European Cup, an XXL draw for Strasbourg?

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By: Manu Tournoux

European Cup, a draw of death for Strasbourg?

With the maintenance of OL in Ligue 1, the RC Strasbourg, who arrived 7th in Ligue 1 last May, will play well in the conference league, a competition of a very low level but with some leading clubs.

It goes completely unnoticed, but the first conference league qualifying round has been argued over the past 10 days and the draw for the second round was carried out on Friday. The RC Strasbourg will be fixed on August 4 on its opponent of the dams of the third European Cup, the Alsatians being the French representatives of this competition after their 7th place in Ligue 1 (a relegation of OL would have offered them a direct qualification for the Europa League).

At conference, the table is made up of very many second zone clubs, coming from northern and Eastern Europe in particular. Chelsea, winner of the edition on May 28 against Real Betis (4-1), beat the Servette in play-offs, then the Gantoise, the Panathinaikos, Noah (Armenia), Heidenheim, Astana and the Shamrock Rovers in the first round, then Copenhagen, Legia Varsovie and Djurgardens in direct elimination.

Strasbourg will be installed in hat 3 of the draw and, as shown by the projections of Football Rankingscan come across heavy in each pot! Fiorentina, Alkmaar, Shakhtar Donetsk, Rapid de Vienne, Qarabag and Sparta Prague would form the head of the heads of series if they all qualify during the play -offs (Thursdays August 21 and 28).

Strasbourg against Fiorentina and Crystal Palace?

But it is in hat 2 that it could be bodied, since the Premier League club and that of La Liga, namely Crystal Palace and the Rayo Vallecano, appear there. The London formation won the FA Cup against Manchester City (1-0) but was “relegated” to Conference League (for the benefit of Nottingham Forest, 7th in the ranking). The Rayo finished 8th in Spain.

Clubs which have no point in appearing in the UEFA club classification take up the minimum coefficient of their respective nation. Crystal Palace and Rayo Vallecano are thus found in Pot 3, while Mainz, 6th in Bundesliga, will appear in hat 3 alongside RC Strasbourg. The team trained by Liam Rosenior would have two out of five chances to fall on Mainz or the Besiktas (also in hat 3) in addition to possibly facing Fiorentina and Crystal Palace. The Meinau public is ready to set fire.

Manu Tournoux

Written by:

Manu Tournoux

Manu Tournoux is a passionate and knowledgeable football enthusiast with a special focus on French football. Born and raised in France, Manu discovered his love for the beautiful game at a young age and developed a deep understanding of the ins and outs of "Le Championnat." His French roots and extensive experience in football journalism have made him an invaluable asset to the French Football Weekly team. As an author for the website, his expertise includes not only in-depth analysis of Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 matches but also insightful profiles of up-and-coming talents, detailed transfer news, and engaging coverage of the French national team. His captivating writing style and undeniable passion for the game have earned him a loyal following among our readers. When he's not crafting engaging articles for French Football Weekly, Manu enjoys attending live matches whenever he can, exploring football culture in various French cities, and engaging in spirited debates with fellow fans.