Not really a good couple of days eh, Bohemians made to look like tosspots, Glentoran got a pasting and the less said about Rhyl the better. Were Salzburg really there for the taking that much?

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
REVISED 2nd QUALIFYING ROUND RESULTS - Aggregate scores

1. KF Tirana (ALB) ...... 1-5 ....... Stabaek (NOR)
2. Georgia Tblisi (GEO) ...... 1-3 ...... NK Maribor (SLO)
3. EB Streymur (FAR) ...... 0-5 ...... APOEL Nicosia (CYP)
4. FC Copenhagen (DEN) ...... 12-0 ...... FK Mogren (MOT)
5. Debrecen (HUN) ...... 3-3 ...... Kalmar (SWE) - Debrecen won on away goals
6. Gjorce Petrov (MAC) ...... 0-4 ...... BATE Borisov (BLR)
7. FH Hafnarfjordur (ICE) ...... 0-6 ...... FC Aktobe (KAZ)
8. Pyunik Yerevan (ARM) ...... 0-3 ...... Dinamo Zagreb (CRO)
9. FK Ventspils (LAT) ...... 6-1 ...... Dudelange (LUX)
10. FK Ekranas (LIT) ...... 4-6 ...... FK Baku (AZE)
11. Red Bull Salzburg (AUT) ...... 2-1 ...... Bohemians (IRE)
12. Zrinjski Mostar (BOS) ...... 1-4 ...... Slovan Bratislava (SVK)
13. Inter Turku (FIN) ...... 0-2 ...... Sheriff Tiraspol (MOL)
14. Rhyl (WAL) ...... 0-12 ...... Partizan Belgrade (SRB)
15. Wisla Krakow (POL) ...... 1-2 ...... Levadia Tallinn (EST)
16. Levski Sofia (BUL) ...... 9-0 ...... Sant Julia (AND)
17. Maccabi Haifa (ISR) ...... 10-0 ...... Glentoran (NIR)

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE 3rd QUALIFYING ROUND - REVISED DRAW
1st Leg - July 28th-29th
2nd Leg - August 5th-6th
Losers go to Europa League 4th Qualifyign Round

1. Anderlecht (BEL) ........ v ........ Sivasspor (TUR)
2. Celtic (SCO) ........ v ........ Dynamo Moscow (RUS)
3. APOEL Nicosia (CYP) ........ v ........ Partizan Belgrade (SRB)
4. FC Copenhagen (DEN) ........ v ........ Stabaek (NOR)
5. FC Twente Enschede (NED) ........ v ........ Sporting Lisbon (POR)
6. FC Aktobe (KAZ) ........ v ........ Maccabi Haifa (ISR)
7. FK Baku (AZE) ........ v ........ Levski Sofia (BUL)
8. FK Ventspils (LAT) ........ v ........ BATE Borisov (BLR)
9. Sheriff Tiraspol (MOL) ........ v ........ Slavia Prague (CZE)
10. FC Zurich (SUI) ........ v ........ NK Maribor (SLO)
11. Dinamo Zagreb (CRO) ........ v ........ Red Bull Salzburg (AUT)
12. Shakhtar Donetsk (UKR) ........ v ........ FC Timisoara (ROM)
13. Sparta Prague (CZE) ........ v ........ Panathinaikos (GRE)
14. Levadia Tallinn (EST) ........ v ........ Debrecen (HUN)
15. Slovan Bratislava (SVK) ........ v ........ Olympiakos (GRE)

Salzburg were very ordinary, with a team full of ordinary players. They were never up to much and only scored because of a lapse in concentration in the Bohs defence. However, Bohs should have been able to score 1 at least before then. Instead they stood off them and played for the 0-0.

Zagreb will have an easy time of it in the next round. Pity, I felt that Bohs could've given them a game.

Derry City 1-0 Skonto Riga
Valletta 0-1 St. Pats.

Great results. Both are through to the next round of the Europa League.

