Real Sociedad drop into Women’s Europa Cup, draw on Friday with 31 possible rivals | OneFootball

Real Sociedad have dropped from Champions League qualifying into the new Women’s Europa Cup, with the round-of-32 draw on Friday. Diario Vasco reports the first leg is on Wednesday 23 September and the return on 30, venue to be confirmed.

Created last season, with Hacken the sole winners so far, the tournament is UEFA’s second tier. La Real will be the first Liga F side to feature, with Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid progressing in Champions qualifying last year.

There is no group phase, every tie is two-legged, including the final. With no seeding pots, any of the 31 qualified clubs could face the txuri-urdin.

Eight teams drop in after Champions setbacks, including Sparta Praha, PSV, Eintracht, Wolfsburg and Ajax. The Germans look the sternest test, Wolfsburg owning two Champions titles, seven leagues and 11 domestic cups, though Inter beat them on penalties on Wednesday.

Direct entrants include Brann, Hearts, Aktobe, Fenerbahce, HJK, PAOK, Sporting, Hammarby, Malmo and Rangers. Brann and cash-rich Hammarby stand out, Hearts are rebuilding after Eva Olid joined Manchester United, and Aktobe is a difficult trip.

Qualifiers still alive include Sturm Graz, Minsk, Torreense, Liberec, Brondby, Breidablik, Fortuna Hjørring, Apollon, Rosenborg, Valerenga and Feyenoord. Torreense supplied summer signing Ava Seelenfreund, and Scandinavians, notably Fortuna, have pedigree, runners-up in 2003.

The competition offers growth but no margin for error, so focus returns to the league before 23 September and they will hope to avoid Wolfsburg.

Source: Diario Vasco

“Artificial intelligence was used to assist in creating this article based on reporting from the original source quoted.”