Early rounds that promise to be hot

The month of August is often synonymous with holidays, the beach, but it is above all the preliminaries of the Champions League. For this 2021/2022 edition, whose final will take place at the Krestovsky Stadium in Saint Petersburg in Russia, they were initially 80 for the final win and only 32 teams during the final play-off on 25 August. Since the first match between Folgor-Falciano (San Marino) and Pristina (Kosovo) as well as Torshavn (Faroe Islands) and Inter Club d’Escaldes (Andorra) on 22 June, skimming has been significant with many surprises such as That the early elimination of FK Bodø / Glimt (Norway), Maccabi Haifa (Israel), Celtic (Scotland) or Galatasaray (Turkey). To get the last six tickets in the group stage, they are still 22 and the last two will be decided in the preliminary round.

On the side of the Path of Champions where 4 tickets will be allocated, they are 14 to play in the third round. Red Bull Salzburg (Austria) And Brandby (Denmark) Will make his debut in the play-off stage. failed to qualify last season, Le Dinamo Zagreb (Croatia) finds Legia Warsaw (Poland) Joe hasn’t played for his side in the Champions League group stage since the 2016/2017 season. The favourites, the Croats have played in the group stage of the Champions League three times in the past six years. Present in the group stage of Champions League 2018/2019, Young Boys of Bern (Switzerland) He also persisted on 5 failures in qualifying in the last six editions. Aware that they often miss the boat, the Helvetians will try to correct the situation against the Romanians of Cluj who have been running after the Champions League group stage since the 2012/2013 season. regular competition, L’Olympiakos (Greece) Has competed in 9 of the last 11 editions and has faced Olympique de Marseille in particular last season. Pedro Martins players may be favorites Le Ludogorets Razgrad (Bulgaria) She has already managed to extricate herself from the early stages of 2014-2015 and 2016-2017.

pretty balanced picture

In other posters, there will be a duel between Belgrade’s Red Star (Serbia) who regularly plays in Europe and Sheriff Tiraspol (Moldova) Who never did better than reaching the dams in 2009-2010 and 2010-2011. Again, the march against the Serbs must be huge. After stealing the national title from Celtic, Rangers (Scotland) Get Malmö (Sweden) who had disappointed with the tough qualifying in the last laps. The favourites, Steven Gerrard’s men dream of finding a competition that has ousted them since the 2010/2011 fiscal year. In the end, the last match will be against two emerging teams, Ferencváros (Hungary) which was already last year and Slavia Prague (Czech Republic) Which went to the quarter-finals of the last Europa League. We have perhaps the most balanced fight on this champion path. So the six qualified players from these clashes will find themselves in the play-offs.

Right in the play-offs, RB Salzburg would have a rank to defend against Brandby’s Danes. Regularly in Europe, Karim Ademi’s teammates will challenge a team that has never played in the Champions League group stage in the 21st century and will leave with the position of favourites. The winner of Red Star Belgrade – Sheriff Tiraspol will face the winner of Dinamo Zagreb – Legia Warsaw. If out of the four teams, Dinamo Zagreb has a little more experience, it will still offer a balanced encounter. Similar scenario in favor of a double confrontation between the winners of Cluj – Young Boys Bern and Ferencvaros – Slavia Prague. In the end the last clash that would pit Malmö’s winners – Rangers and Olympiakos – Ludogorets Razgrad against each other. Logically, the Scots and the Greeks stand out and could present a good double clash if they reach this round.

Monaco has to fight

Offering two qualifying places, the league path consists of eight teams: AS Monaco (France). Third in the last Ligue 1 season, Nico Kovac’s men’s first clash against him seems to be within their reach. Sparta Prague (Czech Republic). After a few complicated seasons, Rudy slowly comes back, but the difference is likely to be significant. If serious and enforced will be necessary, it is likely to qualify for a team returning after two years without looking at Europe. In the event of qualifying, however, this could be more complicated as Monaco is not given preference. They will thus challenge the winner of the match between Le Shekhar Donetsk (Ukraine) And Genk (Belgium). The Ukrainian team emerges because players from Roberto de Zerby have not reached the Champions League group stages in only one round in the last eleven editions, this was during the 2016/2017 season. Far from playing the role of foil, Genk’s players will try and play big in the Champions League like in 2019/2020. Either one or the other of these two teams, Monaco will have a lot to do.

The winner of the double clash between one side for the other ticket will be Le PSV Eindhoven (pay-base) And Le FC Midjylland (Denmark). The Dutch have more experience and beat Galatasaray in the last round (5-1/2-1). Celtic’s mausoleum (1-1/2-1), Midtjaylland will not lack for arguments and also participated in the final group stage of the Champions League. However, the winner of this match will have a lot to do in the playoffs. Actually, duel Benfica (Portugal) And Spartak Moscow (Russia) Going to do damage because it’s two teams with a great European history that collide. Surprised by PAOK at this stage last year, Benfica will try to avoid a second nasty surprise and present themselves as minor favorites against the Russians, led by Rui Vittoria’s former coach … Benfica. The course is full of pitfalls for all these teams, including Monaco. Furthermore, the Assamese will not be spared if they reach the group stage as they will fall into cap 4 until all the seeds (Salzburg, Dinamo Zagreb, Slavia Prague, Olympiakos, Shakhtar Donetsk and Benfica) go by the wayside. A scenario that seems impossible. Lille would be in cap 1 and Paris Saint-Germain in cap 2 for their status as champions of France.

Third Preliminary Round:

Champions Path

• Dinamo Zagreb (Croatia) – Legia Versovi (Poland)

• Cluj (Romania) – Young Boys Bern (Switzerland)

• Olympiakos (Greece) – Ludogorets Razgrad (Bulgaria)

• Red Star of Belgrade (Serbia) – Sheriff Tiraspol (Moldova)

• Malmö (Sweden) – Rangers (Scotland)

• Ferencváros (Hungary) – Slavia Prague (Czech Republic)

league way

• PSV Eindhoven (Netherlands) – Mydtjylland (Denmark)

• Spartak Moscow (Russia) – Benfica (Portugal)

• Genk (Belgic) – Shakhtar Donetsk (Ukraine)

• AS Monaco (France) – Sparta Prague (Czech Republic)

Barrage:

Champions Path

• RB Salzburg (Austria) – Brandby (Denmark)

• Cluj (Romania) or Young Boys Bern (Switzerland) – Ferencváros (Hungary) or Slavia Prague (Czech Republic)

• Malmö (Sweden) or Rangers (Scotland) – Olympiakos (Greece) or Ludogorets Razgrad (Bulgaria)

• Red Star of Belgrade (Serbia) or Sheriff Tiraspol (Moldova) – Dinamo Zagreb (Croatia) or Legia Warsaw (Poland)

league way

• AS Monaco (France) or Sparta Prague (Czech Republic) – Genk (Belgium) or Shakhtar Donetsk (Ukraine)

• Spartak Moscow (Russia) or Benfica (Portugal) – PSV Eindhoven (Netherlands) or Mydziland (Denmark)