And both will probably get shown on RTE now, only 4 games away from the group stages

Of the others, Northern Ireland's interest in europe is over after Crusaders lost 5-3 to Rabotnicki Komental of Macedonia, Welsh interest looks like its over as well as Bangor are currently 3-0 down to Honka Espoo of Finland. In another latest, Motherwell are currently beating Flamuntari Vlore 8-1 on the night

The big shock though is Falkirk, they lost 2-1 on aggregate to FC Vaduz of Liechtenstein

EUROPA LEAGUE 2nd QUALIFYING ROUND RESULTS - Aggregate scores

Honka Espoo (FIN) ........ 3-0 ........ Bangor City (WAL)
Falkirk (SCO) ........ 1-2 ........ FC Vaduz (LIE)
St Patricks Athletic (IRE)........ 2-1 ........ FC Valletta (MLT)
Skonto Riga (LAT) ........ 1-2 ........ Derry City (IRE)
Flamurtari Vlore (ALB) ........ 2-8 ........ Motherwell (SCO)
Crusaders (NIR) ........ 3-5 ........ Rabotnicki Komental (MAC)

And jsut for Miss C, a couple of results

FC Zestafoni (GEO) ........ 3-3 ........ Helsingborgs (SWE) - GOING TO EXTRA TIME
Elfsborg (SWE) ........ 3-0 ........ Haladas (HUN)
IFK Gothenburg go directly to 3rd qualifying round

Falkirk's loss to FC Vaduz is not the biggest shock of the night though, Norwegian giants Rosenborg are out after a humiliating defeat to Qarabag, an Azerbaijani part time club

Helsingborgs won 4-3 after extra time

EUROPA LEAGUE 3rd QUALIFYING ROUND - REVISED DRAW

1. FK Sarajevo (BOS) ........ v ........ Helsingborgs (SWE)
2. Frederikstad (NOR) ........ v ........ LECH Poznan (POL)
3. HNK Rijeka (CRO) ........ v ........ Metalist Kharkiv (UKR)
4. Gent (BEL) ........ v ........ Roma (ITA)
5. SC Vaslui (ROM) ........ v ........ Omonia Nicosia (CYP)
6. Slavija Sarajevo (BOS) ........ v ........ FC Kosice (SVK)
7. IFK Gothenburg (SWE) ........ v ........ Hapoel Tel Aviv (ISR)
8. PSV Eindhoven (NED) ........ v ...... Cherno More Varna (BUL)
9. Metalurgs Donetsk (UKR) ........ v ........ Interblock Llubljana (SLO)
10. Valerenga (NOR) ........ v ........ PAOK Salonika (GRE)
11. APOP Kinyras Peyias (CYP) ........ v ........ Rapid Vienna (AUT)
12. Honka Espoo (FIN) ........ v ........ FK Karabakh (AZE)
13. FC Vaduz (LIE) ........ v ........ Slovan Liberec (CZE)
14. St Patricks Athletic (IRE) ........ v ........ Krylia Sovetov Samara (RUS)
15. Randers FC (DEN) ........ v ........ Hamburg (GER)
16. Tromso (NOR) ........ v ........ Slaven Belupo (CRO)
17. Brondby (DEN) ........ v ........ Legia Warsaw (POL)
18. Vojvodina (SRB) ........ v ........ Austria Vienna (AUT)
19. CSKA Sofia (BUL) ........ v ........ Derry City (IRE)
20. Steaua Bucharest (ROM) ........ v ........ Motherwell (SCO)
21. MSK Zilina (SVK) ........ v ........ Hajduk Split (CRO)
22. Braga (POR) ........ v ........ Elfsborg (SWE)
23. Aberdeen (SCO) ........ v ........ Sigma Olomuc (CZE)
24. Rabotnicki Komental (MAC) ........ v ........ Odense (DEN)
25. FK Sevojno (SRB) ........ v ........ Lille (FRA)
26. OFK Petrovac (MOT) ........ v ........ Sturm Graz (AUT)
27. Fenerbahce (TUR) ........ v ........ Budapest Honved (HUN)
28. Bnei Yehuda (ISR) ........ v ........ Pacos de Ferreira (POR)
29. Club Brugge (BEL) ........ v ........ FC Lahti (FIN)
30. Athletic Bilbao (SPA) ........ v ........ Young Boys Berne (SUI)
31. KR Rekjavik (ICE) ........ v ........ FC Basel (SUI)
32. Galatasaray (TUR) ........ v ........ Maccabi Netanya (ISR)
33. Dinamo Tblisi (GEO) ........ v ........ Red Star Belgrade (SRB)
34. Polonia Warsaw (POL) ........ v ........ NAC Breda (NED)
35. FK Vetra (LIT) ........ v ........ Fulham (ENG)

