LoI in Europe 2018

**sidewayspasser** · 29/08/2018, 8:55 PM

Originally Posted by shep

Bohs through??

I think so. They'll have to thank Salzburg for throwing away a 2-goal lead.

**ger121** · 29/08/2018, 8:56 PM

Oh yeah!

**sidewayspasser** · 29/08/2018, 9:18 PM

Originally Posted by sidewayspasser

I think so. They'll have to thank Salzburg for throwing away a 2-goal lead.

And they do...
https://twitter.com/bfcdublin/status...06660400234499

**pineapple stu** · 30/08/2018, 6:15 PM

Great news for Bohs.

Dudelange now 2-0 in Cluj; 4-0 up on aggregate. There'll be a Luxembourg side in the group stages of Europe for the first time ever. Just shows what a mix of ability and luck can mean for the lower champions now

Spare a thought for their goalkeeper since 2004 though; broke his leg in the home game last week and may miss the groups entirely...

**CorribsideSteve** · 30/08/2018, 6:29 PM

AEK Larnaca qualified handily enough this afternoon, beating AS Trencin 3-0 and 4-1 on aggregate. Trencin handed out a 4 nil thrashing to Feyenoord in the previous round. Wonder how they feel; one week you emphatically dump out a team with a far higher reputation, a club that have Van Persie on its books, then a fortnight later Larnaca take you apart. It shows just how good AEK are but also what a brutally tough arena it is at times trying to qualify. Having said that Dudelange look to be qualifying as the first Luxembourg team to make the grade. Would be hilarious if Suduva replicated that feat for Lithuania later on by knocking out Celtic, although that seems fairly unlikely.

**ger121** · 30/08/2018, 6:32 PM

I see Rangers made the group stages. When was the last time a team bar Celtic made a European Group Stage. Probably Rangers? I can remember Hearts getting to EL in 2008.

**ger121** · 30/08/2018, 6:34 PM

Larnaca a very good side it seems. Maybe makes Dundalk’s away hammering look at little less awful when you look what they did to Sturm and Trencin at home in the subsequent rounds.

**pineapple stu** · 30/08/2018, 6:39 PM

5-0 Dudelange on aggregate now.

Molde, who lost to Coleraine, are beating Zenit, who hammered Minsk who lost to Derry. I...don't know what to make of that one. Sometimes football is just football

**EatYerGreens** · 30/08/2018, 11:26 PM

Originally Posted by pineapple stu

5-0 Dudelange on aggregate now.

Molde, who lost to Coleraine, are beating Zenit, who hammered Minsk who lost to Derry. I...don't know what to make of that one. Sometimes football is just football

Glenavon.

**seand** · 31/08/2018, 8:23 AM

Fooking hell, Dudelange. Cruising into the groups three years after being beaten by a mediocre League of Ireland First Division side. And you look at the ****e Caulfield comes out with about not being able to compete.

**Ezeikial** · 31/08/2018, 9:05 AM

Originally Posted by ger121

Larnaca a very good side it seems. Maybe makes Dundalk’s away hammering look at little less awful when you look what they did to Sturm and Trencin at home in the subsequent rounds.

Maybe a little, but in truth it is of little comfort.

That result and the away performance is a wake-up call for the club about the gap that needs to be bridged to reach the group stages again

**pineapple stu** · 31/08/2018, 9:47 AM

Originally Posted by seand

Fooking hell, Dudelange. Cruising into the groups three years after being beaten by a mediocre League of Ireland First Division side. And you look at the ****e Caulfield comes out with about not being able to compete.

Slight objection - we were a very good LoI First Division side and would probably have won the title had we not been in Europe (curiously enough)

No arguments if you had said a mediocre LoI side though.

**seand** · 31/08/2018, 10:17 AM

Originally Posted by pineapple stu

Slight objection - we were a very good LoI First Division side and would probably have won the title had we not been in Europe (curiously enough)

No arguments if you had said a mediocre LoI side though.

UCD won 13 out of 28 league games in 2015. Logic suggests that's quality enough to make the Europa League groups but is the definition of a mediocre First Division team

**pineapple stu** · 31/08/2018, 10:29 AM

14.

But the reality of it is that a brand new team had a slow start (1 win in the first 5), but quickly gelled and went on a 17-match unbeaten run in the league before a late run of one point in five games - and injuries and fatigue after Europe had a big part to play - ended our title run. Had we not been in Europe, we'd quite possibly have gone unbeaten until the end of the season.

The presence of Robbie Benson alone means it was hardly a mediocre First Division team!

**pineapple stu** · 31/08/2018, 11:52 AM

Dudelange get AC Milan, Real Betis and Olympiakos.

Hell of an incentive for Irish clubs. Though you would imagine the worst group performance record is under threat

The two Red Bulls will meet too.

Bohs' draw is Tuesday I think

**ger121** · 31/08/2018, 2:25 PM

Originally Posted by pineapple stu

Slight objection - we were a very good LoI First Division side and would probably have won the title had we not been in Europe (curiously enough)

No arguments if you had said a mediocre LoI side though.

That was a very talented UCD side when you look at who was in it. Very unlucky in the away leg in the 2nd round.

**ger121** · 31/08/2018, 2:41 PM

Tough group for Celtic. The two RBs are decent enough. Rosenborg will be looking for revenge. Speaking of which. Two teams who put out LOI sides made the groups. Be very hard for Dudelange to pick up a point. Couple of clubs have gotten no points since Rovers in 2011. Gabala and Slovan Bratislava, the latter hold the worst record in the Europa League Group stages.

**El-Pietro** · 31/08/2018, 2:47 PM

The last three teams to knock Cork City out of Europe (Legia technically just knocked us into the EL) all made the group stages. Rosenborg, Larnaca and Genk. two of those of course are also the last two teams to knock Dundalk out. It will be interesting to see how these teams fare in the groups. Genk made the Quarter Finals in 2016.

Actually a lot of teams we have played in Europe since 2004 are in there. I see Malmo, Appollon Limasol and Slavia Prague as well. Plus Red Star in the Champions League groups.

**ger121** · 31/08/2018, 3:01 PM

Originally Posted by El-Pietro

The last three teams to knock Cork City out of Europe (Legia technically just knocked us into the EL) all made the group stages. Rosenborg, Larnaca and Genk.

Actually a lot of teams we have played in Europe since 2004 are in there. I see Malmo, Appollon Limasol and Slavia Prague as well. Plus Red Star in the Champions League groups.

Don’t forget Dundalk. You’ve played them too in a European League