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UEFA.com
July 27 2004
Going gets tougher for hopefuls
The champions of Denmark, Hungary, Poland and Russia enter the UEFA
Champions League today when the first legs of six of the 14 second
qualifying round ties are played.
First legs
Twenty-eight teams make up the second round of qualifying, with the
first legs today and tomorrow and the second legs to follow on 4
August. Real Madrid CF, Manchester United FC and Juventus FC will be
among the opposition in the third and final qualifying round, which
will be played next month.
Balkan threat
Danish champions FC Křbenhavn opened the new season with a 2-2 draw
with Silkeborg IF at the weekend and will not underestimate their
Slovenian hosts NK Gorica, who were impressive 7-3 winners over
Estonia's FC Flora in the first qualifying round. FCK coach Hans
Backe said: "Anyone who knows anything about teams from the Balkans
will know they all have good footballers and so do Gorica."
Csaba warning
Hungary's Ferencvárosi TC visit KF Tirana in Albania for new coach
László Csaba's first competitive match. Ferencváros were beaten 2-1
by second division Bodajk FC in a pre-season friendly last week and
Csaba warned: "Everyone must concentrate better."
Aldonin absent
PFC CSKA Moskva had a better preparation for their visit to
Azerbaijan to face PFC Neftchi when they beat FC Rubin Kazan 1-0 last
Friday, Ivica Olic the scorer. However, they will be missing Russia
midfield player Evgeni Aldonin, who did not travel following his
father's death in a car crash. Neftchi coach Kazbek Tuaev, meanwhile,
welcomes back Vidadi Rzayev, one of his key players, from injury.
Shakhtar confident
Armenian champions FC Pyunik will host Ukraine's FC Shakhtar Donetsk
at the Republican stadium in Yerevan strengthened by the return from
suspension of midfield player Karen Aleksanyan. Teenage striker Edgar
Manucharyan is doubtful, however, and after starting their league
season with three straight wins, Shakhtar coach Mircea Lucescu said:
"We only have one goal for his match and that is victory."
Maccabi fear repeat
In Finland, HJK Helsinki host Maccabi Tel-Aviv FC. The match has been
moved from HJK's Finnair stadium to the Pohjola stadium in nearby
Vantaa in order to meet UEFA's regulations. HJK's English coach Keith
Armstrong has warned his players need to be "extremely cautious"
against a Maccabi side desperate to avoid a repeat of their exit at
the same stage last season, against Slovakia's MK ilina.
Polish test
In today's sixth and final tie, Polish champions Wisla Kraków visit
Tblisi to face FC WIT Georgia - conquerors of Faroese minnows HB
Tórshavn in the first qualifying round.
July 27 2004
Going gets tougher for hopefuls
The champions of Denmark, Hungary, Poland and Russia enter the UEFA
Champions League today when the first legs of six of the 14 second
qualifying round ties are played.
First legs
Twenty-eight teams make up the second round of qualifying, with the
first legs today and tomorrow and the second legs to follow on 4
August. Real Madrid CF, Manchester United FC and Juventus FC will be
among the opposition in the third and final qualifying round, which
will be played next month.
Balkan threat
Danish champions FC Křbenhavn opened the new season with a 2-2 draw
with Silkeborg IF at the weekend and will not underestimate their
Slovenian hosts NK Gorica, who were impressive 7-3 winners over
Estonia's FC Flora in the first qualifying round. FCK coach Hans
Backe said: "Anyone who knows anything about teams from the Balkans
will know they all have good footballers and so do Gorica."
Csaba warning
Hungary's Ferencvárosi TC visit KF Tirana in Albania for new coach
László Csaba's first competitive match. Ferencváros were beaten 2-1
by second division Bodajk FC in a pre-season friendly last week and
Csaba warned: "Everyone must concentrate better."
Aldonin absent
PFC CSKA Moskva had a better preparation for their visit to
Azerbaijan to face PFC Neftchi when they beat FC Rubin Kazan 1-0 last
Friday, Ivica Olic the scorer. However, they will be missing Russia
midfield player Evgeni Aldonin, who did not travel following his
father's death in a car crash. Neftchi coach Kazbek Tuaev, meanwhile,
welcomes back Vidadi Rzayev, one of his key players, from injury.
Shakhtar confident
Armenian champions FC Pyunik will host Ukraine's FC Shakhtar Donetsk
at the Republican stadium in Yerevan strengthened by the return from
suspension of midfield player Karen Aleksanyan. Teenage striker Edgar
Manucharyan is doubtful, however, and after starting their league
season with three straight wins, Shakhtar coach Mircea Lucescu said:
"We only have one goal for his match and that is victory."
Maccabi fear repeat
In Finland, HJK Helsinki host Maccabi Tel-Aviv FC. The match has been
moved from HJK's Finnair stadium to the Pohjola stadium in nearby
Vantaa in order to meet UEFA's regulations. HJK's English coach Keith
Armstrong has warned his players need to be "extremely cautious"
against a Maccabi side desperate to avoid a repeat of their exit at
the same stage last season, against Slovakia's MK ilina.
Polish test
In today's sixth and final tie, Polish champions Wisla Kraków visit
Tblisi to face FC WIT Georgia - conquerors of Faroese minnows HB
Tórshavn in the first qualifying round.