LOI In Europe 2025

**ger121** · 02/10/2025, 9:01 PM

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

**Philosophizer** · 02/10/2025, 9:03 PM

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

**Straightstory** · 03/10/2025, 10:24 AM

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** · 03/10/2025, 11:06 AM

Originally Posted by 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.

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** · 03/10/2025, 12:48 PM

Originally Posted by 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

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

**sbgawa** · 03/10/2025, 2:15 PM

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

**legendz** · 03/10/2025, 4:44 PM

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** · 03/10/2025, 4:57 PM

Originally Posted by 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.

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** · 04/10/2025, 9:55 AM

Originally Posted by ontheotherhand

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** · 04/10/2025, 10:32 AM

Originally Posted by 2 Year Contract

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.

**EatYerGreens** · 05/10/2025, 1:00 PM

Originally Posted by ontheotherhand

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.

They'll never make it out of the gap of Thermopylae