Europa League Draw: Rangers / Progrès Niederkorn v AEL Limassol / St Joseph's

[Rousseau 10,644]

.

 

Yes in terms of Luxembourg, BUT and it's a big BUT.....

 

It may have escaped your attention that Cypriot football has been on the up for many years and their clubs' performances have put them 5-10 places ahead of Scotland in the UEFA coefficient country rankings for the 6 years up to 2016 and just one place behind us last season.

 

Apollon Limassol qualified for the group stages of the EL two years running: in 2013/14 after defeating Nice 2-0 at home in the play-off round and 2014/15 after quite probably one of the most astonishing results ever, in Europe certainly in the qualifiers, beating Lokomotiv Moscow 4-1 in Moscow for a 5-2 aggregate.

 

Apollon Limassol is anything but a formality.

 

We're not playing Apollon Limassol - we're playing AEL Limassol.

 

However, your point stands: Cypriot sides are no push-overs; APOEL have done very well over the last few years.

[lenny3k 662]

We're not playing Apollon Limassol - we're playing AEL Limassol.

 

However, your point stands: Cypriot sides are no push-overs; APOEL have done very well over the last few years.

 

I'm sure Tottenham struggled to beat one of the Limassol's in Cyprus in the past couple of years.... Not being negative, just hope the team don't underestimate the opponents

[BrahimHemdani 1]

Just spoke to the TO.

 

The issue is that the Progres ground is not up to UEFA standards, so they want to switch to the National Stadium; but there is already a game booked in there on the Thursday.

 

Initially they wanted to switch the home and away legs, which is still a possibility apparently.

 

Bottom line no dates confirmed as yet.

 

UEFA DECISION EXPECTED THIS MORNING

[MacK1950 2,378]

If ground not up to standard WHY are they allowed to compete in Europe???

[lenny3k 662]

If ground not up to standard WHY are they allowed to compete in Europe???

 

its blatantly rubbish, they just want to move the game to a bigger stadium to maximise the profits they can make from us visiting

[der Berliner 3,747]

I'm sure Tottenham struggled to beat one of the Limassol's in Cyprus in the past couple of years.... Not being negative, just hope the team don't underestimate the opponents

 

The likes of Apoel Nikosia and Apollon Limassol can cause problems to team, even if the latter don't underestimate them. Some of them have good financial backing as well and some rather decent layers in their ranks, who always look to put themselves into the window too.

 

As noted above, we struggled against some of them in years gone by with quite a few superstars in our ranks, folk lauded as Rangers Greats now. And rest assured, if we sneak through the next round with a similar 1-0, 0-0 scoreline, all sorts of abuse will be hurled upon our current folk.

[lenny3k 662]

The likes of Apoel Nikosia and Apollon Limassol can cause problems to team, even if the latter don't underestimate them. Some of them have good financial backing as well and some rather decent layers in their ranks, who always look to put themselves into the window too.

 

As noted above, we struggled against some of them in years gone by with quite a few superstars in our ranks, folk lauded as Rangers Greats now. And rest assured, if we sneak through the next round with a similar 1-0, 0-0 scoreline, all sorts of abuse will be hurled upon our current folk.

 

I would be more than happy to go through against the Cypriots with a 1-0 agg win, or on away goals as I personally think the first couple of rounds, being our first competitive games this season with a very much changed squad/team, will all be about results and getting the wins/qualification

Edited June 20, 2017 by lenny3k

[der Berliner 3,747]

If ground not up to standard WHY are they allowed to compete in Europe???

 

They do it for years in places like Luxembourg, San Marino et all, where there is a) hardly enough space for that many stadiums of b) a standard required for big games. And no problem with that, as it would be a ridiculous demand to have clubs within such confined spaces to have stadiums that will 75% empty every other week in league business.

 

That said, if they allow this, they should not bar teams competing in Europe elsewhere either, if their stadium ain't up to scratch.

[jhunter 0]

The likes of Apoel Nikosia and Apollon Limassol can cause problems to team, even if the latter don't underestimate them. Some of them have good financial backing as well and some rather decent layers in their ranks, who always look to put themselves into the window too.

 

As noted above, we struggled against some of them in years gone by with quite a few superstars in our ranks, folk lauded as Rangers Greats now. And rest assured, if we sneak through the next round with a similar 1-0, 0-0 scoreline, all sorts of abuse will be hurled upon our current folk.

 

I think most will realise the lack of preparation and short break mean any progress in Europe will be viewed as a bonus

 

add in trying to bed in new players i think they'll be getting free reign here.

[lenny3k 662]

I think most will realise the lack of preparation and short break mean any progress in Europe will be viewed as a bonus

 

add in trying to bed in new players i think they'll be getting free reign here.

 

i hope thats how its seen, the last thing we need is for sections to be getting on PC's back before the league season has even started