The third preliminary round of the Champions League has concluded, propelling four teams straight into the Europa League alongside the ‘Giallorossi’. Mourinho and Benfica advance but they remain a threat.
The third preliminary round of the Champions League has come to a close, a round that indirectly involves Roma as well. From the ten games played today, the ten victorious teams advancing to the final round have emerged, gaining access to the championship phase – the primary aspect of the new format. At the same time, the ten teams defeated in the double confrontation were ‘relegated’ to the Europa League and could potentially face off against Gasperini. At least four of these. The six teams defeated in the ‘champions’ route will in fact have to compete in a playoff to gain entry into the Europa League championship phase, while the remaining four – sourced from the ‘runner-ups’ route – will secure direct entry into the championship stage. Specifically, Viktoria Plzen, Salzburg, Feyenoord (eliminated by Mourinho’s Fenerbahce) and Nice will be among the 36 teams in the next Europa League and could cross paths with Roma in their European journey. Among these, there will also be the seven teams that will be eliminated in the playoff to enter the Champions League. This means, the defeats from these closely watched clashes: Ferencvaros vs. Qarabag, Stella Rossa vs. Pafos, Rangers vs. Club Brugge, Bodo/Glimt vs. Sturm Graz, Celtic vs. Kairat Almaty, Basel vs. Copenhagen, Fenerbahce vs. Benfica. Not to forget, of course, the triumphant winners of the Europa League playoffs. Undoubtedly, the most intriguing and perilous match lying ahead is that of Fenerbahce. The team managed by Mourinho or Benfica could potentially fall and rise as adversaries of Roma.