Tre Penne for Wembley Way? 2023-24 Champions League

[Discordant Resonance]

I know you've all been anxiously setting your phone alerts for this lunchtime, but the day has finally come when the draw for the Champions League first round will be made. Shamrock Rovers and TNS appear to be in decent positions, as (Hacken of Sweden aside) their opening opponents would be KÍ of the Faroes, Ballkani of Kosovo, Struga of Macedonia, or the winners of the preliminary round, but the vista for the tyros of Larne is distinctly more daunting, namely Qarabaq, Slovan Bratislava, HJK Helsinki, Flora Tallinn or Olimpija Ljubljana. As for that preliminary round, that takes place in Iceland next week, when our titular Sammarinese heroes face off against Breiðablik, while Andorra's Atlètic Club d'Escaldes meet Budućnost Podgorica.

[Discordant Resonance]

[Third rate Leszno]

I'm sad enough to have this marked on my calendar, together with the Europa Conference League draw. Very tough draw for TNS and Larne, less so for Shamrock Rovers.

[Third rate Leszno]

The draw for the second qualifying rounds of both competitions is tomorrow, for anyone who is interested.

[ad hoc]

Spicy draw for Constanta

[Furtho]

... As for that preliminary round, that takes place in Iceland next week, when our titular Sammarinese heroes face off against Breiðablik, while Andorra's Atlètic Club d'Escaldes meet Budućnost Podgorica.

The graphic in the second post on this thread suggests only one of those four teams makes it through the from the Preliminary Round. Is that correct?

[ursus arctos]

https://twitter.com/europacnfleague/status/1671148974185791488?s=61&t=xvOireV8JOIS_CpbTtDBow

[ursus arctos]

https://twitter.com/goalszack/status/1671159306581061632?s=61&t=xvOireV8JOIS_CpbTtDBow]

[Discordant Resonance]

The graphic in the second post on this thread suggests only one of those four teams makes it through the from the Preliminary Round. Is that correct?

Yes, that's been the case for a number of seasons now, and at various points, both the NI and Welsh champions have fallen into that stage due to league rankings.

[Discordant Resonance]

https://twitter.com/europacnfleague/status/1671148974185791488?s=61&t=xvOireV8JOIS_CpbTtDBow

All in all, looks like a good day for the LoI co-efficient.

[Third rate Leszno]

Penybont might be fancying their chances there, seems like they're playing their home tie at Bridgend RUFC which will surely be better for atmosphere than rattling around a 9/10 empty CCFC (which I think Haverfordwest will be doing).

[Uros Predic]

Penybont might be fancying their chances there, seems like they're playing their home tie at Bridgend RUFC which will surely be better for atmosphere than rattling around a 9/10 empty CCFC (which I think Haverfordwest will be doing).

Yeah, of the 'rattle-around-in-a-9/10-empty' stadium options they had I think I read that Swansea wasn't available which was why Haverfordwest went for Cardiff, but you feel a three-quarters empty Parc Y Scarlets in Llanelli might've been a better option for them.

[slackster]

Don’t think I’ll bother going up the M4 for that (it hadn’t occurred to me the tie wouldn’t be held at Bridge Meadow).

Just read up on wiki about Hwlffordd’s Macedonian opponents. Their ultras group sound a rum bunch (ethnic Albanian fascist leanings)…

[Botswana Meat Commission]

Osasuna punted from European football for something that happened years ago. Anyway, that was some fairytale win for City, wasn’t it?

[MrLeam]

Don’t think I’ll bother going up the M4 for that (it hadn’t occurred to me the tie wouldn’t be held at Bridge Meadow).

Just read up on wiki about Hwlffordd’s Macedonian opponents. Their ultras group sound a rum bunch (ethnic Albanian fascist leanings)…

Interesting. North Macedonia's handball ultras are unhinged as well - no idea about political leanings though.

[elguapo4]

Atletic Escaldes of Andorra become the first club to exit next seasons champions league following a 0.3 defeat to Budcnost Podgorica in the playoff round in Iceland.

[Third rate Leszno]

The titular Tre Penne likely to be second through the exit gate as they're 4-1 down to Breidablik with 20 to go.

[elguapo4]

Shamrock Rovers behind 0.1 against Breidablik at half time. Cracking strike from a free kick for the Icelandic side, who've been superior throughout.

Kenny Cunningham on co commentary duties having an Eastenders flashback, calling Rovers striker Rory Gaffney Dean twice.

[Discordant Resonance]

Elsewhere, Ballkani lead at the break at home to Ludogorets, and FÍ of the Faroes are holding Ferencvaros to a scoreless draw so far.

[Ray de Galles]

Penybont might be fancying their chances there, seems like they're playing their home tie at Bridgend RUFC which will surely be better for atmosphere than rattling around a 9/10 empty CCFC (which I think Haverfordwest will be doing).

Stop trolling with the errant "U", calling them Bridgend Ravens is bad enough.

[Discordant Resonance]

Somewhat of a nadir for Rovers, who fall to a 1-0 defeat at the hands of the Icelanders. They could yet play Ferencvaros once more if the Faroese champions pull off an improbable win in Budapest.

[Ray de Galles]

While I'm here :

[ad hoc]

I defy anyone to not get a Don't go breaking my heart earworm when seeing who scored for Farul Constanta this evening

[jameswba]

Hopefully Swift Hesperange can follow up their 1-1 draw in Bratislava last night and eliminate the ever-classy Slovan. Juraj Kucka channelled his inner-Suarez and got sent off for biting an opponent.

[Third rate Leszno]

Hopefully Swift Hesperange can follow up their 1-1 draw in Bratislava last night and eliminate the ever-classy Slovan. Juraj Kucka channelled his inner-Suarez and got sent off for biting an opponent.

The losers of that one will play TNS unless they can turn round a 3-1 deficit to BK Hacken when they play them back in England next week.