UEFA Europa League 2019/20

[Lineker]

First qualifying round (11 & 18 July)

Group 1

Malmö (SWE) v Ballymena (NIR)/NSÍ (FRO)
Connah's Quay Nomads (WAL) v Kilmarnock (SCO)
Breidablik (ISL) v Vaduz (LIE)
Brann (NOR) v Shamrock Rovers (IRL)
Vitebsk (BLR) v KuPS Kuopio (FIN)

Group 2

Ordabasy Shymkent (KAZ) v Torpedo Kutaisi (GEO)
Sant Julià (AND)/Europa (GIB) v Legia (POL)
Gzira United (MLT) v Hajduk Split (CRO)
Radnicki Niš (SRB) v Flora (EST)
CSKA Sofia (BUL) v Titograd (MNE)

Group 3

Maccabi Haifa (ISR) v Mura (SVN)
Debrecen (HUN) v Kukësi (ALB)
Jeunesse Esch (LUX) v Tobol Kostanay (KAZ)
FCSB (ROU) v Milsami Orhei (MDA)
Čukarički (SRB) v Banants (ARM)

Group 4

Crusaders (NIR) v B36 (FRO)
Inter Turku (FIN) v Brøndby (DEN)
Prishtina (KOS)/St Joseph's (GIB) v Rangers (SCO)
Cork (IRL) v Progrès Niederkorn (LUX)/Cardiff Metropolitan University (WAL)
Molde (NOR) v KR (ISL)

Group 5

Levski Sofia (BUL) v Ružomberok (SVK)
Akademija Pandev (MKD) v Zrinjski (BIH)
FK Zeta (MNE) v Fehérvár (HUN)
Shakhtyor Soligorsk (BLR) v Hibernians (MLT)
Neftçi (AZE) v Speranta Nisporeni (MDA)

Group 6

Olimpija Ljubljana (SVN) v Rīgas FS (LVA)
Budapest Honvéd (HUN) v Žalgiris Vilnius (LTU)
Radnik Bijeljina (BIH) v Spartak Trnava (SVK)
Fola Esch (LUX) v Chikhura Sachkhere (GEO)
Alashkert (ARM) v Makedonija Skopje (MKD)

Group 7

Dinamo Tbilisi (GEO) v La Fiorita (SMR)/Engordany (AND)
Široki Brijeg (BIH) v Kairat Almaty (KAZ)
Kauno Žalgiris (LTU) v Apollon Limassol (CYP)
Ventspils (LVA) v Teuta (ALB)
Cracovia Kraków (POL) v DAC 1904 Dunajská Streda (SVK)

Group 8

Stjarnan (ISL) v Levadia Tallinn (EST)
Barry Town (WAL)/Cliftonville (NIR) v Haugesund (NOR)
Riteriai (LTU) v KÍ (FRO)/Tre Fiori (SMR)
Dinamo Minsk (BLR) v Liepāja (LVA)
Norrköping (SWE) v Saint Patrick's (IRL)
Aberdeen (SCO) v RoPS Rovaniemi (FIN)

Group 9

Domžale (SVN) v Balzan (MLT)
Laçi (ALB) v Hapoel Beer-Sheva (ISR)
Budućnost Podgorica (MNE) v Narva Trans (EST)
Sabail (AZE) v U Craiova 1948 (ROU)
Pyunik (ARM) v Shkupi (MKD)
AEK Larnaca (CYP) v Petrocub-Hincesti (MDA)

 

Seeded sides in bold

[Lineker]

Cardiff Met only lost 1-0! They can overturn that!

[MDK]

They could Progrés

[MDK]

AC Milan are out of the EL and Torino take their place. Something to do with FFP.

[Lineker]

Quote

Raúl Jiménez powered Wolves into the third qualifying round of the Europa League as they overcame a brief scare to ease past Northern Irish club Crusaders 6-1 on aggregate. The Mexico international’s brace, a strike from Ryan Bennett and an own goal from Jordan Forsythe earned a 4-1 success in Belfast.

Nuno Espírito Santo’s Premier League team, leading 2-0 from the first leg, were forced to come from behind on the night after Bennett’s early own goal. The convincing victory sets up a 6,370-mile round trip to face the Armenian club FC Pyunik in the next round.

In Luxembourg, Rangers ground out a goalless draw with Progres Niederkorn to advance 2-0 on aggregate and right the wrongs of two years ago. The Scottish Premiership club suffered a shock defeat at the hands of the part-time minnows in 2017 under Portuguese coach Pedro Caixinha. But they had no such problems under Steven Gerrard as first-leg goals from Joe Aribo and Sheyi Ojo proved sufficient to set up a meeting with Danish club FC Midtjylland.

Aberdeen joined Rangers in the third qualifying round after Sam Cosgrove hit a hat-trick in the 5-0 demolition of Georgian side Chikhura Sachkhere. Greg Leigh and substitute Scott Wright were also on target at Pittodrie as the Dons secured a 6-1 aggregate success and a two-legged tie with Croatian club HNK Rijeka.

