None is overwhelming: viable YB opponents in the Champions League playoffs

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Thanks to FC Basel. As the Bebbi progressed to the semi-finals of the Conference League and collected very good points – more than four times more than YB, which got stuck in the Conference League play-offs at Anderlecht – Switzerland ranked tenth in Europe in the annual ranking!

YB windfall would have a red-blue sheen

So YB goes straight into the play-offs for the Champions League. And if the Bernese succeed in the third royal class qualification, which generates 35 to 40 million francs in revenue, this money will have a slightly red-blue tint. Paradoxical, because then YB would financially disappear from the former league Croesus with more light years.

YB will definitely be placed in the play-offs. However, that has nothing to do with FCB, but is pure Bernese self-earning. YB is number 51 in Europe (Basel 29). And in the worst case, the team with the fourth best coefficient in the playoffs. And because there are four links, it’s clear: YB is set. And so three teams are excluded in advance as opponents: Dinamo Zagreb, FC Copenhagen and Galatasaray Istanbul.

Royal Antwerp is a solid possible opponent

Which opponents are possible now? One thing is already certain: Royal Antwerp, the Belgian drama champion, who, like YB, will go directly to the play-offs. The team of coach Mark van Bommel and the Swiss Michi Frey took the title thanks to a goal from Toby Alderweireld in the 94th minute! It was the first title in 66 years. Internationally, Antwerp has recently done well and that is why the finalist of the Cup Winner’s Cup 1993 is only the number 75 in Europe. Still, that would be a huge task for YB.

Ferencvaros, Karabakh, Bratislava and others

All other possible opponents have to struggle through more rounds to get there. The teams with the best coefficient are Ferencvaros Budapest, Karabakh Agdam and Slovan Bratislava. Two years ago, YB arranged the royal class against the Hungarians. YB got stuck at Karabakh in the 2015 Europa League play-offs. A clean sheet that abruptly ended all of Harry Gamperle’s ambitions for the head coach job. YB, on the other hand, has fond memories of Slovan Bratislava: they have never lost to the Slovaks in four games. In 2014 there was a 3:1 and a 5:0 in the group stage of the Europa League. And in 2021 in the second CL qualifying round a 3:2 and a 0:0.

Some other possible opponents have a surprisingly bad coefficient, but are at least as strong as the ones mentioned: AEK Athens, Sparta Prague, Bate Borisov, Sheriff Tiraspol, Ludogorets Razgrad, Molde FK, Astana or Maccabi Haifa.

Signed August 7. The playoffs then rise to 22./23. and 29./30. August.

Source : Blick