LOI In Europe 2025

[Martinho II]

Have heard shels are doing well selling good numbers for their tallaght ECL games, is it a mixture of novelty of competition and a chance to see an EPL team maybe?

Yeah I would be of the same opinion too PC!

[total hoofball]

The stadium map on the Shels website tickets sales look like the 3 match bundle is selling ok maybe about two-thirds of the stadium sold, not all of the blocks were open for sale the entire South Stand and half of the East Stand were not available but I can see they have now opened up the middle block 304 of the East Stand for sales

The price point of €55 for a Category 2 ticket is really good value to see UEFA group stage football even if Palace were not involved, the Palace game will obviously sell out when the remaining individual tickets go on sale, Hacken and Drita I wouldn't be convinced that they will sell out but they could get close

[2 Year Contract]

Just saw the Swedish league table, Hacken sit 12th of 16 teams, just 4 point above the relegation playoff spot with 6 games to go, 3 of which are against Malmo and away to AIK Stockholm and league leaders Mjallby so there’s a realistic chance they could go down if things don’t go their way. Shels should really be turning them over at Tallaght next week to get themselves off to a good start

[ger121]

Just saw the Swedish league table, Hacken sit 12th of 16 teams, just 4 point above the relegation playoff spot with 6 games to go, 3 of which are against Malmo and away to AIK Stockholm and league leaders Mjallby so there’s a realistic chance they could go down if things don’t go their way. Shels should really be turning them over at Tallaght next week to get themselves off to a good start

I knew they were mid table or thereabouts when the draw was made but they have sunk even lower. Definitely a good time to be facing them at home.

[pineapple stu]

Shels are in North Macedonia this afternoon - 3pm kick off Irish time for the second leg of their Youth League tie against Rabotnicki. 5-0 up from the first leg in Tolka of course - only the second time an LoI side has ever won a European tie by five goals

[kksaints]

Shels are in North Macedonia this afternoon - 3pm kick off Irish time for the second leg of their Youth League tie against Rabotnicki. 5-0 up from the first leg in Tolka of course - only the second time an LoI side has ever won a European tie by five goals

In Skopje on holidays atm so I'm at this. 2-1 for Shels at halftime. Should be at least 3 or 4 for Shels, they're cutting Rabotnicki apart time after time but some poor finishing and a few good saves by the keeper have kept it at two. Rabotnicki are a poor side but their 11 scored a very good individual goal just before halftime, their number 10 is probably their best player. For Shels their midfield is dominant, numbers 6, 8 and 10 have been very good. Number 9 has two goals but he really should have at least one more.

[pineapple stu]

Skopje's a nice city to wander. Watch out for the statues (https://www.anadventurousworld.com/skopje-statues/)!

Are you going to get out to Ohrid at all? Beautiful spot.

[pineapple stu]

5-1 Shels now; 10-1 on aggregate

First LoI side to hit double figures in Europe, and still 20 minutes to go

[kksaints]

Skopje's a nice city to wander. Watch out for the statues (https://www.anadventurousworld.com/skopje-statues/)!

Are you going to get out to Ohrid at all? Beautiful spot.

There's a ridiculous amount of statues around the city. Some are impressive others are strange and some are just naff and historically dubious. Not getting to Ohrid I'm afraid, was in Kosovo since Friday and did a lot of travelling around there so I don't want to do as much around here, Ohrid does look beautiful. Might try and go to the Painted Mosque in Tetovo.

As to the match 7-1 now. Rabotnicki are one of the worst teams I've seen in a match.

[pineapple stu]

12-1 the final score on aggregate

Wiki says it's FC Köln next for Shels, but UEFA's site is saying Zilina of Slovakia. So I guess wiki will be corrected shortly - it's actually Larne who play Köln next, which might rival the 12-1 score

[pateen]

Well done young Shels, roll on the next round

[pineapple stu]

it's actually Larne who play Köln next, which might rival the 12-1 score
I spoke too soon on this - Larne had won 2-0 at home to a Luxembourg side in the first leg, but then lost 3-1 away and then lost the shoot-out. So it's Racing Union who go through to face Köln, not Larne.

I know there's more money in Luxembourg football than North Macedonian football, but that still seems a shocker of a result for Larne.

[nr637]

Shels are in North Macedonia this afternoon - 3pm kick off Irish time for the second leg of their Youth League tie against Rabotnicki. 5-0 up from the first leg in Tolka of course - only the second time an LoI side has ever won a European tie by five goals

What attendance did Shels Youth league get for their 5-0 first leg at Tolka?