At Windsor Park in Belfast, Andrew Waterworth’s first-half penalty was enough for Linfield to overcome HB Torshavn of the Faroe Islands. The Northern Irish club won 1-0 on the night and 3-2 on aggregate and will next play the Montenegrin champions FK Sutjeska Niksic.

In Nicosia, Shamrock Rovers were knocked out 4-3 on aggregate following a 3-1 extra-time defeat to Apollon Limassol in a game which both sides finished with 10 men. Substitute Adrián Sardinero sent the Cypriot club through after Aaron Greene’s long-range strike forced an additional 30 minutes following goals from Apollon pair Emilio Zelaya and Attila Szalai. Fotios Papoulis was sent off for the home side with the score 2-0, while Shamrock defender Lee Grace was dismissed early in extra time for a second booking.

Connah’s Quay were also eliminated after a 4-0 aggregate loss to Serbian side Partizan Belgrade. Trailing 1-0 from the first leg, the Welsh club were beaten 3-0 on the night after conceding second-half goals to Zoran Tošić, Ognjen Ožegović and Filip Stevanović.

[Lineker]

Wolves already ahead in Armenia.

[MDK]

And they've won.

[Baddar]

Wolves have just gone 3-1 up away to Torino. That should be them safely through to the group stages. 

[Baddar]

Belotti has scored a late pen to pull it back to 2-3 and give Torino half a chance going into the 2nd leg. 

[Lineker]

Quote

Rangers have been ordered to close a section of Ibrox when they host Legia Warsaw after Uefa ruled some of their fans were guilty of “racist behaviour” – specifically, sectarian chants.

At least 3,000 seats will be empty for the Europa League play-off second leg next Thursday after the decision by Uefa’s control and disciplinary body.

The offending chants came during Rangers’ 6-0 home victory against St Joseph’s of Gibraltar in the first qualifying round on 18 July. Uefa added that Rangers must display a banner carrying the wording “#EqualGame”, with the Uefa logo on it, in the closed section.

The Glasgow club, who drew 0-0 in Poland on Thursday, issued a warning to fans to behave in the wake of the sanctions. A statement read: “Our supporters have been asked repeatedly by the club to refrain from indulging in this, and other forms of unacceptable behaviour. Sadly, the warnings have fallen on deaf ears and the actions of this minority will cause the club and the majority of good and decent Rangers supporters to pay a heavy penalty.

“The area, or areas, to be closed will be announced in due course and the club will do its best to restrict the impact to supporters.

“Unfortunately a significant number of supporters, innocent of any wrongdoing, will be unable to attend next week’s match. This is deeply regrettable to all at the club and we hope that the guilty parties, who attracted the attention of Uefa, might reflect on the damage their unacceptable behaviour is causing Rangers and their fellow supporters.

“If any individual supporter is unable to behave in a civilised manner then please stay away from Ibrox and our club. You are harming Rangers and that is something a genuine supporter would never wish to do.”

The Rangers chairman, Dave King, reiterated the club’s message to fans. “Rangers has players and supporters from many religions, cultures and backgrounds but we are one and the same when we gather to support our club,” he said. “If any supporter cannot accept that then Rangers is not the club for them.”

Steven Gerrard stated after the first leg that his players needed “the four sides of the ground next week to get the place jumping and rocking” but his team will be denied a capacity crowd.

[Lineker]

Wolves are through. Group stage draw is tomorrow afternoon. 

[Lineker]

Group A

Sevilla
Apoel
Qarabag
Dudelange

Group B

Dynamo Kiev
Copenhagen
Malmo
Lugano

Group C

FC Basel
Krasnodar
Getafe
Trabzonspor

Group D

Sporting CP
PSV 
Rosenborg
LASK

Group E

Lazio
Celtic
Rennes
CFR Cluj

Group F

Arsenal
Eintracht Frankfurt
Standard Liege
Vitoria FC

Group G

Porto
Young Boys
Feyenoord
Rangers

Group H

CSKA Moscow
Ludogorets
Espanyol
Ferencvaros

Group I

Wolfsburg
Gent
St Etienne
Olexandriya

Group J

Roma
Borussia Mönchengladbach
Istanbul Basaksehir
Wolfsburg

Group K

Besiktas
Braga
Wolves
Slovan Bratislava

Group L

Manchester United
Astana
Partizan Belgrade
AZ Akmaar

[Kaney]

Should be relatively straightforward groups for Arsenal and Man United, should finish top for both of them. Celtic have a tough group but Rangers are fucked. Wolves group will have some good games. Not a bad draw tbf.

[Gazz]

Astana is on the same longtitude as Pakistan. Should make for a nice midweek jaunt.

[Kaney]

So glad theres no football tonight.

[FLiam]

Saka caps off a wonderful performance with a wonderful goal.

Now bags himself an assist.

[Kaney]

Clean sheet? Who dis

[Baddar]

 

[Lineker]

He's still concussed!

[Baddar]

Matic, Mata, Fred is a midfield I wouldn't wish on anyone. They'd get dominated in the Championship those 3. You need mobility in there.