Champions League Pre-qualification: Play-Offs | OneFootball

It’s still mid-August, and while the European leagues are kicking off their campaigns, the Champions League is still in the throes of pre-qualification. Because there’s nothing these mega-tournaments love more than a Byzantine process of games BEFORE it starts to winnow down the last four lucky qualifiers.

How Pre-Qualification Works

This year pre-qualification started back on June 17 with the excruciating media circus that is known as “The Draw.” Twenty-eight teams were dropped in the bingo ball, and paired up for the first qualifying round (1QR). This was contested over two home/away fixtures in early July. The 1QR pits the winners of smaller national leagues against each other, with clubs like Differdange 03 (Luxembourg), Lincoln Red Imps (Gibraltar), Zrinjski Mostar (Bosnia) and Kairat (Kazakhstan) getting their moment in the spotlight.

Winners of 1QR then play some sides from larger national leagues in the second qualifying round (2QR). Here the names are slightly more familiar: Red Star Belgrade (Serbia), Rangers (Scotland), Red Bull Salzburg (Austria).

I think you can guess what happens next… the winners of the 2QR then go on to compete in the THIRD qualifying round (3QR). Mercifully, only one more round remains after the 3QR is finished: the play off.

That’s where we are today. The previous three qualifying rounds have winnowed down 53 clubs to 14, and today marks the start of their two-leg competition. And because Hooligan Soccer loves nothing more than the obscure, we’re gonna talk a bit about the upcoming fixtures.

Ferencváros vs. Qarabağ

Tuesday 8/19 & Wednesday 8/27

Hungarian champs take on Azerbaijan’s most successful club. Qarabağ cruised through the qualifying stages scoring nine and conceding one. Last year they competed in the Europa League but performed poorly, finishing dead last in qualifying with a 1W, 7L record. To be fair, they’d get their butts whipped in Champions League group play. Ferencváros also played the Europa League and finished 17th in the group stage on 4W, 4L. This was good enough to put them into the knockout play-off where they lost to Viktoria Plzeň 3 – 1 on aggregate.

Red Star Belgrade vs. Pafos

Tuesday 8/19 & Tuesday 8/26

Red Star’s two qualifying rounds were relatively smooth, with a 10 – 3 scoreline. Last year they edged out Bodø/Glimt for the Champions League spot, but finished 29th with 2W, 6L and a -9 GD. Pafos is a Cinderella story so far. They are the Cypriot league winners, and arrived here having dispatched Maccabi Tel Aviv 2 – 1 and Dynamo Kyiv 3 – 0. Upsetting Belgrade would be quite a coup.

Rangers vs. Club Brugge

Tuesday 8/19 & Wednesday 8/27

Brugge were one of the surprise teams in the Champions League last season. They finished 24th, just above the elimination cut-off, and blindsided Italian giants Atalanta in the knockout playoff, winning with aggregate 5 – 2 scoreline. Of course, they were routed by Aston Villa in the Round of 16, but they gained a number of new fans (not to mention some much needed dollars in their coffers). Much like their Glasgow rivals Celtic, Rangers are a perennial contender in these types of games.

Bodø/Glimt vs. Sturm Graz

Wednesday 8/20 & Tuesday 8/26

Europe’s northernmost soccer team, Bodø/Glimt, will once again try to battle their way into a slot. They had a remarkable run in the Europa League last year, reaching the semi-finals where they eventually lost to Tottenham Hotspur. To get there they’ll have to topple Austria’s champion Strum Graz. Die Schwoazn’s Champions League campaign last year was disappointing. They finished 30th with 2W, 6L and a -9 GD.

Personally, I want Bodø/Glimt to go through just to watch their home games from their outdoor stadium above the Arctic Circle. In winter.

Celtic vs. Kairat

Wednesday 8/20 & Tuesday 8/26

Kairat is the only team from the first qualifying round to have survived to the playoff. They’re from Kazakhstan, have played in the Premier division since 2010 and won it twice. They’re quite upwardly mobile, and a Champions League berth (along with the financial windfall) would boost the club’s profile enormously. Celtic is a known quantity throughout European soccer, and for them to stumble here would be a real shock.

Basel vs. Copenhagen

Wednesday 8/20 & Wednesday 8/27

This is refreshing… a new face in the UEFA competitions. Basel seized the Swiss league last year and if they can topple Copenhagen, will be raking in the profits. They also abandoned last year’s woeful kits in favor of a classic red/blue stripe, so if fashion has bearing on the outcome they’re shoo-ins! Copenhagen competed in the Conference League last season, finishing 18th with 2W, 2D, 2L and a -1 GD. They won their knockout playoff over Heidenheim 4 – 3 on aggregate before succumbing to Chelsea in the Round of 16. Either side should be an interesting addition to the Champions League, even if they’ll be among the weaker sides.

Fenerbahçe vs. Benfica

Wednesday 8/20 & Wednesday 8/27

It was quite a year for Benfica. They made it into the Champions League Round of 16 (lost to Barcelona 4 – 1 on aggregate) and also took Chelsea to extra time in the Club World Cup Round of 16. That one also ended 4 – 1 to Chelsea when they scored three after a weather delay. Benfica was also playing a man short. They drew tough opposition in Fenerbahçe. Not only does this club have a long pedigree, they have one of the most notorious shithouser managers in José Mourinho. Expect this to be two matches filled with fireworks both on and off the pitch. Fun fact: Mourinho’s first managerial position was at Benfica back in 2000.