[2 Year Contract]

What attendance did Shels Youth league get for their 5-0 first leg at Tolka?
There was 814 at it

[pateen]

Many Rovers fans in Prague today? My guess is 300

[Nah Nah Nah Nah]

Many Rovers fans in Prague today? My guess is 300

Saw 900 reported

[WeAreRovers]

Just shy of 1,000.

[ger121]

Tallaght will be windy and wet tonight. Not sure if that helps Shels at all.

[placid casual]

980 sold for tonight in Prague.
Great craic as always on a European tour.🍺🍺🍺🤣

[Dermobohs]

Great big well done to rte and virgin, absolute mugs.

[sbgawa]

If we get anythibg out of this it will be a miracle

[redarmyfaction]

Tallaght will be windy and wet tonight. Not sure if that helps Shels at all.

Didn't help the attendance anyway.

[Philosophizer]

Rovers had been doing well, then Lopes with a lapse in concentration causes a goal. Shame.

[redarmyfaction]

If we get anythibg out of this it will be a miracle

The goal was soft when it came but it seemed inevitable that the Jambos world score.

[ger121]

That goal was like Rovers away a couple years ago.

[ger121]

And then there was 2.

[pineapple stu]

I see Hamrun Spartans only lost 1-0 away to Jagellonia, despite having a guy sent off on the hour

Rovers play them last and may need a win to get to the knockouts - they mightn't be the safe three points that was originally thought though

[ger121]

I see Hamrun Spartans only lost 1-0 away to Jagellonia, despite having a guy sent off on the hour

Rovers play them last and may need a win to get to the knockouts - they mightn't be the safe three points that was originally thought though

Or Drita for Shels. They got a good point in Finland tonight.

Rovers might be best taking their licks and making sure they don’t concede a couple more.GD could be a factor.

[nigel-harps1954]

Great big well done to rte and virgin, absolute mugs.

They don't have the rights to group stages.

[pineapple stu]

Or Drita for Shels. They got a good point in Finland tonight.

Rovers might be best taking their licks and making sure they don’t concede a couple more.GD could be a factor.
I'd kind of written Shels off as not going to qualify anyway, but maybe that's harsh. Ahead of Rovers in the table as it stands of course!

Celje, who play both sides, are level with AEK (who play Rovers) at halftime too

[ger121]

I'd kind of written Shels off as not going to qualify anyway, but maybe that's harsh. Ahead of Rovers in the table as it stands of course!

Celje, who play both sides, are level with AEK (who play Rovers) at halftime too

I would be of the same view regarding Shels but when you are looking at games were they might pick up points, Drita was mentioned as a possible 3 pointer.

[pineapple stu]

I would be of the same view regarding Shels but when you are looking at games were they might pick up points, Drita was mentioned as a possible 3 pointer.

Fair, yep. No easy games in the group stages

Except in Prague... 3-0 now

[Philosophizer]

This could get ugly in Prague. If Rovers could cut out the errors and got a bit of luck with the offside call they could still in it, but in general play there’s a big gulf in class here.

[ger121]

Shaktar 3-1 up away to Aberdeen. Celje looked to have kicked on too. Rovers gonna have some tough games.

[sbgawa]

I think people were kidding themselves thinking we could get somethibg here
Same in Athens. We were very luckynwith the draw last year. We may still make it but we need to beat celje next.

[ger121]

I think people were kidding themselves thinking we could get somethibg here
Same in Athens. We were very luckynwith the draw last year. We may still make it but we need to beat celje next.

Celje 3-1 up now to AEK.

[ger121]

Great strike that. He probably should have started along with Burke.

[sbgawa]

Celje 3-1 up now to AEK.

Flippen hell. Not looking good

[pineapple stu]

Scoreless draw a decent start for Shels. I know there was talk of Hacken being there for the taking cos of how bad they're doing, but Shels are hardly flying it themselves this season either

Shkendija away and Celje home next up. Big games both of them. Don't expect Shels to do quite so well on this visit to North Macedonia as they did yesterday!

[redarmyfaction]

Poor night in Prague for Shams but unfortunate to concede 4, Shels could have won based on what I saw of of their game

[ger121]

Well done Shels. Decent point there. Hacken did knockout Anderlecht and Cluj in qualifying. Which is in stark contrast to their league form.

[Philosophizer]

Florentina only scraped past Celje 4-3 in the quarterfinals last year. They’re a very good side.