Gent through on away goals against a sida called Naftan

What a way to start the season for Belgian teams in Europe.

They play AS Roma now

Club Brugge start their European season at home to Lahti from Finland. It is the team where 38-year old Jari Litmanen plays.

Great player in his day

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE LATEST

Celtic 0-1 Dynamo Moscow (Koronin, 7min)

Champions League 3rd qualifying round 1st leg results, including last nights games

And theres more shock results than just the Celtic game

1. Anderlecht (BEL) ........ 5-0 ........ Sivasspor (TUR)
2. Celtic (SCO) ........ 0-1 ........ Dynamo Moscow (RUS)
3. APOEL Nicosia (CYP) ........ 2-0 ........ Partizan Belgrade (SRB)
4. FC Copenhagen (DEN) ........ 3-1 ........ Stabaek (NOR)
5. FC Twente Enschede (NED) ........ 0-0 ........ Sporting Lisbon (POR) - LATEST SCORE
6. FC Aktobe (KAZ) ........ 0-0 ........ Maccabi Haifa (ISR)
7. FK Baku (AZE) ........ 0-0 ........ Levski Sofia (BUL)
8. FK Ventspils (LAT) ........ 1-0 ........ BATE Borisov (BLR)
9. Sheriff Tiraspol (MOL) ........ 0-0 ........ Slavia Prague (CZE)
10. FC Zurich (SUI) ........ 2-3 ........ NK Maribor (SLO)
11. Dinamo Zagreb (CRO) ........ 1-1 ........ Red Bull Salzburg (AUT)
12. Shakhtar Donetsk (UKR) ........ 2-2 ........ FC Timisoara (ROM)
13. Sparta Prague (CZE) ........ 3-1 ........ Panathinaikos (GRE)
14. Levadia Tallinn (EST) ........ 0-1 ........ Debrecen (HUN)
15. Slovan Bratislava (SVK) ........0-2 ........ Olympiakos (GRE)

Would hardly call the Celtic result a shock.

Aye probably, Russian teams have been getting better so Dynamo Moscow will have been tough cookies to crack. Then again, you'd still have expected Celtic to win the home leg.

Big shock of the night though is our old nemesis, Partizan Belgrade getting beat 2-0 of the Cypriot minnows APOEL Nicosia

On the bright side though, nice to see old Temuri Ketsbaia get a win in his first game as Olympiakos manager.

They're not Irish.

Latest Europa league scores

St Patricks Athletic (IRE) ........ 0-0 ........ Krylia Sovetov Samara (RUS)
Steaua Bucharest (ROM) ........ 3-0 ........ Motherwell (SCO)
Aberdeen (SCO) ........ 1-1 ........ Sigma Olomuc (CZE)

Results

CSKA Sofia (BUL) ........ 1-0 ........ Derry City (IRE)
FK Vetra (LIT) ........ 0-3 ........ Fulham (ENG)

Updates

St Patricks Athletic (IRE) ........ 0-0 ........ Krylia Sovetov Samara (RUS)
Steaua Bucharest (ROM) ........ 3-0 ........ Motherwell (SCO) - RESULT
Aberdeen (SCO) ........ 1-3 ........ Sigma Olomuc (CZE)

Pats 1 up now.

