Your Dream Group Stage Opponents???

[SeeBass]

Regardless of which competition we're in come Friday morning looking at the teams already qualified or looking likely to do so this is my dream group stage opponents if ranking wasn't an issue.

For a bit of fun who would yours be and why???  If I was to get both the first and last teams I've mentioned we'd laugh my head off!

 

I think we should all put something down and see how close we get.  I once predicted all three opponents Celtic got in Champions League 2006-07.    My friend asked if we'd had access to the balls!!!

EUROPA LEAGUE: KI Klaksvik (Faroe Islands) If they can see off the Moldovan outfit Sheriff Tiraspol would love to be one of their first ever European group stage opponents.

Backa Topola (Serbia) Only because they had a home game during Covid-19 of one single tie rather than the traditional two against Steaua Bucharest that finished 6-6!! 

Olympiakos (Greece) They've always been a side I've wanted to have on our continental CV.

 

CONFERENCE LEAGUE: Ferencvaros (Hungary) Hungarian success in 1950's and 1960's has forever intrigued me and to have a stellar name like them as part of the club's tapestry would be fine by me.

Ballkani (Kosovo)  Don't know why but I'd really love to see where our game is at with a team from this sort of country.  They seem to be improving ten fold.  Mind I'm sure the waves they made in last year's competition has financially helped Ballkani become stronger.

Maccabi Tel Aviv (Israel) No word of a lie I've been saying to my brother Paul for donkey's years if we ever drew the Israeli side in any sort of European match we both must try and go to the away leg.  For centuries I've kept embarrassing him with the line to a taxi driver:

"Ma Cabbi?  Tel Aviv please!" 

 

  

 

  

[Panda]

Sorry to be the purveyor of bad news, but we can't get four of the teams you've listed there as they'll be in pot 4 with us. Only Olympiakos and Maccabi Tel Aviv are doable.

Here's the current projected pots (based on the highest seed winning, which is why Aberdeen are projected to be in the Europa League). Teams in bold already qualified.

[Slim]

Roma, Bratislava, Betis would do me

[Panda]

I've been desperate to land Roma all summer. But suddenly, at the 11th hour, I really want Ajax. I'll take either of them though. 

Europa League: Ajax/Roma, Slavia Prague, Slovan Bratislava, Aberdeen. 

- Glamour tie, but third place and therefore the Conference knockout stage wouldn't be impossible. Also some good stadiums for Cormack to visit to pick up tips for the Duk Dome at the Beach.

Conference League: AZ Alkmaar, Fiorentina, Spartak Trnava, Aberdeen

- I've been to Trnava and not in hurry to return but reckon we could beat them, Florence is a place I'd love to see, and Alkmaar have a cracking stadium for Dave to visit.

 

[Panda]

Btw, if you want to have some fun, there's a draw simulator here.

https://draw.inker.one/#/el/gs/2023

Aye I would take that

 

[wee toon red]

I want the four weakest teams we could possibly get. Fuck knows who they are mind you as they all look decent enough 

Edited August 31, 2023 by wee toon red

[RicoS321]

31 minutes ago, wee toon red said:

I want the four weakest teams we could possibly get. Fuck knows who they are mind you as they all look decent enough 

Unfortunately you can't play a team from your own country.

I don't really care who we get. Money is such a distortion in the game these days, I don't really see the glamour in facing your English, Italian and the like sides. Burnley was good a few years back because they never really seemed a manufactured product of premiershipism. I'm far from convinced that Roma could hack it on a cold Thursday night in the north east, so I'd reluctantly take them, although I'd probably prefer Atalanta. We went toe to toe with Villarreal in the Darren Mackie testimonial, so I expect we'd beat them too, maybe by three or four. I've been to Rennes I think, so we should beat them too. In short, anything less than sixteen points from the six games should see Robson removed from his role.

[SeeBass]

Based on the projected outcome later tonight I'll go for:

EUROPA LEAGUE: Dinamo Zagreb, Olympiakos, Freiburg.

CONFERENCE LEAGUE: Ferencvaros, Maccabi Tel Aviv, Olimpija Ljubljana.    

[Jute]

Initially I was going to say 3 cities I have not been too but having read Rico’s in-depth analysis of his selection I will just go with them and expect to qualify.