Wetin Change
As BBC Sport report show, UEFA go continue to separate champions from non-champions for Europa League final qualifying round from next season, instead of one seeded draw wey join everybody. Scotland representative, Scottish Cup winner or Premiership runner-up wey qualify, go pass through di tougher non-champions route, while Scottish champion wey comot from Champions League qualifying go enter di champions route.
Why E Matter
Dis change mean say di last obstacle before Europa League league phase don harder for any Scottish club wey reach there. For di non-champions route, teams wey qualify through league position from Belgium, Turkey, Czech Republic and Greece fit dey, plus teams wey drop comot Champions League; BBC Sport note say Hearts lose to Benfica there dis season, while Rangers lose to Jagiellonia Bialystok.
Di main matter no be only say qualifying hard. Na say di kind teams wey Scotland fit draw don change. Teams like Iberia 1999, Kairat Almaty and Ararat, wey fall comot Champions League champions route, no go fit come up for draw against Scotland Europa League representative for dat stage again. Di route now dey lead to tougher kind opposition.
As we see am based on wetin dey happen: if Scotland representative reach di final round, e go harder to enter di league phase because di teams for di draw stronger. Dis fit keep Scotland ranking points under pressure, and na those points dey affect how later entrants go get seed and their chance to enter. Better qualifying run fit stop dat pattern; tough draw no fit settle who go win di tie, but e fit make di journey harder before match even start.
Di Historical Example
Di last time UEFA use dis kind arrangement, dem separate Champions League qualifying into champion and non-champion routes for dia 2007 reform. Di likeness clear: once dem separate di routes, e change which teams fit meet each other, and domestic champions no go meet non-champions for dat qualifying stage.
But di difference wey matter dey just as clear. Dat reform na about access to Champions League, and e also increase di number of teams wey enter group stage directly; dis one na about Europa League final qualifying round, and e leave Scotland entrant for non-champions route to face tougher teams. For di first season of di old format, UEFA record 18 domestic champions and eight teams wey enter group stage for di first time, including Zürich, APOEL and Debrecen through Champions Route, for dia outcome report. Dat show say how dem arrange routes fit truly change who get access, but e no give anybody quick way to know how any Scottish club go perform.
How Di Effect Fit Spread
Di first effect na for Scotland Europa League representative: e fit meet stronger side from di non-champions route for dia final qualifying tie. If dat lead to more knockouts, Scottish clubs go lose chances to get results for league phase.
Di second effect go reach clubs wey dey pursue European places for future. If poor results continue, Scotland ranking points fit remain under pressure, and future Scottish entrants fit get worse seeding position. Dat chain fit break if Scottish clubs win tough ties, get seeding back, or improve dia results across UEFA competitions.
Impact Assessment
- Scottish Cup winners or Premiership runners-up wey qualify: dem fit feel am next season. Dia route start from first qualifying round and fit end against stronger teams wey qualify through league position or Champions League non-champions wey drop down.
- Scottish champions: di result fit go either way. Club wey fall comot Champions League qualifying go meet another Champions League drop-down for di separate champions route, and dat go change di teams wey e fit face.
- Other Scottish clubs wey dey chase Europe: dem fit feel di effect for later years. Dia chance to compete fit suffer if early qualifying exits keep Scotland ranking points under pressure.
Scenarios
Di one wey likely pass: If Scotland Europa League representative reach di final qualifying round, e go face stronger opponent from di non-champions route than e for face under di old draw wey join both routes. Dat go make league-phase qualification harder and fit keep pressure on seeding. If dem draw major-league qualifier or Champions League drop-down, especially when di Scottish club no get seed, e go make dis possibility stronger; win for final round go reduce am.
Better side: If di entrant get seed or beat di stronger teams, e go reach league phase and add European results wey fit help Scotland ranking position stay steady. Dat go give later Scottish entrants better chance to enter. Victory for final qualifying round and better league-phase results go support dis outcome.
Worse side: If Celtic or Rangers no get seed and Scotland representative lose to major-league qualifier or Champions League drop-down, chance to enter league phase go reduce and pressure on Scotland ranking points fit continue into later campaigns. Unless Scottish clubs turn those results around across Europe, future entrants fit inherit di same tight position.
Wetin To Watch Next
UEFA qualifying allocations go show whether Scottish Cup winner or Premiership runner-up wey qualify go enter Europa League first qualifying round, and whether Scotland champions go start Champions League qualifying from round two.
After dat, na di seeding lists. BBC Sport say Celtic and Rangers fit no get seed next season, and dat go affect di draw well well.
Finally, Europa League final qualifying draw go show di change plain: separate champions and non-champions routes, with Scotland representative inside di latter.
Comments
No comments yet.