CELTIC face THREE European Draws this week as explained by Moravcik67 this evening on Twitter. Here’s his summary of what is going to happen and who we could be drawn against.
As always The Celtic support will br grateful to Moravcik67 for this outstanding summary. What he doesn’t mention is the absolute ridiculous situation of top European clubs like Celtic – actual Champions and former winners, finalists and many times semi-finalists having to go through these hoops just to get the right to compete with clubs who finished fourth in their own league.
Ajax have been very vocal in making this point in recent weeks and hopefully others will speak up too. Edwin Van der Sar’s comments about the gross unfairness of the different routes open to clubs simply based on which country they are from is something every Celtic supporter will support. Indeed supporters of clubs from countries that make up over 60% of Europe’s population would all agree with the Ajax boss. Read more about this HERE.
“We won the league, we won the cup, and we were very close to the final of the Champions League,” Van der Sar noted.
“Yet we still have to play two qualification rounds to qualify for the CL. This can’t be good. Someone needs to explain why number four of La Liga does qualify.
“The champions of Holland, Turkey, Portugal, etc (that include the Champions of Scotland). They deserve to automatically qualify for the Champions League. It’s a European Tournament.”
1. And so it begins. In case you don’t already know, the draw for Rounds 1 & 2 of the European tournaments will be made this week. Celtic will be involved in 3 of those draws.
Yes, that is correct. 3 draws, not 2.
Tue, 11am – CL QR1
Tue, 1pm – CL QR2
Wed, 11am – EL QR2— Moravcik67 (@Moravcik67_) June 16, 2019
2. The first two draws are straightforward – just the usual CL draws.
But we'll also be in the draw on Wednesday (morning, I think) to decide who we would play in the Europa QR2 should we suffer the ultimate humiliation of being pumped out of the CL first time up.
— Moravcik67 (@Moravcik67_) June 16, 2019
3. Here's a run down on who we might face in QR1 – including each teams record in Europe over the last 5 years, and their UEFA ranking.
It's almost certain that UEFA will split the teams into smaller groups before the draw. It's debatable whether those groups are regionalised.
— Moravcik67 (@Moravcik67_) June 16, 2019
4. Suduva [#231]
Have won the last 2 Lithuanian titles. Recent results include wins v Sion & APOEL. Only defeats in 5 years are to Midtjylland, Ludogorets & us. Currently top in Lithuania.
We've met twice before – a 10-1 win on our way to Seville, and a 4-1 win last season. pic.twitter.com/gQ4Ky9aMXP
— Moravcik67 (@Moravcik67_) June 16, 2019
5. Valletta [#233]
Have won 6 Maltese titles this decade, but only 8 European ties in their history – never two in the same year. Their only recent wins are against teams from the Faroes, San Marino and Albania.
We've neve met before. Our last Maltese opponents were in 1971. pic.twitter.com/NH4DMZG0ON
— Moravcik67 (@Moravcik67_) June 16, 2019
6. FK Sarajevo [#293]
Have won the Bosnian league twice in 5 years. Decent result against Atromitos of Greece in 14/15 is the only decent result in 5 seasons. Scudded 10-2 by both some German team and Atalanta.
Celtic have never played a Bosnian side in Europe. pic.twitter.com/If6kag20v8
— Moravcik67 (@Moravcik67_) June 16, 2019
7. Piast Gliwice [#266]
Won their 1st Polish title last season, beating out Legia on the final day. Next season will be only their 3rd time in Europe, and they've yet to win a tie. Their two losses were to Qarabag in 13/14 and Gothenburg in 16/17. #letfootballwin pic.twitter.com/qQO5OsuyB9
— Moravcik67 (@Moravcik67_) June 16, 2019
8. CFR Cluj [#288]
Have won the last 2 Romanian titles after a rough spell that included insolvency. Have only played 5 ties in Europe in 5 years. Scudded Alashkert 7-0 in the EL last year, but then lost to Dudelange of Luxembourg in the playoff.
We've never played them before. pic.twitter.com/yTcdA2ChMJ
— Moravcik67 (@Moravcik67_) June 16, 2019
9. Go back 10 years or so, however, and Cluj were European group stage regulars – playing in the CL group stage 3 times, and the EL once. They reached the last 32 of the EL.
