I think Jose did really well. It is still a European trophy and Roma played a good Dutch side.
I like the way European sides take all the European trophies seriously.
2 Likes
Apparently there’s multiple rounds of qualification for this competition too.
Third qualifying round ties:
Víkingur Reykjavík (ISL) vs Lech Poznań (POL)
RFS (LVA) vs Hibernians (MLT)
Ballkani (KOS) vs KÍ (FRO)
Zrinjski (BIH) vs Tobol Kostanay (KAZ)
Shakhtyor Soligorsk (BLR) vs CFR Cluj (ROU)
Spartak Trnava (SVK) vs Raków Czestochowa (POL)
AIK (SWE) vs Shkëndija (MKD)
Viking (NOR) vs Sligo Rovers (IRL)
Breidablik (ISL) vs İstanbul Başakşehir (TUR)
KuPS Kuopio (FIN) vs Young Boys (SUI)
Paide Linnameeskond (EST) vs Anderlecht (BEL)
Viborg (DEN) vs B36 Tórshavn (FRO)
Hajduk Split (CRO) vs Vitória SC (POR)
Brøndby (DEN) vs Basel (SUI)
Lillestrøm (NOR) vs Royal Antwerp (BEL)
CSKA-Sofia (BUL) vs Saint Patrick’s Athletic (IRL)
Dundee United (SCO) vs AZ (NED)
APOEL (CYP) vs Kyzylzhar Petropavlovsk (KAZ)
Dunajská Streda (SVK) vs FCSB (ROU)
Riga (LVA) vs Gil Vicente (POR)
Wolfsberger (AUT) vs Gzira United (MLT)
Maccabi Tel-Aviv (ISR) vs Aris Thessaloniki (GRE)
Molde (NOR) vs Kisvarda (HUN)
Neftçi (AZE) vs Rapid Wien (AUT)
Lugano (SUI) vs Hapoel Beer-Sheva (ISR)
Levski Sofia (BUL) vs Hamrun Spartans (MLT)
Twente (NED) vs Čukarički (SRB)
Zorya Luhansk (UKR) vs Universitatea Craiova (ROU)
Vaduz (LIE) vs Konyaspor (TUR)
Sepsi Sfantu Gheorghe (ROU) vs Djurgården (SWE)
Fehérvár (HUN) vs Petrocub-Hincesti (MDA)
Slavia Praha (CZE) vs Panathinaikos (GRE)
Winners progress to the final qualifying (play-off) round.
1 Like
Play-off round fixtures
Champions path
NK Maribor (SVN) vs CFR 1907 Cluj (ROU)
RFS (LVA) vs Linfield FC (NIR)
KKS Lech Poznań (POL) vs F91 Diddeleng (LUX)
FC Shkupi 1927 (MKD) vs Ballkani (KOS)
HŠK Zrinjski (BIH) vs ŠK Slovan Bratislava (SVK)
Main path
PFC CSKA-Sofia (BUL) vs FC Basel 1893 (SUI)
FC Vaduz (LIE) vs SK Rapid Wien (AUT)
Raków Czestochowa (POL) vs SK Slavia Praha (CZE)
APOEL FC (CYP) vs Djurgårdens IF (SWE)
Maccabi Tel-Aviv FC (ISR) vs OGC Nice (FRA)
Universitatea Craiova (ROU) vs Hapoel Beer-Sheva FC (ISR)
İstanbul Başakşehir FK (TUR) vs Royal Antwerp FC (BEL)
Fotbal Club FCSB (ROU) vs Viking FK (NOR)
FK Partizan (SRB) vs Hamrun Spartans FC (MLT)
ACF Fiorentina (ITA) vs FC Twente (NED)
Villarreal CF (ESP) vs HNK Hajduk Split (CRO)
FC Köln (GER) vs Fehérvár FC (HUN)
West Ham United FC (ENG) vs Viborg FF (DEN)
BSC Young Boys (SUI) vs RSC Anderlecht (BEL)
FC Slovácko (CZE) vs AIK (SWE)
Molde FK (NOR) vs Wolfsberger AC (AUT)
AZ Alkmaar (NED) vs Gil Vicente FC (POR)
Pathetic.
