Conference League 24/25, Knockout phase play-offs

[Firnen]

Seems like Vikingur - Panathinaikos will be played in Helsinki.
https://www.uefa.com/uefaconferenceleag ... thinaikos/

Is this the first time a team has had to play a home European match out of its own country for reasons of stadium standards? This is kind of ridiculous, UEFA having their cake and eating it too. They should either relax the stadium criteria or change the rules so the competition doesn't lend itself to qualify very small clubs like Vikingur to the knockout stage unless the stars align.

I think that Iceland has a stadium fitting the criteria but it is under renovation.

[amenina]

https://editorial.uefa.com/resources/02 ... _phase.pdf

Principles set by the UEFA Club Competitions
Committee for the 2024/25 season
Stadium and city clashes

4. Principles for the Knock-Out Phase

4.1. Knock-Out Play-Offs and Round of 16

As the order of the matches in these rounds is stipulated by the competition regulations, no fixture reversals are applied.

4.1.2. UEFA Europa League and UEFA Conference League

If there is a clash between two home matches of two teams in the same competition (i.e. both in UEL or both in UECL) the match of the team ranked higher in the league phase will be played on Thursday, and the other match will be played on Wednesday (or, if necessary, Tuesday).

If there is a clash between one team playing in UEFA Europa League and one team playing UEFA Conference League, the match involving the team in the UEFA Europa League is played on Thursday, and the match of the team participating in the UEFA Conference League is played on Wednesday (or, if necessary, Tuesday) of the match week concerned.

If there is a clash between three teams, and in some combination these matches can be scheduled on consecutive days, then they will be scheduled on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. The decision on which match should remain on Thursday will be based on the following criteria in the
given order:

i. conditions which may determine a particular order of the matches in question;

ii. competition priority (i.e. a UEL match has priority to stay on Thursday over a UECL match);

iii. league phase rankings (i.e. the club with the best ranking has priority to stay on Thursday). The UEFA administration will allocate the other matches to Tuesday and Wednesday.

To give due consideration to domestic fixtures taking place in the same weeks, and to respect an appropriate number of rest days between matches for players, second leg matches cannot be moved to a Tuesday in order to avoid negatively impacting the first leg fixture of the opponent. Therefore, in the event that two teams involved in a second leg clash cannot play matches on consecutive days, or in case three teams all clash in a second leg fixture, one match must be moved to an alternative venue which must be identified in advance, in the same way as set out
above for a clash in UEFA Champions League.

Exceptionally however, in case a team due to host a second leg knockout play-off or round of 16 match would be required, due to a stadium or city clash, to host such a match in an alternative venue due to the above principles, that team may decide, by informing the UEFA administration
before the draw in question, to reverse the tie and play the first leg at home instead of playing the second leg in an alternative venue. Such a request must nonetheless be confirmed by the UEFA administration after the draw in question, to ensure such a reversal does not create any additional stadium or city stadium clash.

For UEL or UECL matches scheduled on a UCL match night (i.e. Tuesday or Wednesday) the kickoff time will be set by the UEFA administration in principle no later than 16:30 CET, to avoid clashes with the UEFA Champions League. If clubs that have announced stadium/city clashes would be unable to fulfil a match scheduled in this way to resolve a clash, these clubs must announce in advance an alternative venue where their home match could be played on the Thursday of the relevant match week without creating any stadium/city clash.

[amenina]

https://www.uefa.com/uefaconferenceleag ... -face-rea/

Matches kick off at 21:00 CET unless stated

First legs

13/02: TSC vs Jagiellonia (18:45 CET)
13/02: Molde vs Shamrock Rovers (18:45 CET)
13/02: Celje vs APOEL (18:45 CET)
13/02: Víkingur R. vs Panathinaikos (18:45 CET)
13/02: Copenhagen vs Heidenheim
13/02: Borac vs Olimpija
13/02: Gent vs Real Betis
13/02: Omonoia vs Pafos

Second legs

20/02: Heidenheim vs Copenhagen (18:45 CET)
20/02: Olimpija vs Borac (18:45 CET)
20/02: Pafos vs Omonoia (18:45 CET)
20/02: Real Betis vs Gent (18:45 CET)
20/02: APOEL vs Celje
20/02: Jagiellonia vs TSC
20/02: Panathinaikos vs Víkingur R.
20/02: Shamrock Rovers vs Molde

https://editorial.uefa.com/resources/02 ... lendar.pdf

[seso]

Ticket sale for the Vikings vs Panathinaikos game has started.
https://vikingur.is/midasala-a-panathin ... n-af-stad/
https://www.lippu.fi/en/event/uefa-conf ... iliate=ILL
About 150 tickets have already been sold. Each costs 20E.

[amenina]

Conference League squad changes confirmed

https://www.uefa.com/uefaconferenceleag ... confirmed/

[Dragonite]

Conference League squad changes confirmed

https://www.uefa.com/uefaconferenceleag ... confirmed/

Cercle Brugge:
In: Perrin, Jurado
Out: Denkey, Olaigbe

Chelsea:
In: Chalobah, Palmer, Amougou
Out: Disasi, Renato Veiga, Casadei, João Félix, Chukwuemeka

Djurgarden:
In: Jani Honkavaara (manager), Safqvist, Finndell, Zugelj
Out: Roberth Bjorknesjo (manager), Jansson, Sabovic, Wikheim, Radetinac

Fiorentina:
In: Fagioli, Folorunsho, Zaniolo
Out: Kayode, Martínez Quarta, Biraghi, Ikoné, Sottil, Infantino, Kouamé

Legia Warsaw:
In: Vladan Kovacevic, Bichakhchyan, Elitim
Out: Celhaka, Adkonis, Alfarela, Majchrzak, Nsame