Wow, that will be one hell of a result if they manage to pull that off.

Also what did you think of Derry, good effort to come away from Sofia with a 1 goal defeat.

Pats 1-0 Krylia Sovetov Samara FT. Quality result that. Every chance now. Would not expect an Irish club team to beat a Russian team.

Derry had 2 very good chances but fluffed them both. a lot of Derry fans are fancying their chances when they come to the Brandywell. apparently sofia weren't that good.

Aberdeen getting wallopped 1-5. Shite performance from Scottish teams in Europe. Surely this finally proves that Irish football is better?

I listened to the Aberdeen game, they really were shit, Motherwell though I sort of expected them to get thumped by Steaua Bucharest, 3-0 flattered them though, Steaua should have had at least another 4 or 5 apparently.

Overall though, i think Derry have the better chance of progressing as they have the home leg next, St Paddies though i think will find it tough in Russia, could be a cricket score if they dont tighten up at the back for that game.

Have tosay well done to Celtic after a brilliant 2-0 win away at Dynamo Moscow this evening means a 2-1 win on aggregate

Also bad luck to McClown, after his FC Twente side were within seconds of knocking out Sporting Lisbon.

Heres the full list of results from the Champions League 3rd qualifying round, and most of the shocks that happened in the 1st legs stayed true here, some well fancied sides going out to lower opposition including Partizan Belgrade, Slavia Prague and most of all, last years UEFA Cup winners Shakhtar Donetsk.

And good old Temuri Ketsbaia is now jsut 2 games away from taking Olympiakos to the champions league, just 12 months after knocking out the same club at the same stage as manager of Anorthosis Famagusta

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE 3rd QUALIFYING ROUND - AGREGATE RESULTS

1. Anderlecht (BEL) ........ 6-3 ........ Sivasspor (TUR)
2. Celtic (SCO) ........ 2-1 ........ Dynamo Moscow (RUS)
3. APOEL Nicosia (CYP) ........ 2-1 ........ Partizan Belgrade (SRB)
4. FC Copenhagen (DEN) ........ 3-1 ........ Stabaek (NOR)
5. FC Twente Enschede (NED) ........ 1-1 ........ Sporting Lisbon (POR) - Sporting Lisbon win on away goals
6. FC Aktobe (KAZ) ........ 3-4 ........ Maccabi Haifa (ISR)
7. FK Baku (AZE) ........ 0-2 ........ Levski Sofia (BUL)
8. FK Ventspils (LAT) ........ 2-2 ........ BATE Borisov (BLR) - FK Ventspils win on away goals
9. Sheriff Tiraspol (MOL) ........ 1-1 ........ Slavia Prague (CZE) - Sheriff Tirsapol win on away goals
10. FC Zurich (SUI) ........ 5-3 ........ NK Maribor (SLO)
11. Dinamo Zagreb (CRO) ........ 2-3 ........ Red Bull Salzburg (AUT)
12. Shakhtar Donetsk (UKR) ........ 2-2 ........ FC Timisoara (ROM) - FC Timisoara win on away goals
13. Sparta Prague (CZE) ........ 3-4 ........ Panathinaikos (GRE)
14. Levadia Tallinn (EST) ........ 0-2 ........ Debrecen (HUN)
15. Slovan Bratislava (SVK) ........0-4 ........ Olympiakos (GRE)

Pats are through to the Europa League.

Well, actually the final qualifying round, but still what a fantastic achievement to beat a top Russian side on away goals, big well done Only need Derry to finish off CSKA Sofia tonight to finish off what should be a fantastic night for Irish football.

Was the performance any good?

