Revealed: The New Saints six potential Champions League opponents
The New Saints have today found out their six possible opponents in tomorrow’s Champions League draw.
HB Tórshavn (Faroe Islands), Linfield (Northern Ireland), Piast Gliwice (Poland), Riga (Latvia), Valur (Iceland) and the Winners of the preliminary round are the prospective opponents.
UEFA announced the club groupings of the Champions League first qualifying draw which will take place in Nyon tomorrow. It will be streamed on the UEFA website from 13:30.
TNS, like Barry Town United, could find themselves travelling across the Irish Sea to face Northern Irish opposition. Barry Town United have drawn Cliftonville in the UEFA Europa League preliminary round, whilst TNS can face Linfield.
Feronikeli, Lincoln Red Imps, Tre Penne and FC Santa Coloma are all involved in the preliminary round of Champions League qualifying.
The New Saints came up against Lincoln Red Imps last season, knocking them out of the UEFA Europa League last season.
They’ve also played Faroese opposition, when they beat HB Tórshavn’s City rivals 6-2 on aggregate in 2015.
The last time TNS played Icelandic opposition was when they were knocked out 4-2 on aggregate in the first Round of the Europa League to Fram Reykjavik. Valur will be the opposition this time round, should they be drawn against each other tomorrow.
TNS were victorious in their home leg against Latvian side FK Ventspils in 2007, but were knocked out on away goals, after losing 2-1 in the away leg. Should they draw Riga, then they’ll be hoping for better.
The first leg will take place on the 9th/10th July, whilst the second leg will be played the week later, either on the 16th or 17th July.
