LOI In Europe 2020

**Nesta99** · 09/08/2020, 10:24 PM

Originally Posted by mcgonigle

We have the present to go on and that's all, nothing in the past matters. Not sure I buy the argument that they only won the league because another team lost, is that not every league? The best team wins the league end of. Lets hope they are not that strong but if we are going down the route of looking at the past we should only look at the fact that the Slovenian league is historically stronger than Ireland and they are the champions

There is the off chance of a Leicester City example. Champions but would have been the preferred draw over possibly the 3 other CL qualified. Maybe a bit grasping at straws.

**Nesta99** · 10/08/2020, 1:01 AM

Originally Posted by holidaysong

And for UCL Q2:

Group 2

Seeded
Legia Warszawa (POL)/Drita (KOS)/Linfield (NIR)
Maccabi Tel-Aviv (ISR)/Riga (LVA)
Molde (NOR)/KuPS (FIN)

Unseeded
Celje (SVN)/Dundalk (IRL)
Flora Tallinn (EST)/Sūduva (LTU)
Ararat-Armenia (ARM)/Omonia (CYP)

Nothing to fear so!

**kksaints** · 10/08/2020, 11:00 AM

It's gonna be Legia again, isn't it?

**holidaysong** · 10/08/2020, 11:17 AM

Home to Molde or KuPS in Q2. And both are on the green list so will be in Ireland presumably. Couldn't really have asked for much better.

**Yossarian** · 10/08/2020, 11:32 AM

Aside from the fact that we are muck at the minute, I wouldn’t fear that draw in the second round. It could have been a lot worse and it is a great incentive to get past the first round and then have a winnable second round tie. We just have to learn how to play football again.

**The Lilywhites** · 10/08/2020, 11:40 AM

Great draw. It's as good as you're going to get at that stage of the competition.

With the amount of investment in the squad it's time to actually make an impact in Europe this year or else stop talking about it in the way the club have been in recent seasons.

**paul_oshea** · 10/08/2020, 11:58 AM

Originally Posted by The Lilywhites

That's it. I actually thought the Finnish were tougher possible opponents - they ran Legia Warsaw close last season and Copenhagen the season before.

People seem to be basing NK Celje's strength purely on them winning the Slovenian league a couple of weeks ago, finishing above Maribor. They finished 5th in the previous 4 seasons, so maybe there has been a big squad overhaul?

No European pedigree at all. If we're serious about group stage football, and that's why the owners are here and what the club keep talking about, then we should be winning this tie, no excuses.

The actual draw isnt so bad through to the 3rd round, they are the kind of ties you would expect Dundalk to be confident in winning kicking on from previous years. But yer current form doesn't look too good or promising heading into Europe. Hopefully the neutral tie works in Dundalks favour. IT could be a strange few weeks of results.

**paul_oshea** · 10/08/2020, 12:29 PM

all 3 winnable ties in europe, europa league. but the way this year has gone i can see only one team going through.

**2 Year Contract** · 10/08/2020, 12:31 PM

Quick look there, Bohs opponents have 13 full internationals in their squad, Derry and Rovers opponents have 4 full internationals each

**brendy_éire** · 10/08/2020, 12:43 PM

The away draw is a pain, but Riteriai are in brutal form.
They've one win in the last 14 games, and are bottom of the six team league they're in. It's certainly winnable.

**placid casual** · 10/08/2020, 12:56 PM

Decent draw for Rovers, certainly being at home should help.
Just hope the Finns don't come here and play for penos.

**paul_oshea** · 10/08/2020, 1:18 PM

"Bohemians face a trip to Hungary against Fehérvár, formerly known as Videoton.

They were runners-up in their league last year and will represent a big test of Keith Long's side. Their new season begins on Saturday.

Derry City will travel to Lithuania to meet Riteriai, who were knocked out of the competition at the first hurdle last year against a side from the Faroe Islands.

They are currently sixth in A Lyga in a disappointing league season in which they've won won of their last 14 matches, after finishing third last year."

Actually at least 2 should go through in Europa League, I revise my statement

**Sonny** · 10/08/2020, 4:04 PM

Originally Posted by 2 Year Contract

Quick look there, Bohs opponents have 13 full internationals in their squad, Derry and Rovers opponents have 4 full internationals each

Rovers have 6 full internationals in the squad.

**EatYerGreens** · 10/08/2020, 4:32 PM

Originally Posted by Sonny

Rovers have 6 full internationals in the squad.

According to Bohs, Danny Mandroiu is 'full' as well.

**2 Year Contract** · 10/08/2020, 4:47 PM

Originally Posted by EatYerGreens

According to Bohs, Danny Mandroiu is 'full' as well.

Ah I’d take no notice of what they say, he’s also missing games due to being gargled according to them

**Sonny** · 10/08/2020, 5:05 PM

Originally Posted by EatYerGreens

According to Bohs, Danny Mandroiu is 'full' as well.

Yeah, I hear he's a big player on the national and international club scene 😂

**DCSIL** · 10/08/2020, 7:17 PM

Originally Posted by brendy_éire

The away draw is a pain, but Riteriai are in brutal form.
They've one win in the last 14 games, and are bottom of the six team league they're in. It's certainly winnable.

Wish i could go as flights to Vilinus are cheap. Wanted to go to Minsk for the last European game but couldn't justify £500 for a one-off trip.

Still, i remember Maribor on DCC saying it could have been our last euro game for a while... Deccy has turned it around

**Bucket** · 10/08/2020, 7:30 PM

I think that went over some people's heads

**paul_oshea** · 12/08/2020, 9:57 AM

Given the lack of money circulating in UEFA at the moment, if a team gets a bye do they also get the money? Or is it split or is the money not even paid out?

https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2020...s-celje-games/

A week is a long time in football, so it could bite back on Irish teams yet, be nice to knock out a few higher up the co-effs countries teams along the way