[Straightstory]

Pity Rovers couldn't keep it to 3-1, a bit more of a respectable scoreline. Defensive errors, and two goals conceded in the last minutes of each half. Classic LOI in Europe stuff. Bradley can't be pleased.
Was at the game in Tallaght. Disappointing turn-out of Shels fans considering it was such a landmark occasion. Entertaining match, and Shels had their moments and generally played well, but Hacken looked the more accomplished side and probably should have won. Palace will be well-qualified for the next stage by the time they arrive in Dublin in December, so will most likely field a mostly youth/reserve side. Not sure what effect this will have on the wide-eyed, open-mouthed, Premier League-worshipping barstoolers. May not be a full house.

[outspoken]

Pity Rovers couldn't keep it to 3-1, a bit more of a respectable scoreline. Defensive errors, and two goals conceded in the last minutes of each half. Classic LOI in Europe stuff. Bradley can't be pleased.
Was at the game in Tallaght. Disappointing turn-out of Shels fans considering it was such a landmark occasion. Entertaining match, and Shels had their moments and generally played well, but Hacken looked the more accomplished side and probably should have won. Palace will be well-qualified for the next stage by the time they arrive in Dublin in December, so will most likely field a mostly youth/reserve side. Not sure what effect this will have on the wide-eyed, open-mouthed, Premier League-worshipping barstoolers. May not be a full house.

Not surprised Rovers made the mistakes they did, the signs were there in recent league games. If they really want to kick on they need to upgrade the backline, not sure that's possible from within the league though.

[pateen]

Poor night in Prague for Shams but unfortunate to concede 4, Shels could have won based on what I saw of of their game

Only saw the second half. Though Shels were very poor but apparently were ok in the first

[sbgawa]

Shels go a point ahead of Rovers in the league in October........im getting flashbacks

[legendz]

Surprised to hear Bradley, if he can be taken at face value, rested players for a semi final against First Division minnows. With the financial incentives on offer in Europe, thought all focus would be on that first.

[ontheotherhand]

Surprised to hear Bradley, if he can be taken at face value, rested players for a semi final against First Division minnows. With the financial incentives on offer in Europe, thought all focus would be on that first.

Id say it was part saving face and part serious. The focus is on the cup, securing the league, and the games we can compete in in Europe. Games against Sparta Prague are not the measure of any LoI team. I hope we all get to that point but we are miles away. Only a 20k stadium but my jaysus that was a proper football crowd and team. They are thinking about maybe winning the conference, we are happy to be there.

[2 Year Contract]

Id say it was part saving face and part serious. The focus is on the cup, securing the league, and the games we can compete in in Europe. Games against Sparta Prague are not the measure of any LoI team. I hope we all get to that point but we are miles away. Only a 20k stadium but my jaysus that was a proper football crowd and team. They are thinking about maybe winning the conference, we are happy to be there.

Agree with this. I was flicking between the shels and rovers games on Thursday and it was almost staggering that the 2 games were in the same competition. Shels in a half empty Tallaght with any small atmosphere muffled by the wind and rain, standard on the pitch was poor with less than a handful of shots on target from both teams combined, a tiny away crowd and a very flat game between teams in 6th and 10th in their leagues. Then you switch to the game in Prague and it was chalk and cheese, a proper packed out stadium and atmosphere, some very good football being played, big away crowd too, it was like watching a champions league game by comparison. That of course would flip when shels play away to AZ alkmaar and rovers are at home to say Hamrun or whatever, but it is a bit of a mad competition when you compare the size of half the clubs in it versus the other half

[ontheotherhand]

Agree with this. I was flicking between the shels and rovers games on Thursday and it was almost staggering that the 2 games were in the same competition. Shels in a half empty Tallaght with any small atmosphere muffled by the wind and rain, standard on the pitch was poor with less than a handful of shots on target from both teams combined, a tiny away crowd and a very flat game between teams in 6th and 10th in their leagues. Then you switch to the game in Prague and it was chalk and cheese, a proper packed out stadium and atmosphere, some very good football being played, big away crowd too, it was like watching a champions league game by comparison. That of course would flip when shels play away to AZ alkmaar and rovers are at home to say Hamrun or whatever, but it is a bit of a mad competition when you compare the size of half the clubs in it versus the other half

Yeah it's very strange. Huge gulf in class between some of the teams. It's been amazing for leagues like ours but the next step would be qualifying for the Europa groups again, or even the CL groups, rather than actually competing for the Conference trophy, which is a bit mad. Great craic getting to play some of these teams tho. Czechs were a bit arrogant but generally decent to chat to and there was a bit of back and forth that gave it all the feeling of a proper occasion. As you say, Hamrun at home will be different.

It'll be interesting to see how far Sparta go. They were good, even with a few players rested for their derby, but I don't think we played as well as we can either. Team selection played a part but in reality they just had us shook.