LATEST SCORES

Fulham (ENG) ........ 1-0 ........ FK Vetra (LIT) - Aggregate 4-0
Motherwell (SCO) ........ 1-2 ........ Steaua Bucharest (ROM) - Aggregate 1-5

RESULTS

Derry City (IRE) ........ 1-1 ........ CSKA Sofia (BUL) - CSKA Sofia win 2-1 on aggregate
Sigma Olomuc (CZE) ........ 3-0 ......... Aberdeen (SCO) - Sigma Olomuc win 8-1 on aggregate
Krylis Sovetov Samara (RUS) ........ 3-2 ........ St Patricks Athletic (IRE) - Aggregate 3-3, St Patricks Athletic win on away goals

And for Ces

RESULT: Hapoel Tel Aviv (ISR) ........ 1-1 ........ IFK Gothenburg (SWE) - Hapoel Tel Aviv win 4-2 on aggregate
RESULT: Braga (POR) ........ 0-2 ........ Elfsborg (SWE) - Elfsborg win 4-1 on aggregate
LATEST SCORE: FK Sarajevo (BOS) ........ 2-1 ........ Helsingborgs (SWE) - Aggregate 3-3, currently in extra time

Well Fulham won through 6-0 on aggregate while there is now only one scottish team left as well as one Irish side joining Everton and Aston Villa

So heres the seedings for tomorrows 4th qualifying round draw

SEEDED TEAMS: Shakhtar Donetsk, Werder Bremen, Villarreal, Roma, PSV Eindhoven, Zenit St Petersburg, Hamburg, Benfica, Valencia, Ajax Amstersam, Steaua Bucharest, Fenerbahce, FC Basel, Lille, Everton, Club Brugge, Heerenveen, Galatasaray, Austria Vienna, Lazio, Hertha Berlin, Sparta Prague, Dinamo Bucharest, AEK Athens, Slavia Prague, Metalist Kharkiv, Aston Villa, Athletic Bilbao, Partizan Belgrade, Hapoel Tel Aviv, FC Twente Enschede, Dinamo Zagreb, Litex Lovech, Fulham, Toulouse, CSKA Sofia, CFR Cluj-Napoca, Odense

UNSEEDED TEAMS: LECH Poznan, Genoa, Slovan Liberec, Red Star Belgrade, Hearts, Brondby, Trabzonspor, Metalurgs Donetsk, Guingamp, FC Vaslui, PAOK Salonika, Dynamo Moscow, FC Amkar Perm, MSK Zilina, Tromso, Rapid Vienna, Vorskla Poltava, FC Sion, NAC Breda, BATE Borisov, Nacional Madeira, Elfsborg, Sivasspor, Genk, Teplice, Sigma Olomuc, Stabaek, Sturm Graz, Slovan Bratislava, FC Kosice, St Patricks Athletic, NK Maribor, FK Sarajevo, FK Baku, FK Qarabag, Levadia Tallinn, FC Aktobe

Well technically they're in the Europa League 1st round thingy, but this year they're caling it a "playoff".

They were 3-0 down after an hour, so 3-2 was a fantastic result that included the likes of Jan Koller and Jiri Jarosik. Brilliant result for Irish football, and not bad for a part- time team.

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE PLAYOFF ROUND/4th QUALIFYING ROUND DRAW

1. Celtic (SCO) ......... v ........ Arsenal (ENG)
2. FC Copenhagen (DEN) ........ v ........ APOEL Nicosia (CYP)
3. Levski Sofia (BUL) ........ v ........ Debrecen (HUN)
4. Lyon (FRA) ........ v ........ Anderlecht (BEL)
5. Panathinaikos (GRE) ........ v ........ Atletico Madrid (SPA)
6. Red Bull Salzburg (AUT) ........ v ........ Maccabi Haifa (ISR)
7. Sheriff Tiraspol (MOL) ........ v ........ Olympiakos (GRE)
8. Sporting Lisbon (POR) ........ v ........ Fiorentina (ITA)
9. FC Timisoara (ROM) ........ v ........ VFB Stuttgart (GER)
10. FK Ventspils (LAT) ........ v ........ FC Zurich (SUI)

