Qualifying Third Round

Champions League qualifying is at the third round stage, and, with the first leg ties already played, it has become clearer which teams are likely to progress in the competition. However, many of the ties remain in the balance.

Awaiting the winners is a place in the play-off round, which means they will only be two matches away from qualifying for the league phase of the competition and a minimum of eight guaranteed games – due to the expansion of the tournament this season – against some of the elite of European football.

But who needs what to progress and give themselves the chance to join such an elite company?

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3rd Round Draw

The draw for the third round was effectively segmented into two. The Champions Path belongs to those teams that won their own domestic League last season. Meanwhile, the League path was reserved for those teams that did not win their league titles. However, as per their UEFA competition, the League was sufficiently strong to earn additional Champions League places.

In practical terms, those in the League path section of the draw faced tougher opposition than those in the Champions path section.

Defeat in the return leg does not end the European journey for any teams involved. Those who fail to progress via the Champions Path will enter the Europa League play-off round, while the losers of the League Path game will drop into the Europa Conference League play-offs.

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The League Path: Mourinho

Mourinho needs to overcome a deficit.
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One of the stand-out matches in the third round saw Lille from France play Fenerbahçe of Turkey, now managed by Jose Mourinho, a two-time tournament winner with Porto and Inter Milan.
And it is his side that will need to overcome a deficit in Istanbul in the home leg if they want to come from behind after conceding an injury-time goal in Northern France. They had fallen behind to an early own goal and were indebted to the French side's poor finishing, which would have made the scoreline worse.
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Irfan Khaveci equalized ten minutes from time with a fine free-kick, and Fenerbahçe, who had improved after the break, seemed sure to get something out of that match, only for Kosovan Edon Zhegrova to come off the bench and win the game with a deflected shot in injury time. Lille, after bidding to become the first French side to qualify for the Champions League through the qualifying rounds since 2016, but, to do so, knows that they need to handle the hostile atmosphere in the reverse fixture in Turkey.
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Mourinho will want to avoid entering a competition where he has had so much success this early, so a tense night seems in store. He will also be under pressure because he knows that major City rivals Galatasaray also enter the tournament in the play-off round (they will play Young Boys of Switzerland). Whilst he may not have been in Turkey long, he will by now be aware that the minimum expectation for a Fenerbahçe manager is to at least emulate, and preferably beat, the achievements of their great crosstown rivals.

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Czech Advantage

The winner of that match will play the winner of the Slavia Prague—Union Saint-Gilloise, and the Czech side has an advantage after winning the first leg 3 – 1. With away goals no longer counting double in European football, the Belgian side has a mountain to climb in the reverse leg in Brussels and will be hoping for any early goal to give them confidence.

The Union has limited European experience, but that should not inhibit it.

The winners of this game will face either Lille or Fenerbahçe in the play-off round next.

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Dynamo Kyiv v Rangers

Another game that produced a late goal was the game between Dynamo Kyiv and Rangers, played in Lublin, Poland, because of the conflict in Ukraine.

It was Kyiv, nominally the home side, that took the lead through Andriy Yarmalenko. He capitalized on a mistake by Ridman Yilmaz, who carelessly surrendered possession in his own half.

Rangers were the better side in the second half but could not find a way through until Cyriel Dessers, who had been guilty of missing several clear-cut chances, made amends by getting across his man at the near post to converting an inviting cross from Vaclac Cerny at the near post.

Now, Rangers will want to get the job done in Scotland, even though renovations at their normal Ibrox stadium mean that the game will be played at Hampden Park instead. The club is in the middle of a rebuild, and the Champions League money would be a handy coffer boost.

Kyiv has grown accustomed to playing matches away from home may stand them in good stead, and they will be able to shut out the noise of the passionate Glasgow crowd.

The winners will be guaranteed a place in the play-off round against either Red Bull Salzburg or FC Twente.

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Red Bull Salzburg v Twente

For much of their match with the Dutch side Twente, Red Bull Salzburg enjoyed a comfortable evening. They had taken the lead through Maurits Kjærgaard, who found the net from outside the box with a left-footed shot and doubled their advantage through the same player.

Twente had offered little in the night, but in the 90th minute, they were awarded a free kick on the right side of the box, and Michel Vlap beat the wall to find the bottom corner.

The Czech side, experienced European campaigners, is well capable of defending that lead, but Twente will believe that they now have a chance.

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The Champions Path

All six of the ties in the Champion's path remain delicately poised. However, the Cypriots champions Apoel will have everything to do back in Nicosia to overcome Slovan Bratislava's two-goal advantage from the first leg. They hope Cypriot summer evening temperatures of 35 Centigrade plus will be an adequate extra man.

Similarly, whilst Ferencváros have a long and distinguished history in Hungarian football, Danish side Midtjylland would appear to have the upper hand in their tie.

Bulgarian side Ludogorets Razgrad have become regulars in the Champions League group phase, and they seem on track from a meeting with Dinamo Zagreb in the play-off round after returning from their trip to Azerbaijan to play Qarabag with a hard-fought victory.

Bode/Glimt of Norway is also well-placed, having beaten the Polish side Jagiellonia Bialystok away from home. Although they could have wished for a kinder draw after that, the winners are slated to play Red Star Belgrade next.

Elsewhere, PAOK of Greece will be hoping to make advantage count after drawing with Swedish side Malmö(runners-up to Nottingham Forest back in 1978 when it was still known as the European Cup.

The Swedes twice took the lead in the match, only to be pegged back each time.

Like Malmö, Steaua Bucureşti has been in a European Cup final before—they beat Barcelona on penalties to win it in Seville in 1986, and they will be hopeful of progressing to the next round after claiming a draw away at Sparta Prague.

The Czechs were guilty of missing some clear-cut chances on the night and may live to regret that in the return league in Bucharest.

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