm not provoking anyone, I'm sick of the same spoofers having a great end of season to gain another contract only to see the same **** again. We've spent a fortune on bang average players and going nowhere yet again.

[EatYerGreens]

3-0 Virtus now; history is made here

Linfield win 2-0 and play Shels now. So Shels just need to beat Linfield twice to make the groups. Some difference from having to beat Hajduk and Depor

Just shows the large degree of 'the luck of the draw' in progression for teams at our level.

[EatYerGreens]

Yeah, I called myself out of that one alright.

Larne got a draw in the Azores. I know the tie was effectively over but Rovers will be hoping for something similar over there.

Given the crazy heat this wek and next across pretty much all of Europe, a game in the Azores is actually quite lucky temperature-wise.

[oriel]

Just shows the large degree of 'the luck of the draw' in progression for teams at our level.

Also with the new set up in europe over the past 5 years or so, once you win your league and from a ranking where Ireland currently is, its almost impossible not to make the group stages these days, maybe 'almost impossible' not strictly accurate, but look at the amount of chances you will get from that league winners route to make it, now Shels have 60% (I would think) chance.

Then again Linfield even with their handicap of not a great standard domestic and competitive league out of season are building up a head of steam, so they will fancy making it too for sure for their first ever time.

Compare all of this to league winners mid 10's up to covid, you got one back door, and some years none you lost and you were out, as Dundalk and Cork C found out, but same conditions applied to all clubs, so much better opportunities now to advance and that has to be a good thing.

Solid win for Rovers last night, and a damn good effort by Pats, but even at 2-0 up, they still had a fair bit to go, but hats off to them for having a right go.

[sbgawa]

Im still trying to wrap my head around Shels making group stages by beating Linfield , lose , lose beat Linfield again.
100% the Champions route provided you avoid a landmine in the first round gives you a parachute (which shels have used) but there were multiple worse options than Linfield on both ocasions.

Rovers will need to take it up a level to beat Santa Clara, a quik google shows them losing against Benfica and Porto in the league in tight matches and winning away at Sporting Lisbon.
Rovers runs in Europe have given us hope and we are used to seeing them winning but we are long odds against here.
If we can keep it to 1 away we have a shout but that will be a big ask.


Good decision by Rovers and Shels to postpone next weekends league match between them

[D24Saint]

Given the crazy heat this wek and next across pretty much all of Europe, a game in the Azores is actually quite lucky temperature-wise.

Id say it’s an awkward one for the club and fans to arrange travel on short notice. I went via Porto on a trip but even with lots of time it wasn’t the cheapest.

[pateen]

Quality performance from Rovers tonight, when it was needed.
A step up in class expected against the brazilian-dominated Santa Clara but we'll give it a go.

I reckon its a great trip for away fans in the Portuguese league.
Going to be a very expensive trip for any Rovers fan.

[DonegalHoop]

115 seats available on club charter for €520. Should be a good trip for those travelling over

[sbgawa]

Thats a great price and great experience for the fans who travel over. a good result over there and the plane will be a happy one coming back

[sbgawa]

Will Shamrocks get a crowd of over 5 to 6,000 tonight!

6500 at the match in the end.
Id say it was more than they were expecting as the EAst stand was closed so capacity was only 7000 and it was hard enough to find a couple of seats togetehr if you arrived at KO time

[WeAreRovers]

115 seats available on club charter for €520. Should be a good trip for those travelling over

Sold out. That was quick.

[Buckett]

Out of interest, are fans segregated from players on these charter flights?

[brendy_�ire]

Out of interest, are fans segregated from players on these charter flights?

On the Derry City ones, the players are all up the front.

€520 is an absolute bargain for that flight. It'll be a great trip, gorgeous place.

[pateen]

Prawn cracker brigade :D

[pineapple stu]

I see the Youth League draw is on Thursday week, with the first round next month. Shels are our representatives - looks like these are the teams they could be drawn against (from the Bert Kassies forum). Probably more likely to get a western side, but then we could have been off to Kosovo or Albania in the first round last year

30. Slovenia: Bravo
31. Moldova: Radu Rebeja-LIMPS
32. Kosovo: 2 Korriku
33. Kazakhstan: Kairat
34. Finland: HJK
35. Ireland: Shelbourne
36. Armenia: Urartu
37. Latvia: Jelgava
38. Faroe Islands: Vikingur
39. Bosnia and Herzegovina: Zrinjski
41. Iceland: KA
42. Northern Ireland: Larne
43. Luxembourg: Racing Union
44. Lithuania: BE1 NFA
45. Malta: Naxxar Lions
46. Georgia: Dinamo Tbilisi
47. Albania: Skënderbeu
48. Estonia: Narva Trans
49. Belarus: Dinamo Minsk
50. North Macedonia: Rabotnički
51. Andorra: Inter Club d'Escaldes
52. Wales: Haverfordwest County
53. Montenegro: Budućnost
54. Gibraltar: Lincoln Red Imps

You'd hope they'd get through that, and then the big guns come in for the second round. List is below, but if a team reaches the Champions League groups then the next best underage team domestically gets in instead.

1. England: Aston Villa
2. Italy: Fiorentina
3. Spain: Real Betis
4. Germany: Köln
5. France: Nantes
6. Netherlands: AZ
7. Portugal: Benfica
8. Belgium: Genk
9. Türkiye: Trabzonspor
10. Czechia: Baník Ostrava
11. Scotland: Hibernian
12. Switzerland: Basel
13. Austria: Austria Wien
14. Norway: Brann
15. Greece: PAOK
16. Denmark: Midtjylland
17. Israel: Maccabi Haifa
18. Ukraine: Dynamo Kyiv
19. Serbia: Crvena zvezda
20. Croatia: Lokomotiva Zagreb
21. Poland: Legia Warsaw
23. Cyprus: Pafos
24. Hungary: Puskás Akadémia
25. Sweden: IF Brommapojkarna
26. Romania: FCSB
27. Bulgaria: Ludogorets
28. Azerbaijan: Sabah
29. Slovakia: Zilina

[EatYerGreens]

Out of interest, are fans segregated from players on these charter flights?