Just seen SSN say fans think it was fixed to cut down on the amount of british teams

EUROPA LEAGUE PLAYOFF ROUND/4th QUALIFYING ROUND DRAW

1. PAOK Salonika (GRE) ........ v ........ Heerenveen (NED)
2. Dinamo Zagreb (CRO) ........ v ........ Hearts (SCO)
3. Werder Bremen (GER) ........ v ........ FC Aktobe (KAZ)
4. Everton (ENG) ........ v ........ Sigma Olomuc (CZE)
5. BATE Borisov (BLR) ........ v ........ Litex Lovech (BUL)
6. NAC Breda (NED) ........ v ........ Villarreal (SPA)
7. LECH Poznan (POL) ........ v ........ Club Brugge (BEL)
8. Fulham (ENG) ........ v ........ FC Amkar Perm (RUS)

9. Galatasaray (TUR) ........ v ........ Levadia Tallinn (EST)
10. Teplice (CZE) ........ v ........ Hapoel Tel Aviv (ISR)
11. Metalurgs Donetsk (UKR) ........ v ........ Austria Vienna (AUT)
12. FC Twente Enschede (NED) ........ v ........ FK Qarabag (AZE)
13. Roma (ITA) ........ v ........ FC Kosice (SVK)
14. Dynamo Moscow (RUS) ........ v ........ CSKA Sofia (BUL)
15. Genk (BEL) ........ v ........ Lille (FRA)
16. Bnei Yehuda (ISR) ........ v ........ PSV Eindhoven (NED)

17. Lazio (ITA) ........ v ........ Elfsborg (SWE)
18. Trabzonspor (TUR) ........ v ........ Toulouse (FRA)
19. Partizan Belgrade (SRB) ........ v ........ MSK Zilina (SVK)
20. FK Baku (AZE) ........ v ........ FC Basel (SUI)
21. Ajax (NED) ........ v ........ Slovan Bratislava (SVK)
22. Shakhtar Doentsk (UKR) ........ v ........ Sivasspor (TUR)
23. Brondby (DEN) ........ v ........ Hertha Berlin (GER)
24. Athletic Bilbao (SPA) ........ v ........ Tromso (NED)

25. FK Sarajevo (BOS) ........ v ........ CFR Cluj-Napoca (ROM)
26. Rapid Vienna (AUT) ........ v ........ Aston Villa (ENG)
27. Steaua Bucharest (ROM) ........ v ........ St Patricks Athletic (IRE)
28. Sparta Prague (CZE) ........ v ........ NK Maribor (SLO)
29. Zenit St Petersburg (RUS) ........ v ........ Nacional Madeira (POR)
30. Genoa (ITA) ........ v ........ Odense (DEN)
31. Dinamo Bucharest (ROM) ........ v ........ Slovan Liberec (CZE)
32. Guingamp (FRA) ........ v ........ Hamburg (GER)

33. FC Sion (SUI) ........ v ........ Fenerbahce (TUR)
34. Sturm Graz (AUT) ........ v ........ Metalist Kharkiv (UKR)
35. Slavia Prague (CZE) ........ v ........ Red Star Belgrade (SRB)
36. Benfica (POR) ........ v ........ Vorskla Poltava (UKR)
37. FC Vaslui (ROM) ........ v ........ AEK Athens (GRE)
38. Stabaek (NOR) ........ v ........ Valencia (SPA)

No the best draw for us tbh..............

Aye, at least you've got the home leg last, thats a good advantage

Yeah but i'm still warey celtic are a decent team......




And they have Chris Killen: Goal machine!

Results tonight for the British/Irish clubs

Dinamo Zagreb (CRO) ........ 4-0 ........ Hearts (SCO)
Everton (ENG) ........ 4-0 ........ Sigma Olomuc (CZE)
Fulham (ENG) ........ 3-1 ........ Amkar Perm (RUS)
Rapid Vienna (AUT) ........ 1-0 ........ Aston Villa (ENG)
Steaua Bucharest (ROM) ........ 3-0 ........ St Patricks Athletic (IRE)

And for Ces

Lazio (ITA) ........ 3-0 ........ Elfsborg (SWE)

Are Villa concentrating on the league already?

