One-legged qualifiers can suit Barry says Gavin Chesterfield

Barry Town United boss Gavin Chesterfield says the change in format to qualifying for the Europa League can boost their chances of progressing past NSÍ Runavík.

This year, qualifiers will take place on a one-legged basis to help ensure minimal disruption to the European footballing calendar.

Away goals are out of the equation and instead the possibility of extra time and penalties are introduced.

This is an experience Barry know all too well under Gavin Chesterfield.

During his tenure, Barry have reached the Nathaniel MG Cup final and were Welsh Cup semi-finalists last year.

During their journey back to the Cymru Premier, they would also claim scalps as a lower league club, reaching the semi-final of the Welsh Cup as a second-tier team.

Barry have also claimed multiple scalps against The New Saints in the league, proving their ability to beat top-quality sides on their day.

“I think the one-legged thing does help either team in this regard. I think that we might see a different game as a result. 

“It’s played over 90 minutes or 120 minutes or whatever it takes. It’s played to a result and there’s a clarity in that. Both managers and staff and players can prepare for that.

“For us, it’s interesting, a second leg would have been great in the fact that it would be another game into the season. 

“This is a cup game, this is knockout football now. We’ve got good experience of that.

“We’ve got more experience of one-off games that we have two, two-legged games, so I think that helps us.”

One thing which could be seen as a disadvantage or an advantage to some are that Barry’s opponents are sixteen games into their domestic campaign.

In comparison, the Cymru Premier has no start date and they have had a pre-season of just four weeks.

Friendlies against Cardiff City’s U23s, Connah’s Quay and The New Saints was the only match preparation they’ve had.

But that could work in their favour. Olympique Lyonnais shocked both Juventus and Manchester City in the Champions League, despite having their season curtailed, whilst their opposition’s domestic campaigns played on. 

Commenting on match fitness, Chesterfield said: “Olympique Lyonnais brought a freshness, they attacked with it with a team that felt fresh. 

“If I’m looking at ourselves at the moment, I feel we’re in a really good place physically, I think we’re in a really good place mentally. 

“We go there with a tactical plan to play against good opposition and give it our absolute best.

“The truth is, I can’t comment too much on on the opposition’s conditioning.

“The games I’ve watched, they’re a very well organised team, they’re an attacking team which will pose us problems.

“It’s a problem that we’re really excited to try and solve.”

Due to Welsh Government restrictions, at the start of Barry’s European preparations, they were limited to training in small groups.

Since lockdown has eased, Barry have been able to train more and have as mentioned, played games against teams from Wales competing in Europe.

Non-league clubs in England are just beginning their pre-season in some cases, leaving Barry with a limited amount of teams to prepare against.

‘It’s hard because we play each other a lot in the season anyway. Sometimes it’s nice to have fresh opposition.

“But especially in this crisis, there are not many people playing football at the moment. So we’ve all had to help each other out a little bit. 

“We’re grateful for that. Technically I think looking at the protocol cross border friendlies were, I think, stage three or stage four and we weren’t at that level.

“We’ve kept all games in Wales. It’s served us quite well.“

With Welsh clubs giving each other that much-needed match setting feel, the Cymru Premier clubs are working in a pact to make sure each team is prepared as much as they can be for Europe.

It’s that pact mentality which will be needed this summer with Wales teetering ever so close to losing their European spot.

Positive results must come from Welsh sides this summer if they are to retain the playoff format.

“I have to say, it’s been really good so far. And the fact that the games we’ve had have been really well organised, they’ve been really well. We’ve helped each other prepare for Europe as best we can.

“I think the clubs that work really well together in the preseason to help each other with our prep, and I have to say, I’ll include Cardiff City in that.

“I really appreciate the lengths they’ve gone to, to help us play at the stadium and have that sort of feel against a really good team as well. 

“We try and help each other out as best we can.

“We know that we need to do well, well for the league this year and Wales and to help us with our UEFA coefficient points.”

(Featured Image: Lewis Mitchell)