Lugano:
In: Koutsias
Out: Aliseda

Rapid Wien:
In: Amane, Radulovic, Kara
Out: Maximilian Hofmann, Lang, Kaygin, Gale, Ryan Mmaee

Vitória Guimarães:
In: Luís Freire (manager), Hevertton Santos, Mukendi, Umaro Embaló
Out: Rui Borges (manager), Alberto Baio, Jorge Fernandes, Tomás Ribeiro, Manuel Silva, José Carlos, Kaio César, Bica, Ricardo Mangas

Gent:
In: Danijel Milicevic (manager), De Schrevel, Leonardo Lopes, Vanzeir, Goore
Out: Wouter Vrancken (manager), Schmidt, Núrio Fortuna, Dean, Vancsa

Betis:
In: Fran Vieites, Isco, Antony
Out: Rui Silva, Diao, Rodri, William, Juanmi

Backa Topola:
In: Degenek, Radojevic, Savic
Out: Bagnack, Djakovac, Gordic, Cirkovic

Jagiellonia:
In: Ebosse, Wojtuszek, Flach
Out: Haliti, Rui Correia, Nguiamba, Kovacic

Celje:
In: Ricardo Silva, Bejger, Delaurier-Chaubet
Out: Stubljar, Zec, Bobicanec, Brnic

APOEL:
In: Galanopoulos, Drazic, Ivi
Out: Kostadinov, Polikarpou, Kattirtzis, Ndongala, Bah

Víkingur:
In: Solvi Jónsson (manager), Róbert Thorkelsson, Hafsteinsson, Stígur Thórdarson
Out: Arnar Gunnlaugsson (manager), Gisli Thórdarson, Hauksson, Magnússon

Panathinaikos:
In: Palmer-Brown, Siopis, Swiderski
Out: Schenkeveld, Baldock, Sporar

FC Copenhagen:
In: Ramaj, West
Out: Sander, Onugkha

Heidenheim:
In: Niehues, Keller, Zivzivadze
Out: Maloney, Dorsch, Kaufmann

Molde:
In: Per-Mathias Hogmo (manager), Karlstrom, Daga
Out: Trond Strande (manager), Lovik, Hagelskjaer, Brynhildsen, Olanare

Shamrock Rovers:
In: McGinty, Matthews, Healy, Grant, Michael Noonan
Out: Steacy, Hoare, Burns, Poom, Kavanagh, Kenny, Farrugia, Conan Noonan, Towell

Omonoia:
In: Stefan Simic, Jovetic, Ingebrigtsen
Out: Panayi, Lang, Atzily, Veljko Simic

Pafos:
In: Sarlija, Sema, Orsic
Out: Rafael Pontelo, Name, Leonardo Vieira

Borac Banja Luka:
In: Celic, Rogan, Zoric
Out: Milicevic, Vukcevic, Datkovic, Skorup, Skreckovic, Pihler

Olimpija Ljubljana:
In: Celhaka, Tamm
Out: Thalisson, Pedro Lucas

[amenina]

[naaba]

If Gent had won in Larne, they'd be in next round already.

Instead, here they are with the worst draw possible.

[seso]

Just one hour to go!! Hope everybody is looking forward to the great matches!!

[Greyn]

Legia Warsaw:
In: Vladan Kovacevic, Bichakhchyan, Elitim
Out: Celhaka, Adkonis, Alfarela, Majchrzak, Nsame

Legia has been looking for striker for 2 months and can't find anyone. Alfarela, Majchrzak and Nsame (all forwards) left the club and currently there is only average Gual and below average Pekhart in the squad. People at Legia look for real goal-scoring beast and offer stunning amount of money in European standards - 0.5M EUR. He must be also young with a potential to be transferred out later on with a profit. Surprisingly they couldn't find anyone who would meet those criteria.

Of course it'a too late to register a new player for Conference League what is equal with a risk that if Gual won't be able to play for some reason, then Legia will be in big trouble. 35-year old Pekhart is not good enough for Polish league anymore, so I can only imagine how he would perform in Europe.

[Greyn]

Open play in TSC - Jagiellonia, both teams focused on attacking and I guess both will score. There is almost no play in the midfield, just box to box run of play.

[mspm89]

Vikingur ahead vs Panathinaikos!

[EarlofBug]

Legia Warsaw:
In: Vladan Kovacevic, Bichakhchyan, Elitim
Out: Celhaka, Adkonis, Alfarela, Majchrzak, Nsame

Legia has been looking for striker for 2 months and can't find anyone. Alfarela, Majchrzak and Nsame (all forwards) left the club and currently there is only average Gual and below average Pekhart in the squad. People at Legia look for real goal-scoring beast and offer stunning amount of money in European standards - 0.5M EUR. He must be also young with a potential to be transferred out later on with a profit. Surprisingly they couldn't find anyone who would meet those criteria.

Of course it'a too late to register a new player for Conference League what is equal with a risk that if Gual won't be able to play for some reason, then Legia will be in big trouble. 35-year old Pekhart is not good enough for Polish league anymore, so I can only imagine how he would perform in Europe.

I like Pekhart, he was very good when he played in Be'er Sheva

[Greyn]

TSC score after a powerful shot from outside the box. Very nice goal I have to admit. I don't think they will slow down after scoring, they don't look like a team which is good in defending and protecting a lead.

EDIT: 1-1 already. Equalising goal for Jagiellonia 3 minutes. Jesus Imaz was ruthless in 1 on 1 vs TSC GK.

[matt]

Vikingur Reykjavik end the first half ahead 1-0 against Panathinaikos (in Finland).

Molde with 10 men for the rest of the game, big chance for Shamrock Rovers (0-0).