From a progression point of view, I’d order the draws as below (most favourable first):
1) Suduva
2) Buducnost
3) Mura
4) Spartak Trnava
5) Slavia Prague
From a ‘that’s a great away trip' point of view I’d nearly flip that order upside down. In terms of travel I wouldn’t be mad on having just 7 or 14 days notice to book a trip to (likely) Montenegro or Slovenia, as first world a problem as that is
Paaatrick's Agletic
I recall that game yeah, it was a weakened spurs side but the likes of Harry Kane still played the full 90. They lost the return game 5-1 in London and were beaten in all their other group games with Stade Rennes and Vitesse but still not an easy draw. They were only formed 10 years ago so seem to have had money pumped into them as we’ve seen with the likes of Sheriff
Paaatrick's Agletic
Derry's opponents means they will be on the seeded side of the ECLQ2 draw. Knowing this, this could turnout to be the best draw out of all 3 teams today.Seeded
1 Derry City (IRL) / Riga (LVA)
2 Royal Antwerp (BEL)
3 Basel (SUI)
4 Tre Fiori (SMR) / Fola Esch (LUX)
5 Vaduz (LIE)
Unseeded
6 Inter Turku (FIN) / Drita (KOS)
7 Koper (SVN)
8 Ružomberok (SVK) / Kauno Žalgiris (LTU)
9 Magpies (GIB) / Crusaders (NIR)
10 Borac Banja Luka (BIH) / B36 Tórshavn (FRO)
Only maybe the Slovenians or Slovakians would be less than a 50/50 game in their potential second round. Although I think both Derry and Crusaders would be massively hoping to draw each other.
There is damn all to work with in that group, catch Olympiacos cold and underestimating opponents could be the lucky draw. Dundalk put Sheriff out on penos 2020 but they went and beat Real Madrid last year in UCL groups (from QR1). Cluj and Pyunik know how to get through tough rounds regularly, Ludogorets should be beating Sutjeska. Unless Rover dig out 2 big games its ECL(QR3?).
Yeah Derry may just have gotten the best draw if they beat Riga, very winnable ties in that group if they can recapture some form..
Winner of Buducnost v Llapi for St Pats. Mura did beat a half bothered Spurs 2nd string but lost well to Vitesse twice last year. Sfîntul Gheorghe have just 4 European games but not sure that indicates what they're like really. Least inconvenient and expense on travel might be the best draw here too.
Last edited by Nesta99; 15/06/2022 at 2:40 AM.
It shows the stacked nature of closed shop that is Champions league, that Sheriff are still having to scratch around in the prelims despite their progression last year. How on gods name do dog**** teams like spurs get such a relative passage into champions league despite not troubling the league winners enclosure since (?)1961 or thereabouts.
In regards to Rovers drawing Hibs, as stated everywhere else it's the best we could have hoped for.
Get through this round and European football opens up in front of us. Which can only be good for LOI football 😉
Nobody embarrased us more in Europe in recent times than Shamrock Rovers. They're going to hve to be hundred times better than last season's ... whatever that was. Sligo have been keystone cop levels of hapless in Europe themselves, but surely they can beat a Welsh team. Hard to see Derry getting past Riga. They should really have knocked Dundalk out there a few years back.
Cos in the end of the day, Spurs have done a lot more in Europe than Sheriff have.
Seedings are based off this - still includes a CL final appearance for one.
If we beat hibs and then lose the second qualifying round we drop into Europa League Q3.
If we then lose that round its Conference league play off round.
Basically beat Hibs and we are guaranteed 3 more rounds any one of which if we win it guarantees group stages , sounds easy but the draws get progressively harder (unless you are lucky) as can be seen with CLQR2 draw where we would be heavy underdogs against all the likely winners.
Rovers get Ludogorets (BUL) or Sutjeska (MNE) in second round.
Away first leg.
Not hopeful but its not impossible.
That's a horrible tie. Ludogorets are a seriously good team (11 successive league titles since promotion; regulars in the EL groups) but with no profile.
What’s this European Football you all write about!
Don't pretend you don't know!
No easy games at all...especially after the first round.
Rovers should still be happy with Ludograts. Bulgarian football is in complete disarray. While an underdog... i think this is their best draw and best chance
no chance of them beating ludo im afraid
Just noticed Bulgaria couldn’t beat Gibraltar! Shame Ludogorets don’t have many Bulgarian internationals!!
Irish by birth ,Harps by the grace of god.
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