25 May 2025 17:39:43
Some good news to cheer everyone up.
Rijeka have won the Croatian league which means we will be seeded for our tie to qualify for the Champions league.
This means we cannot face Bodo Glint, Ferencvaros, red star Belgrade or Copenhagen (if they qualify) and macabi Tel Aviv (if Copenhagen don't qualify) .
We could still get dynamo Kiev, qarabag, Rijeka, lechnan pozan, slovan Bratislava, mitjiland (if that win league) and Malmo. This all depends on which 6 teams get through the third round qualifier.
Basel and Sturm Graz are already through so we could face them depending on the coefficient of the 6 teams that get through.
If you look at the wiki "2025-26 UEFA Champions League qualifying phase and play-off round" you get a list of the teams and the coefficients.
25 May 2025 17:54:20
Should have said, if you are looking at the teams, we can't face the 4 teams with the highest coefficient in the play off phase. Only us and 3 other teams are in that round already and the other 6 teams are to be decided. We have the second highest coefficient of the teams that are already in that phase, and the other 3 seeded teams are still to be decided. We will face one of the 5 unseeded teams.
25 May 2025 18:18:59
I'd still like us to sign Toni Fruk from Rijeka. Guy looks an absolute baller and wouldn't break the bank.
25 May 2025 18:34:47
Just seen that weejoe.
A late boost on a painful weekend ?.
25 May 2025 18:43:16
Will still be tough!
25 May 2025 20:27:12
3 months to prepare for it. The first leg is on the 3rd of August.
{Ed007's Note - The draw for the Play-Off Round is August 4th, the first leg will be played 19/20 August with the return leg to be played 26/27 August.}
25 May 2025 20:34:44
Yeah the games will be end of august, which means we will not be going in rusty, as we will have had a full pre-season and some competitive games as well.
25 May 2025 21:18:22
I Have a Croatian relative who is a Rijeka supporter, he told me mid season Toni Fruk would score 25-30 goals a season for Celtic.
25 May 2025 22:38:04
Think it's one of these 5 teams according to DR
Swiss giants FC Basel, Austrians Sturm Graz, Romanian heavyweights FCSB, Polish champs Lech Poznan or Rijeka could lie in wait.
{Ed007's Note - There's plenty of football to be played before we can realistically know who we might play. Look up who's actually qualified for the play-off round.
26 May 2025 00:23:35
Yeah there are 4 teams already in the play off - Celtic, Bodo glimt, Basel and Sturm Graz.
First qualifying round (28 teams) : 28 teams which enter in this round.
Second qualifying round (24 teams) : 10 teams which enter in this round, and 14 winners of the first qualifying round.
Third qualifying round (12 teams) : 12 winners of the second qualifying round.
Play-off round (10 teams) : 4 teams which enter in this round, and 6 winners of the third qualifying round.
We need to wait for the first round of games to be completed to see the 14 teams that joins the 10 teams already in the second round. Those 24 teams will play and the 12 winners go to the third round. Those 12 teams play and the 6 winners join us in the play off round. The 5 teams with the highest coefficient will be seeded and the other 5 will be unseeded. Us an Bodo Glimt are the only 2 known seeded teams within the play off round just now.
If they qualify for the play offs, Copenhagen, red star Belgrade and ferencvaros would be the other 3 seeded teams. So it is impossible for us to play any of those three teams or Bodo glimt.
26 May 2025 11:31:59
Roddy-P I suggested him last summer before the season started before we signed Engles. He can play in Reo and Engles position too so would be good cover for either or maybe even a starter before Reo gets to full fitness. Another player with a good range of passing he was as close as a like for like replacement we could have got for MoR maybe a bit more mobile.