By DAN KARELL
Sixty two teams learned their future on Friday as UEFA conducted the Europa League play-off qualifying round draw.
The final round before the Europa League group stages saw a number of teams drawn featuring American players, including Rapid Wein (Terrence Boyd), AZ Alkmaar (Aron Jóhannsson), Tottenham (Brad Friedel), and FC Nordsjælland (Conor O’Brien).
Rapid was drawn with FC Dila Gori of Georgia, AZ faces Atromitos FC of Greece, Tottenham sees Dinamo Tbilisi of Georgia, and Nordsjælland meets Elfsborg of Sweden. The first leg will take place on August 22, with the following leg taking place on August 29.
Here’s the full list from the Europa League play-off qualifying round draw:
EUROPA LEAGUE PLAY-OFF QUALIFYING ROUND DRAW
FC Kuban Krasnodar (RUS) v Feyenoord (NED)
SV Zulte Waregem (BEL) v APOEL FC (CYP)
SK Rapid Wien (AUT) v FC Dila Gori (GEO)
Tromsø IL (NOR) v Beşiktaş JK (TUR)*
CS Pandurii Lignitul Târgu Jiu (ROU) v SC Braga (POR)
Apollon Limassol FC (CYP) v OGC Nice (FRA)
FC Aktobe (KAZ) v FC Dynamo Kyiv (UKR)
Swansea City AFC (ENG) v FC Petrolul Ploieşti (ROU)
Atromitos FC (GRE) v AZ Alkmaar (NED)
FH Hafnarfjördur (ISL) v KRC Genk (BEL)
IF Elfsborg (SWE) v FC Nordsjælland (DEN)
WKS Slask Wrocław (POL) v Sevilla FC (ESP)
FC Salzburg (AUT) v VMFD Žalgiris (LTU)
Qarabag FK (AZE) v Eintracht Frankfurt (GER)
FC Minsk (BLR) v R. Standard de Liège (BEL)
FK Jablonec (CZE) v Real Betis Balompié (ESP)
HNK Rijeka (CRO) v VfB Stuttgart (GER)
FC Chornomorets Odesa (UKR) v KS Skënderbeu (ALB)
Maccabi Tel-Aviv FC (ISR) v PAOK FC (GRE)
FC St Gallen (SUI) v FC Spartak Moskva (RUS)
Molde FK (NOR) v FC Rubin Kazan (RUS)
FK Vojvodina (SRB) v FC Sheriff (MDA)
Trabzonspor AS (TUR) v FK Kukësi (ALB)
Esbjerg fB (DEN) v AS Saint-Étienne (FRA)
Grasshopper Club (SUI) v ACF Fiorentina (ITA)
Maccabi Haifa FC (ISR) v FC Astra (ROU)
Udinese Calcio (ITA) v FC Slovan Liberec (CZE)
FC Dinamo Tbilisi (GEO) v Tottenham Hotspur FC (ENG)
Estoril Praia (POR) v FC Pasching (AUT)
JK Nõmme Kalju (EST) v FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk (UKR)
FK Partizan (SRB) v FC Thun (SUI)
*The participation of Beşiktaş JK in the competition is subject to CAS proceedings.
Of all the Romanian teams here, I root for FC Astra…nice, plain and simple name!
CS Pandurii Lignitul Târgu Jiu is spelled wrong…infact, it can never be spelled correctly….you can spell it as often as you like and you’ll never spell it out the same way. This would stump the spelling bee champ after five syllables (dang…had to check how to spell “syllables”….sad).
thanks for dealing with my humor.
Rossi is now and forever Italian
Josh Gatt and Molde? Rossi and Fiorentina?
Gatts out for the season