Pot 1
Villarreal
Basel
Slavia Prague
AZ Alkmaar
Gent
Istanbul Basaksehir
FK Partizan
West Ham
Pot 2
CFR Cluj
Molde
FCSB
Fiorentina
Koln
Hapoel Beer-Sheeva
Limassol
Slovan Bratislava
Pot 3
Nice
Anderlecht
Zalgiris
Austria Wien
Hearts
Shamrock Rovers
Sivasspor
Vaduz
Pot 4
Dnipro
Lech Poznan
Slovacko
Silkeborg
Djurgardens
Pyunik
RFS
Ballkani
Group A: Istanbul, Fiorentina, Hearts, RFS
Group B: West Ham, FCSB, Anderlecht, Silkeborg
Group C: Villarreal, Beer-Sheva, Austria Wien, Poznan
Group D: Partizan, Koln, Nice, Slovacko
Group E: Alkmaar, Apollon, Vaduz, Dnipro
Group F: Gent, Molde, Shamrock, Djurgarden
Group G: Slavia Praha, Cluj, Sivasspor, Ballkani
Group H: Basel, Bratislava, Zalgiris, Pyunik
Some good scrabble scores in that list. 
Qualified for ECL round of 16: Istanbul Basaksehir, West Ham, Villarreal, Nice, AZ Alkmaar, Djurgårdens IF, Sivasspor, and Slovan Bratislava.
Qualified for ECL play-off round: Fiorentina, Anderlecht, Lech Poznan, Partizan Belgrade, Dnipro-1, KAA Gent, CFR Cluj, FC Basel, Bodø/Glimt, AEK Larnaca, Ludogorets, Sporting Braga, Sheriff Tiraspol, Lazio, FK Qarabag, and Trabzonspor.
1 Like
Qarabag vs. Gent
FC Basel vs. Trabzonspor
Lazio vs. CFR Cluj
Lech Poznan vs. Bodo/Glimt
Fiorentina vs. Braga
Dnipro-1 vs. Larnaca
FK Partizan vs. Sheriff
Ludogorets vs. Anderlecht
@Magnus Bodø/Glimt knocked out. 
Larnaca vs. West Ham
Lazio vs. Alkmaar
Basel vs. Bratislava
Anderlecht vs Villarreal
Fiorentina vs. Sivasspor
Poznan vs. Djurgarden
Sheriff vs. Nice
Gent vs. Basaksehir
2 Likes
Lech Poznan v Fiorentina
Gent v West Ham
Anderlecht v AZ
Basel v Nice
Lech Poznan/Fiorentina v Basel/Nice
Gent/West Ham v Anderlecht/AZ
1 Like
Although getting into the Conference League is undesirable in many ways, I’d still be really interested in what we would do if we were there (and I think it would be fun, to be honest).
I’d be tempted to use it entirely as a development competition, focus on young players needing game time.
Kelleher/Jaros/Pitaluga
Ramsay/Bradley/Mabaya - van den Berg/Williams/Quansah - Chambers/Beck
Elliott/Morton/Frauendorf - Bajcetic/Clarkson/Stephenson - Jones/Clark/Balagizi
Doak/Gordon - Stewart/Cannonier/Koumas - Carvalho/Woltman/Kone-Doherty
They’d probably struggle but it would be a great learning experience. Sprinkle in the likes of Milner to help them a bit.
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Yes we would be using a lot of young players specially in the early stages. But like any other competition I would want us to win it.
Worst scenario is having no Europe, Conference is the 3rd best option of course.
I think we could easily go through early stages with heavy rotation and yeah, including some young players coming through, the most deserving ones at that point. Then naturally, you attack the competition more when/if we get to final stages.
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Squad players and Youngsters.
I wouldn’t use it fully for the U23s after all I’d want us to win it but the set up above would get us so far.
I want us to win the league. The CL is an acceptable distraction and next best alternative but therest just make the PL harder. I loved it when we beat Alaves in 2001 but that team hadn’t tasted the big trophies. For this team now, the UEFA cup and conference are backward steps that just don’t mean much. I’d prefer us to clear our schedule and have 38 league matches to focus on next season and win another PL title that this team need if they are going to be given the respect they deserve.
It never really works like that though to be honest and we have a fair fewer younger squad players that this could work for not to mention squad players we want to keep on the ball.
Happy to not play the likes of Alisson, Salah, VVD, our new CM, Díaz and the full backs but after that depending on rotation it would be fantastic experience for the likes of Ramsey for instance, Doak, Elliott, Carvalho as well as keeping others in form.
I’d rather we make the Europa League as it’s another route back into the CL and still to me the UEFA cup of old. It’s also the way it’s set up less of an issue than it was originally.
AZ Alkmaar 
Have no fear. West Ham is peaking at just the right time. Conceding the first goal at home is all part of the plan.
1 Like
Hammers penalty 1-1. Benrahma