Champions League Second/third Round
Five giants await Bohs in Euro draw
BOHEMIANS will be joined in the hat by five former winners of the European Cup when the draw for the third round of this season's Champions League takes place at the UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland, today.
Among the teams that could be awaiting the outcome of Bohs' second round tie with Rosenborg are four-times winners Ajax Amsterdam, Borussia Dortmund, Olympic Marseille and Celtic, while a fifth previous winner - Benfica - will join Bohs among the unseeded teams.
Also among the 16 seeded teams are Lazio, Deportivo La Coruna, Newcastle, Chelsea and Rangers.
Irrespective of whatever pairing is made today, Bohs still have to overcome a Rosenborg side that knocked Shelbourne out of the competition at the same stage three seasons ago.
Rosenborg, who have won the Norwegian Premier League eleven times in a row, have qualified for the group stages of the Champions League in each of the last eight seasons.
Last year, they finished bottom of Group D in the first group stage behind eventual semi-finalists Inter Milan, Ajax and Lyon.
They failed to win a game, but drew their three home games and also managed a draw in Lyon.
The Norwegians' legendary manager, Nils Arne Eggen, who coached the team to 10 of those 11 league titles, stepped down at the end of last season and has been replaced by Age Hareide who was manager of Brondby when they beat Shelbourne in the UEFA Cup two years ago.
Rosenborg are well on their way to capturing a 12th title as they lead the Norwegian League by ten points after 13 games having only lost once, a 2-1 defeat last Sunday by Tromso.
However, they bounced back on Wednesday night by hammering Lyn 5-0 in the Norwegian Cup.
Hareide was in Borisov for Bohemians' first leg tie against BATE and assistant manager Ola By Rise was in Dalymount Park for the 3-0 win on Wednesday night and he was impressed by the home side.
"They produced a very good performance," he said. "It was wholehearted all the time. They were running much more than BATE. I was a bit disappointed in the team from Belarus, but I think that was because Bohemians played so well.
"I think Bohemians' performance was better than when I saw Shelbourne two years ago. They are a hardworking team, but they can also play a good passing game.
"They have two good wingers and the No 9 (Robbie Doyle) and 10 (Glen Crowe). They have two strong central defenders (Colin Hawkins and Thomas Heary) and the No 4 (Kevin Hunt) was all over the pitch. He never stopped running."
With Bohemians facing Dundalk in the FAI Carlsberg Cup on Sunday, Stephen Kenny will be sending one of his coaching staff to watch Rosenborg's league game away to Valerenga.
Hopes that RTE will screen next Wednesday's home leg live were dashed last night when a spokesman for the state broadcaster said they would not be covering it.
"It's the type of game we would like to cover, but under the current circumstances, where we are committed to other soccer projects, we are unable to do it," said the spokesman.
TV3 declined to return phone-calls on the subject.
Bohemians secretary Gerry Cuffe is in Nyon for today's draw and will attempt to interest Norwegian broadcasters in the tie.
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE THIRD ROUND DRAW - Seeded Teams : Lazio, Deportivo La Coruna, Celta Vigo, Galatasaray, Borussia Dortmund, Chelsea, Celtic/FBK Kaunas, AEK Athens, Dynamo Kyiv, Ajax, Newcastle United, Rangers, Sparta Praha, Olympic Marseille, Lokomotiv Moscow, Anderlecht/Rapid Bucuresti.
Unseeded Teams : Slavia Praha/FK Leotar, Club Brugge, Rosenborg/Bohemians, Wisla Krakow/Omonia, Grasshoppers, Dinamo Zagreb/NK Maribor, Benefica, Grazer/Tirana, Shakhtar Donetsk/FC Sherrif, Partizan/Djurgardens, FC Copenhagen/Sliema Wanders, Maccabi Tel Aviv/MSK Zilina, CSKA Sofia/FC Pyunik, Austria Wien, MTK Hungaria/HJK Helsinki, CSKA Moscow/FK Vardar
Bohs play Deportivo la Coruna (if they get through)
UEFA Champions League third qualifying round draw
First-leg matches: 12/13 August 2003
Second-leg matches: 26/27 August 2003
PFC CSKA Moskva (RUS) or FK Vardar (MKD) v AC Sparta Praha (CZE)
MTK Hungária FC (HUN) or HJK Helsinki (FIN) v Celtic FC (SCO) or FBK Kaunas (LIT)
Rangers FC (SCO) v FC København (DEN) or Sliema Wanderers FC (MLT)
FK Austria Wien (AUT) v Olympique de Marseille (FRA)
Club Brugge KV (BEL) v BV Borussia Dortmund (GER)
FC Sheriff (MOL) or FC Shakhtar Donetsk (UKR) v FC Lokomotiv Moskva (RUS)
S.S. Lazio (ITA) v SL Benfica (POR)
FC Dynamo Kyiv (UKR) v NK Maribor (SLO) or NK Dinamo Zagreb (CRO)
Bohemian FC (IRE) or Rosenborg BK (NOR) v RC Deportivo La Coruña (ESP)
Grasshopper-Club (SUI) v AEK Athens FC (GRE)
MK Zilina (SVK) or Maccabi Tel-Aviv FC (ISR) v Chelsea FC (ENG)
RC Celta de Vigo (ESP) v FK Leotar (BHZ) or SK Slavia Praha (CZE)
FK Partizan (YUG) or Djurgårdens IF (SWE) v Newcastle United FC (ENG)
Galatasaray SK (TUR) v FC Pyunik (ARM) or PFC CSKA Sofia (BUL)
RSC Anderlecht (BEL) or AFC Rapid Bucuresti (ROM) v Wisla Kraków (POL) or Omonia AC (CYP)
KF Tirana (ALB) or Grazer AK (AUT) v AFC Ajax (NED)
