Connah’s Quay Nomads before their historic win against Kilmarnock. (NCM Media)
After stunning Kilmarnock in the one of the biggest wins by a Welsh side in Europe, Connah’s Quay Nomads will face Partizan Belgrade in the second qualifying round of the Europa League.
The Nomads will host the first leg at Rhyl’s Belle Vue on July 25, before travelling to Serbia for the return fixture on August 1.
Partizan’s UEFA Coefficient ranking of 18.000 saw them placed directly into the second round of qualifying.
Key Info
Founded in 1945, Partizan are one of the most recognisable names in Europe.
The winners of 27 domestic titles, Partizan are the second most successful Serbian side after Red Star Belgrade, who they regularly battle with for the top honours.
Nicknamed The Black-Whites, Partizan finished third in the SuperLiga last season, 30 points behind eventual champions Red Star.
The club won their seventh Serbian Cup in 2018/19, a fourth-consecutive triumph.
They are managed by former player Savo Milošević, who arrived in March 2019 to take up his first managerial post.
Stadium
Partizan Stadium. (FilipBre)
The team play their home games at the Partizan Stadium, which was opened in 1951 and renovated in 1998, 2010, 2014 and 2015.
Knows as The Temple of Football, the stadium has a capacity of 32,710 and was designed by architect Mika Janković.
The playing surface is surrounded by a running track, with the ground easily recognisable because of how flat the stands are.
Despite the running track separating the supporters from the pitch, the stadium is well-known for creating an intimidating atmosphere, with Partizan supporters getting fully behind their team.
European Competition
Something of a powerhouse in European football in the 1950s and 60s, Partizan’s best performance in the Champions League remains their appearance in the 1965/66 final; when they lost 2-1 to Spanish giants Real Madrid.
Other notable achievements include two quarter-final appearances in 1955/56 and 1963/64.
Unknown to many, the club do have a European trophy to their name.
They won the 1977/78 Mitropa Cup (Central European Cup), defeating Budapest Honvéd 2-1 in Belgrade.
Their last appearance in the Champions League group stages came in the 2010/11 season, when they finished bottom of Group H behind Braga, Arsenal and Shakhtar Dontesk.
Prior to this, their only other campaign in the Champions League was in 2003/04, when they failed to win a single game in their group which included Marseille, Porto and Real Madrid.
Ones to watch
Ricardo Gomes
The Cape Verde international has impressed since joining Partizan from Portuguese outfit CD Nacional in 2018.
Netting 20 goals in the league last season, he finished as second-highest goalscorer behind Bosnian Nermin Haskić (24).
In total, the 27-year-old has found the net 20 times in his 36 appearances to date.
His 26 goals in all competitions last season made him the joint best foreign striker in Partizan’s history.
Zoran Tošić
The former Manchester United midfielder is a key cog in the Partizan machine.
A former Serbian international with 76 caps to his name, Tošić joined for a second spell with the club in 2017 after seven years with CSKA Moscow.
A potential match winner at this level, the Nomads will need to keep a close eye on the 32-year-old.
Vladimir Stojković
The 35-year-old is Serbia’s second-highest appearance maker with 84 caps.
His fabled club career includes three spells with Partizan, as well as two stints with bitter rivals Red Star.
Highly-experienced in between the sticks, Stojković is the team’s captain and commands his troops from the back.
(Featured image: FilipBre)
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