Champions and Europa Conference League second-round draw: RECAP
The Champions League and Europa Conference League draw take place today.
The New Saints will have to upset the odds if they are to progress into the Second Qualifying Round of the UEFA Champions League, with the Cymru Premier Champions facing Swedish side BK Hacken in the First Qualifying Round.
All four sides from the Cymru Premier competing in Europe next season found out their First Qualifying Round opponents today.
Haverfordwest County will face Macedonian side KF Skendija in the UEFA Europa Conference League, in what is their first European campaign since 2004, whilst Connah’s Quay Nomads face Icelandic side KA Akureyri.
Penybont are the only team at home in the First Leg, as they come up against Andorran side FC Santa Coloma.
For TNS, they will face a BK Hacken who won Sweden’s top flight last season, the Allsvenskan, for the first time in their history, booking their place in the First Qualifying Round of the UEFA Champions League.
Haverfordwest’s opponents KF Skendija finished 3rd in the Macedonian top flight last season.
Skendija have played in Europe every season since the 2013-14 campaign, and played Cymru Premier Champions TNS in UEFA Champions League First Qualifying Round back in 2018. TNS lost the first leg 5-0 before coming up short with a 4-0 win in the second leg.
As for Connah’s Quay Nomads, it will be their seventh campaign in Europe, where they have won twice in ten different ties. Their opponents KA Akureyri finished 2nd in the Icelandic top flight last season.
Akureyri have not featured in Europe since 2003, and are yet to win a European match in their history.
Penybont’s opponents FC Santa Coloma finished 3rd in the Primera Divisio, Andorra’s top flight, to make it to the Conference League Qualifying stages.
They were knocked out in the Second Qualifying Round last season by Scottish Premiership side Hibernian.
That is the furthest they have made it in any European campaign, and they will be looking to go one better this time around.
The First leg of the UCL will be played on 11/12 July and the second leg will be played on 18/19 July.
For the UECL, the first legs will be played on 13 July, whilst the second legs on 20 July.
(Featured Image: Lewis Mitchell, John Smith FAW, Nik Mesney FAW)
