Conference League, it’s off to a good start with the first games of the second qualifying round: news and predictions.
The Conference League is now in its third year. In the roll of honour of the international event that debuted in 2021 last June, West Ham succeeded Roma, beating Fiorentina in the final in Prague: Bowen’s goal was decisive when extra time seemed inevitable.
The long qualifying rounds, which will keep us company until mid-August and in which mostly unknown teams take part, are currently taking place. In the second round, as many as 106 clubs are involved, divided into two tracks. One is that reserved for the winners of their respective leagues, ‘relegated’ from the Champions League after losing the first preliminary round. The other is that of the ‘Piazzate’, consisting of no less than 90 teams: 59 come directly into play in this round, the remaining 31 having won the first qualifying round. Opening the first leg, spread over three days, will be the challenge between the Andorran AC Escaldes and the Albanian Partizani. It is the Balkans who are favourites: eliminated from the Champions League by Bate Borisov – their 2-0 defeat in Belarus being decisive – they should make up for it by winning in Andorra and putting qualification on the line. Dinamo Tbilisi are another Champions League disappointment: the Georgians were knocked out by Kazakhstan’s Astana but the Hamrun Spartans, a Maltese side coached by former Lazio full-back Luciano Zauri, are a match within reach.
The predictions for the other matches
Luxembourgers Swift Hesperange in the first qualifying round of the next Champions League put a scare into top-ranked Slovan Bratislava.
Ballkani players
After a draw (1-1) in Slovakia they lost 2-0 at home but seem to have all the cards to at least avoid defeat at home to Welsh outfit The New Saints. Ballkani’s Kosovars also cherished the dream of going ahead in the Champions League: in the first leg they had beaten Ludogorets by surprise, but in the return leg in Bulgaria they melted away like snow in the sun, with the Razgrad green-and-whites making up for it with interest (4-0). In the conference, they should also make the field factor count against Northern Ireland’s Larne. Avoiding another goleada will finally be the mission of the San Marino-based Tre Penne, who had cashed seven against Breidablik in the Champions League. They also seem to have little chance against the Latvians of Valmiera, in a match with at least three goals in total.
Conference League: likely winners
- Partizani (in AC Escaldes-Partizani, 5pm)
- Dinamo Tbilisi or draw (in Hamrun Spartans-Dinamo Tbilisi, 8pm)
- Swift Hesperange (in TNS-Swift Hesperange, 20:00)
- Ballkani or draw (in Ballkani-Larne, 20:45)
