Connah’s Quay and The New Saints both made it to the next stage of their respective competitions.
TNS beat off Kosovan champions KF Feronikeli to get to Round Two of qualifying.
If The New Saints can see off FC København, they will reach the third round of qualifying and could face…
PAOK
The 2018/19 Superleague champions of Greece, PAOK are one of the sides TNS could play. They were deducted two points but still won the league, finishing the league season unbeaten. PAOK won 26 games and drew four times, scoring 66 goals and conceding just 14.
They’ve got Englishman Chuba Akpom in their side, who was signed from Arsenal.
They’ve also got former Real Madrid man Fábio Coentrão in their ranks.
Qarabag or Dundalk
A trip to the 2018/19 Europa League final could be on the cards, should they beat Copenhagen. Qarabag have won the Azerbaijan League title for the last six years.
Irish side Dundalk went through on penalties after eliminating the Latvian champions Riga, following a goalless aggregate score.
Dundalk plays in the League of Ireland, which is a summer league. It could prompt an intrigue into how a summer league works.
The Lilywhites are currently ten points clear of their respective division.
Maribor or AIK
A reunion with the Welsh Premier League could be on the cards for Swedish champions AIK.
In 2016, they faced Bala Town, beating the Lakesiders 4-0 on aggregate.
Standing in their way at Slovenian champions Maribor, the former club of ex-Cardiff City striker Etien Velikonja.
Maribor have never faced Welsh opposition in qualifying. They did last season though lose to Rangers in the Third qualifying round.
Crvena Zvezda or HJK Helsinki
Finnish champions HJK Helsinki could face a return to Wales, two years from their last visit.
They lost 1-0 at Nantporth to the Connah’s Quay Nomads, before beating them 3-0 in Europa League Qualifying. Their win over Connah’s Quay was their third against Welsh opposition having beaten Bangor City 13-0 on aggregate in 2011.
They’ve been in the Champions League for the last two seasons.
There could be another Welsh side facing a trip to Serbia. Connah’s Quay already have to travel to Belgrade to face FK Partizan, but TNS could face Serbian SuperLiga champions Crvena zvezda.
They began their domestic campaign yesterday.
Maccabi Tel-Aviv or CFR Cluj
Israel Super Cup winers Maccabi Tel Aviv FC have never played Welsh opposition, but could face TNS.
Last season, they won their League by a mammoth 31 points.
Israel Super Cup winers Maccabi Tel Aviv FC have never played Welsh opposition, but could face TNS.
Last season, they won their League by a mammoth 31 points.
Romanian champions CFR Cluj, are another possible opponent. They beat Astana to get through to this round.
Dan Petrescu, the former Chelsea full-back is their manager.
Valletta or Ferencváros
Wales supporters could face a return to Hungary. Hungarian champions Ferencvárosi TC play at the Groupama Arena, the same venue in which Wales lost their European Championship qualifier.
A favourable tie for TNS could be Maltese champions Valletta. They will have to beat Ferencvarosi first.
The Maltese side lost to Newtown in 2015, securing a vital victory for Wales.
The draw for the Champions League will take place tomorrow at 11 am. The first leg is scheduled to play on either the 6th/7th August, before the second leg on the 13/14th August.
If Copenhagen is one step too far for Scott Ruscoe’s side, then they have been held a favourable hand, if they can avoid Bulgarian outfits Ludogorets and Polish champions Piast Gliwice.
The New Saints’ possible Europa League opponents are SP Tre Penne (SMR) / Sūduva (LTU), Piast Gliwice (POL) / Riga FC (LVA), Ararat-Armenia (ARM) / Lincoln Red Imps (GIB), Valur Reykjavík (ISL) / Ludogorets (BUL) or HB Tórshavn (FRO) / Linfield (NIR)
For their reward of stunning Scottish Premiership side Kilmarnock, Connah’s Quay will face Partizan Belgrade.
The Nomads have earned the right to be seeded in their Grouped draw.
They could face Fehérvár FC (HUN) / FC Vaduz (LIE), FK Haugesund (NOR) / SK Sturm Graz (AUT), Malatyaspor (TUR) / NK Olimpija Ljubljana (SVN), FC Chikhura Sachkhere (GEO) / Aberdeen FC (SCO) and FK Ventspils (LVA) / Gzira United FC (MLT)
A return to Scotland could be on the cards for the Nomads. FC Vaduz who beat Bala Town a number of years ago is also a probable side.
The Europa League draw takes place on the same day as the Champions League, just two hours later, at the time of 1 pm.
Leave a Reply