From what I heard, 3-0 flattered Steaua greatly. But still, top teams take their chances.

Apparently they were very poor, Vienna could have had plenty more

Well thats it for qualifying for the champions league, here's the seedings for the group stage draw at 4:30pm tomorrow

POT 1 - Top seeds
Barcelona (SPA)
Liverpool (ENG)
Chelsea (ENG)
Manchester United (ENG)
AC Milan (ITA)
Arsenal (ENG)
Sevilla (SPA)
Bayern Munich (GER)

POT 2 - 2nd ranked seeds
Lyon (FRA)
Inter Milan (ITA)
Real Madrid (SPA)
CSKA Moscow (RUS)
Porto (POR)
AZ Alkmaar (NED)
Juventus (ITA)
Rangers (SCO)

POT 3 - 3rd ranked seeds
Olympiakos (GRE)
Marseille (FRA)
Dynamo Kiev (UKR)
VFB Stuttgart (GER)
Fiorentina (ITA)
Atletico Madrid (SPA)
Bordeaux (FRA)
Besiktas (TUR)

POT 4 - Bottom ranked seeds
Wolfsburg (GER)
Standard Liege (BEL)
Maccabi Haifa (ISR)
FC Zurich (SUI)
Rubin Kazan (RUS)
Unirea Urziceni (ROM)
APOEL Nicosia (CYP)
Debrecen (HUN)

Why are our beloved Big Four all in the top seeding?? Don't FIFA/UEFA want to establish more equilibrium?

Fuck seedings. Just stick them all in a pot, and if Group A happens to contain Chelsea, Man U, Liverpool and Arsenal, then tough shit.

UEFA - full of shit.

Spot on

Manure and Arsenal given very easy groups.

Agreed, ive said that for a while dont agree with seeding at all.

The Champions League is a con job. It contains neither all the Champions of Europe, nor is it a League. It is a money making machine for UEFA.

While UEFA frown upon English dominance in Europe, they are still more than willing to accomodate them with easy groups in order to pull more money with more meaningless matches.

Aye, Platini to be fair has done the right thing in creating a sort of "champions pool" in qualifying to get chmpions of other countries into the champions league itself, but what do i hear instead, moaning from fans that it devalues the competition

And also, i bet if one of the big 4 misses out on a top 4 finish this year, just watch the FA and UEFA try to bend the rules as much as they can to try and accomodate whoever has missed out, hell they did it for Liverpool a few years ago.

Tonights Europa League games, and theres a massive shock on the cards

Amkar Perm (RUS) ........ 1-0 ........ Fulham (ENG) (Agg: 1-3)
Sigma Olomuc (CZE) ........ 1-1 ........ Everton (ENG) (Agg: 1-5)
Hearts (SCO) ........ 2-0 ........ Dinamo Zagreb (CRO) (Agg: 2-4)
St Patricks Athletic (IRE) ........ 1-2 ........ Steaua Bucharest (ROM) (Agg: 1-5)

LATEST
Aston Villa (ENG) ........ 2-1 ........ Rapid Vienna (AUT) (Agg: 2-2, Rapid Vienna lead on away goals)

Thats it, Villa are OUT

Might as well go out now, they would only treat it with disrespect later like they did last year.

I thought this re-branding of it was to give it some much needed kudos. There are still far too many random shit teams in it and far too many of the bigger boys mugging it off because they don't feel it's worth it. Great work there then.

Its been like that ever since they introduced the group format for it a few years back, TBH, what was wrong with it when it was a straight knockout competition like it always used to be?

Thats whats really killed it, and the re-branding of it in my view has made it even more of a white elephant.

Pats missed a sitter when they we're 1-0 up. Could've been different.