The UEFA Champions League draw is likely to be little greater than per week away, however there are nonetheless seven extra spots within the league part which might be up for grabs, with 14 groups battling one another for the final remaining locations within the competitors.
A number of European regulars made the lower for the playoff spherical, the ultimate spherical of Champions League qualification, although the headlining act of the subsequent two weeks will likely be Fenerbahce’s tie with Benfica and the supervisor they share in widespread — Jose Mourinho. The 2-time Champions League winner, now the Fenerbahce supervisor, might want to outdo the workforce that gave him his managerial begin as a way to attain the league part, although will probably be no small feat. Benfica reached the spherical of 16 in each final season’s version of the Champions League and on this summer season’s Membership World Cup, the place they beat Bayern Munich and took eventual champions Chelsea to further time.
The play-off spherical isn’t brief on storylines, although, as a mixture of European regulars and minnows make up the final groups standing within the qualifying rounds. Three earlier Champions League winners – Benfica, Celtic and Crvena zvezda – made the lower, as did final season’s UEFA Europa League semifinalists Bodo/Glimt. Fenerbahce goal their first Champions League marketing campaign in virtually 20 years, whereas three groups — Norway’s Bodo/Glimt, Cyprus’ Pafos and Kazakhstan’s Kairat — hope of reaching the competitors for the primary time. Kairat are taking the trail much less traveled, journeying to the playoff spherical after starting their qualification marketing campaign within the first spherical on July 8.
These final 14 groups standing face off in opposition to one another in seven two-legged ties that will likely be selected mixture rating, which start on Tuesday and run via subsequent Wednesday, ending up simply in time for the league part draw on Aug. 28. The Champions League awaits for the seven winners, whereas the remaining will participate within the Europa League as a substitute.
Play-off spherical first leg schedule
All matches will kick off at 3 p.m. ET and can air reside on Paramount+
Tuesday, Aug. 19
Crvena Zvezda vs. Pafos
Rangers vs. Membership Brugge
Ferencvaros vs. Qarabag
Wednesday, Aug. 20
Celtic vs. Kairat
Basel vs. Copenhagen
Bodo/Glimt vs. Sturm Graz
Fenerbahce vs. Benfica
Jose Mourinho faces his former membership
The UEFA Champions League qualification play-off spherical makes for a singular setting for an anniversary however virtually precisely 25 years after Benfica employed first-time supervisor Jose Mourinho, he’ll face his former membership for a spot within the league part.
Mourinho’s Fenerbahce will host Benfica within the first leg on Wednesday, the place the 2 groups’ contrasts will start to play out. Fenerbahce and Benfica might have Mourinho in widespread however that’s the place the similarities finish – Benfica are favored to advance as a European mainstay, reaching the final 16 within the Champions League and Membership World Cup simply final season, whereas Fenerbahce haven’t performed within the competitors for the reason that 2008-09 season. Their second place end within the Turkish Tremendous Lig final season means they needed to enter qualification within the third spherical, beating Robin van Persie’s Feyenoord 6-4 on mixture to arrange a gathering with Benfica within the first place.
The supervisor acknowledged simply as a lot final week once they superior to the play-off spherical, his aptitude for the dramatic apart. By Mourinho’s personal admission, Fenerbahce are “not a Champions League facet,” by which he signifies that they could have the caliber of successful the Europa League however lifting Europe’s prime membership prize is an “not possible dream.” The monetary incentives of a Champions League run that ensures a minimum of eight video games, although, can’t be understated.
“I feel [Benfica would[ want Feyenoord,” he stated final week after their 5-2 win at house cemented their mixture win over the Dutch facet. “They know we’re stronger, they realize it will not be simple for them. However let’s go. I wish to play, the followers wish to play, the gamers wish to play. It is vital financially, it is vital when it comes to status. However we’re taking part in in opposition to nice groups, Feyenoord and now Benfica, it is not a straightforward playoff. However truthfully, I feel Benfica is not pleased.”
Mourinho’s 11 sport spell at Benfica, which ended after a spat with the membership’s newly elected president, could also be previous information however he’s nonetheless tasked with outperforming his previous employers. He does have some extent about Fenerbahce’s skills – the Turkish facet have a handful of notable gamers, together with former Manchester United participant Fred and the globe-trotting Jhon Duran, who has bounced from Aston Villa to Al-Nassr and now Fenerbache within the span of eight months. Each of them scored in Fenerbahce’s win over Feyenoord subsequent week however Benfica have their very own together with Greece worldwide Vangelis Pavlidis, who scored seven targets in 12 Champions League video games final season.
Almost 25 years after his first managerial gig, Mourinho’s legacy might be intact, even when his longevity isn’t. He has not stood on a Champions League touchline in over 5 years, final doing so at Germany‘s Purple Bull Area as Julian Nagelsmann‘s RB Leipzig registered a 4-0 mixture win over Mourinho’s Tottenham Hotspur within the spherical of 16. If he finds a approach to outmaneuver Benfica over the subsequent two weeks, although, he simply may hit the quarter of a century mark in model.
