#feronikeli

SEEDED IN THE GROUP STAGE: PSG (FRA), Juventus (ITA), Leicester City (ENG), Bayern München (GER), Barcelona (SPA), Benfica (POR), CSKA Moscow (RUS), Real Madrid (SPA)

QUALIFIED TO THE GROUP STAGE: Atlético de Madrid (SPA) Borussia Dortmund (GER), Bayer Leverkusen (GER), Sporting (POR) Dynamo Kyiv (UKR) Basel (SUI), Tottenham Hotspur (ENG), PSV Eindhoven (NED) Lyon (FRA), Napoli (ITA), Club Brugge (BEL), Besiktas (TUR), Sevilla (SPA)

QUALIFIED TO THE PLAY-OFFS: Villareal (SPA), Porto (POR), Borussia Mönchengladbach (GER), Roma (ITA), Manchester City (ENG)

QUALIFIED TO THIRD QUALIFYING ROUND: Olympiakos (GRE), Viktoria Plzen (CZE) Astra Giurgiu (ROM), Shakhtar Donetsk (UKR) Steaua Bucaresti (ROM), Ajax (NED), Sparta Prague (CZE), Young Boys (SUI), Monaco (FRA),Fenerbahce (TUR) Rostov (RUS), Anderlecht (BEL), PAOK (GRE)

QUALIFIED TO SECOND QUALIFYING ROUND: IFK Norrköping (SWE), Astana (KAZ), Dinamo Zagreb (CRO), APOEL (CYP), Rosenborg (NOR), Dinamo Tbilisi (GEO) , SJK (FIN) Crusaders (NIR), FH (ISL), BATE Borisov (BLR), Qarabag (AZE), Leipaja (LVA)*, Ferencvaros (HUN), Dundalk (IRL), Zalgiris Vilinus (LTU) Red Star Belgrade (SRB), Red Bull Salzburg (AUT), Zrinjski (BIH), Trencin (SVK), Vardar (MKD), Celtic (SCO) Ludogorets (BUL), Ljubljana (SVN) Legia (POL), Beer Sheva (ISR), Dudelange (LUX), Sheriff Tiraspol (MLD), Partizani (ALB)

QUALIFIED TO FIRST QUALIFYING ROUND: Lincoln Red Imps (GIB), FC Santa Coloma (AND), The New Saints (WAL), Fiora Tallinn (EST) B36 Tórshavn (FRO), Valleta (MLT), Alashkert (ARM), Tre Penne (SMN)

OUT OF LUCK: Feronikeli (KOS), Skenderbeu (ALB)

The season is over but still some shifts are to be made to the final qualifying teams to the European Cup. the First Qualifying Round starts in three weeks and we have just seen two teams removed from competition. 

The first team is Feronikeli from Kosovo. Feronikeli are the current league champions of the recently accepted UEFA member and were under discussions to participate in this up-coming season’s Champions League. However, due to some licensing rights UEFA has decided that Kosovo must wait another year to take part in European Competitions. On a Side Note, FIFA has stated that both Kosovo and Gibraltar may take part in the Qualifiers for the World Cup and are set to Join Groups H and I of the European competition

The other big news is that Albania’s Skenderbeu have been banned from taking part of the European Cup for fixing matches. The team allege they did no such thing and are going to bring the claim to the Court for Arbitration of Sports. It’s more than likely that the Court will uphold UEFA’s decision. Nevertheless, they may still find a way back into the European Cup. Meanwhile, Partizani who so wildly fought for the spot are bound to take part of the second qualifying round. 

SEEDED IN THE GROUP STAGE: PSG (FRA), Juventus (ITA), Leicester City (ENG), Bayern München (GER), Barcelona (SPA), Benfica (POR), CSKA Moscow (RUS), Real Madrid (SPA)

QUALIFIED TO THE GROUP STAGE: Atlético de Madrid (SPA) Borussia Dortmund (GER), Bayer Leverkusen (GER), Sporting (POR) Dynamo Kyiv (UKR) Basel (SUI), Tottenham Hotspur (ENG), PSV Eindhoven (NED) Lyon (FRA), Napoli (ITA), Club Brugge (BEL), Besiktas (TUR), Sevilla (SPA)

QUALIFIED TO THE PLAY-OFFS: Villareal (SPA), Porto (POR), Borussia Mönchengladbach (GER), Roma (ITA), Manchester City (ENG)

QUALIFIED TO THIRD QUALIFYING ROUND: Olympiakos (GRE), Viktoria Plzen (CZE) Astra Giurgiu (ROM), Shakhtar Donetsk (UKR) Steaua Bucaresti (ROM), Ajax (NED), Sparta Prague (CZE), Young Boys (SUI), Monaco (FRA),Fenerbahce (TUR) Rostov (RUS), Anderlecht (BEL), PAOK (GRE)

QUALIFIED TO SECOND QUALIFYING ROUND: IFK Norrköping (SWE), Astana (KAZ), Dinamo Zagreb (CRO), APOEL (CYP), Rosenborg (NOR), Dinamo Tbilisi (GEO) , SJK (FIN) Crusaders (NIR), FH (ISL), BATE Borisov (BLR), Qarabag (AZE), Leipaja (LVA)*, Ferencvaros (HUN), Dundalk (IRL), Zalgiris Vilinus (LTU) Red Star Belgrade (SRB), Red Bull Salzburg (AUT), Zrinjski (BIH), Trencin (SVK), Vardar (MKD), Celtic (SCO) Ludogorets (BUL), Ljubljana (SVN) Legia (POL),Skenderbeu (ALB), Beer Sheva (ISR), Dudelange (LUX), Sheriff Tiraspol (MLD)

QUALIFIED TO FIRST QUALIFYING ROUND: Lincoln Red Imps (GIB), FC Santa Coloma (AND), The New Saints (WAL), Fiora Tallinn (EST) B36 Tórshavn (FRO), Valleta (MLT), Alashkert (ARM), Tre Penne (SMN)

OUT OF LUCK: AEK (GRE), Panathinaikos (GRE), Dacia Chisinau (MLD)

* = May be moved to first qualifying round

After a long year and a very heated month we can finally know every single team that has a shot, even if it’s a little one, at the 2016-17 European Cup. Or do we?

First off, let’s talk about Sheriff Tiraspol. After they managed to catch Dacia Chisinau on points and had to play the final match of the league against them they only managed to draw. According to the rules of the Moldovan league a placement play off had to be undertaken to determine which team was going to represent Moldova in the European Cup. a goal in the 88th minute by Galesic assured Tiraspol the victory making them the second to last team to qualify for the European Cup. 

After the final intense matches of the Greek Playoffs, PAOK managed to clinch the spot after drawing 1 - 1 with Panathinaikos at home. It was a close race with AEK just 3 points away in the end. However, PAOK always had the upper hand managing to go undefeated in the playoffs. 

Lastly, UEFA recently announced that the winners of the Superleague of Kosovo may participate in the European Cup qualifiers starting this season if they meet certain licensing criteria. The final date for the assesment is May 31st 2016. By tomorrow an official statement should be enacted refering this issue. This will affect the Latvian champions Liepaja since they will be moved to the first qualifying round if Feronikeli (the champions of Kosovo) are allowed to compete. We’ll keep you updated. Meanwhile, if you’re a Feronikeli fan, cross your fingers. 

Spots Remaining: Kosovo?