They have some of that orange plastic netting draped over a few rows of the seats in-between.

[Buckett]

They have some of that orange plastic netting draped over a few rows of the seats in-between.
Waste of time, sure schooligans can jump that easily enough!

[ger121]

Santa Clara lost again today in the Portuguese league. This time at home. They haven’t played any of the big boys yet either.

Nice pitch but not much of a crowd. Highlights here.

https://youtu.be/26Wd6jxvyR4?si=uKTMjoYUty8as6mv

[sbgawa]

Santa Clara lost again today in the Portuguese league. This time at home. They haven’t played any of the big boys yet either.

Nice pitch but not much of a crowd. Highlights here.

https://youtu.be/26Wd6jxvyR4?si=uKTMjoYUty8as6mv


I checked online 1695 was the official attendance so they must have been sitting on the camara side.
Last year average attendance was 3267 which is kind of incredible considering theyn finished 5th in the Portugeese league .
Population of the Azores is 250k approx with 140,000 on the main island...interesting stuff for nerds like me

The club is owned by a Brazilian businessman hence the 17!! Brazilians playing for them....soft route into the mega money European leagues maybe...

4008 turned up for the Larne match.

[dundalkfc10]

I checked online 1695 was the official attendance so they must have been sitting on the camara side.
Last year average attendance was 3267 which is kind of incredible considering theyn finished 5th in the Portugeese league .
Population of the Azores is 250k approx with 140,000 on the main island...interesting stuff for nerds like me

The club is owned by a Brazilian businessman hence the 17!! Brazilians playing for them....soft route into the mega money European leagues maybe...

4008 turned up for the Larne match.

I know they are not in the mainland alright but there's a team in Portmaio, not far from Albuefria who have been in prem division a few times over last decade.
They get 4-5,000 for matches apart from against the big 3 when sometimes they even play the home games in the big stadium in Faro to increase revenue.

I have been to a few games as go to a village nearby on holidays regularly, and the locals all support Sporting, Benfica or Porto

I wonder if it's similar to most of Scotland supporting Celtic or Rangers only on a bigger level as some Scottish teams get excellent crowds for size area

[EatYerGreens]

I wonder if it's similar to most of Scotland supporting Celtic or Rangers only on a bigger level as some Scottish teams get excellent crowds for size area

Most countries with a few very strong teams have high support for them in lots of places. Just look at all the ManUre and Liverpool fans in the English Home Counties. The Portuguese islands (Azores, Madeira) have traditionally not had much success clubs-wise, so not unexpectedly people there have tended to suport the large mainland clubs instead. I've a few Portugues friends from uni and even the ones brought up in Porto support Benfica or Sporting because they got the support from their families who moved to the city from elsewhere (including Mozambique)

[yurt]

Will be hoping that Crvena Zvezda can get over the line and qualify for the champions league and then with the harder fixtures struggle to pick up any points in the league phase. They are due to lose a huge co-efficient haul from 5 years ago and there's a decent chance we could be ranked ahead of Serbia at the end of next season if Rovers to the business in the champions route.

Such a strange fixture for Shels on Thursday. Having to do it all again. All the build up to first tie was all about how the first round is make or break because of the route and safety nets the winner would be afforded. Now a month later both clubs have both ended up right back in the same place so it's ended up meaning very little in the end.

Shels were miles better technically and physically than Linfield first time around. They only way they'll lose this tie is in their heads.

I'd say the gap for Shels to Rijeka is maybe just a tiny bit smaller than Linfield to Shels.

[pateen]

Linfield will be a lot closer this time around. If Shels take their eye off the ball then it could be a shock.

[EatYerGreens]

Linfield will be a lot closer this time around. If Shels take their eye off the ball then it could be a shock.

This would be my fear - that Shels think they've won it before a ball is kicked, just because of last time. Linfield will have much better match fitness this time round.

[2 Year Contract]

Linfield will be a lot closer this time around. If Shels take their eye off the ball then it could be a shock.

There’s only so far being fitter than last time will take you. Larne were in season when rovers played them last year and the 4-1 scoreline absolutely flattered Larne, it could and probably should’ve been 8 or 9 had rovers brought the shooting boots and or went for the jugular in that game. Granted this Shels team is nowhere near the level of that rovers team but still they should be beating Linfield regardless of the time of year. The fact that they only scraped it by a goal last month should’ve rang alarm bells for their players to pull the finger out this time around

[dundalkfc10]

There’s only so far being fitter than last time will take you. Larne were in season when rovers played them last year and the 4-1 scoreline absolutely flattered Larne, it could and probably should’ve been 8 or 9 had rovers brought the shooting boots and or went for the jugular in that game. Granted this Shels team is nowhere near the level of that rovers team but still they should be beating Linfield regardless of the time of year. The fact that they only scraped it by a goal last month should’ve rang alarm bells for their players to pull the finger out this time around

Id say this Linfield team are a better team than Larne of last year

They have some good players

Imo it's a 50/50 game

[EatYerGreens]

Id say this Linfield team are a better team than Larne of last year

They have some good players

Imo it's a 50/50 game

Plus Shels are a hell of a lot worse than Rovers of last year.

Shels only beat Linfield in the 1st round by one goal. And it;s common sense that Linfield will be much more match sharp now than they were then.