Of all the teams to avoid in QR1, it is Cluj.
— Moravcik67 (@Moravcik67_) June 16, 2019
10. Ferencvaros [#292]
One of the great original clubs of Europe, sadly left behind over the years. Have won 2 Hungarian titles in 4 years. Best recent result is beating Dutch side GA Eagles in 15/16. Lost narrowly to Maccabi TA last year.
Surprisingly, we've never played them. pic.twitter.com/UqbML3mBzU
— Moravcik67 (@Moravcik67_) June 16, 2019
11. Nomme Kalju [#293]
Won only their 2nd Estonian title last year. Recent notable results include beating Maccabi Haifi of Israel, and defeats to Starjan of Iceland & Vaduz of Liechenstein. Currently 3rd in Estonia, 9pts off the pace.
Celtic have never played an Estonian side. pic.twitter.com/JfkvMp1Ovy
— Moravcik67 (@Moravcik67_) June 16, 2019
12. Sutjeska Niksic [#318]
Have won back to back Montenegrin titles. Only played 14 matches in Europe, winning just 2. Their only victory in a tie was against Union Luxembourg in 2003/04. Lost to Alashkert in last season's EL.
Celtic have never played a team from Montenegro. pic.twitter.com/PVtz4416ka
— Moravcik67 (@Moravcik67_) June 16, 2019
13. Partizani [#321]
Won their first Albanian title in 26 years last season. Have won only 4 european ties in their history, the last being Ferencvaros in 16/17.
We met once before in the 79-80 European Cup, winning 4-2 on aggregate – the only time we've met an Albanian team. pic.twitter.com/LobvROosgw
— Moravcik67 (@Moravcik67_) June 16, 2019
14. Valur [#327]
Have won back to back Icelandic titles. Have won only 4 ties in their history, but 2 have come in the last 2 seasons. Ran Rosenborg and Sheriff close last season. Currently 4th bottom in Iceland after 8 games.
We've met once before, winning 9-0 in the 75-76 CWC pic.twitter.com/MXSc27Ed0C
— Moravcik67 (@Moravcik67_) June 16, 2019
15. Linfield [#343]
The Buckie Bottle throwing Bigots of Belfast are only a threat if you're from San Marino or the Faroes.
We've played them once before, beating them 6-0 on aggregate.
Moving on. pic.twitter.com/McM4ZrKxJx
— Moravcik67 (@Moravcik67_) June 16, 2019
16. HB Torshavn [#376]
Won their first Faroe Islands title since 2013 last year. Have won just 5 of 50 European matches, and only 2 ties – the last being against the Red Imps in 14/15. Currently 5th of 10 in their league.
Celtic haven't yet met a team from the Faroes. pic.twitter.com/jRfOofbkqf
— Moravcik67 (@Moravcik67_) June 16, 2019
17. Riga FC [#409]
Founded in 2014, Riga won their 1st Latvian title last year. It was also their first appearance in Europe, putting up a decent performance to lose on penalties against CSKA-Sofia. They currently top the Latvian league.
Celtic have never played a Latvian team. pic.twitter.com/axbvvbWJs7
— Moravcik67 (@Moravcik67_) June 16, 2019
18. Ararat-Armenia [#417]
Another new club. Founded in 2017 they won the Armenian league in their 2nd year, and 1st in the top flight. They've never played in Europe. I'm not sure how they got a UEFA license.
Celtic have only ever met one Armenian team – Alashkert last season.
— Moravcik67 (@Moravcik67_) June 16, 2019
19. Saburtalo Tbilisi [#430]
They won their first Georgian title last season. This will be their first attempt in European Football.
Celtic's only previous experience against a Georgian team was the 1995-96 CWC tie against Dinamo Batumi.
— Moravcik67 (@Moravcik67_) June 16, 2019
20. There will be one other team in the draw – the winner of the prelim round containing Feronikeli (Kosovo), Lincoln Red Imps (Gibtraltar), Tre Penne (San Marino) and Santa Coloma (Andorra).
— Moravcik67 (@Moravcik67_) June 16, 2019
