UCD AFC will entry the UEFA Europa League at the 1st qualifying round, the UCD Bowl is a designated Home venue for UCD and the club can upgrade to another venue if it’s deemed necessary. The 1st round matches are scheduled for 1st leg Thursday 02nd July and 2nd leg Thursday 09th July ( but matches get changed for local reasons usually to the previous Tuesday in the week.)
The UEFA Europa League Draw for the 1st and 2nd qualifying rd takes place in Nyon, Switzerland tomorrow at 12 noon Irish time. The draw is been streamed on UEFA’s website http://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/index.html
UCD AFC Supporters Club will be showing this stream on the big screen at UCD Clubhouse Bar, (upstairs in O’Neill’s Lounge) right beside the Student Centre. https://www.facebook.com/ucdclubhousebar
We’ll be there from 11am as the Champions League draw takes place at that time. This is a great opportunity to meet Coaching and Playing staff at UCD AFC and be close to the club.
All UCD Fans are very welcome down at 12 noon for the 1st rd. Draw and then again at 13:30 for 2nd rd. Draw. Food and drinks will be available downstairs.
But what should UCD Fans expect from Monday’s Draws.
Each of the 102 entries in the first round (List of 102 1st round participants, based on co-effiencent value) is given a value based on the UEFA Co-Efficient. Calculations based on individual club results over the previous 5 seasons, 20% of this total is the average of the Country Co-Efficient.
The night before (last year) or the morning of the draw (other years) UEFA will make a long list of all the clubs based on this value. Then divide this list in half between Seeded teams and Unseeded teams.
UEFA then create groups of Seeded clubs and groups of corresponding Unseeded clubs, which they promise is based on a complex computer system using certain absolute rules. Rules that include no clubs from the same National Association must play each other, weighting so that groups are balanced and some regionalisation. But that won’t stop a diverse feel to the groups as individual clubs could find a home anywhere. Each clubs gets a number in their group.
At the moment UCD AFC and Cork City, who haven’t competed in Europe in the last 5 years have taken the League of Ireland’s average 1.150. This put clubs in the lower Unseeded half of the draw. The next step is to wait to be assigned an Unseeded group (Sunday evening or early Monday morning).
The result is that as the draw at 12 noon approaches, each club will know they will play one of a short-list of clubs in their corresponding group and this is how the Draw at 12 noon will begin.
Bald UEFA General Secretary Gianni Infantino will be one of the delegates who will be part of the draw.
The Draw itself may be very brief, a ball from the Seeds are placed in an empty bowl and likewise an unseeded ball is placed in the same bowl, shuffled. One ball is chosen, opened and the clubs with the corresponding number chosen first play at home and the second ball is opened and those clubs with that second number play the 2nd leg at home.
Warning: For fans hoping to travel to either Home or Away game. Don’t book anything immediately the Draw is made, wait for confirmation from UCD of at least the Day and Venue of our matches. With three Dublin sides in the 1st Round, there is a double-booking on one of the two Thursdays, it’s not likely that two clubs will play on the same night in Dublin. Our opponents could have similar challenges for the away game. Tuesday 30th June or Tuesday July 07th tend to be next best alternate days when clubs have to switch from the Thursday. Reversing the legs from the initial draw is another alternative, hated by purists like Pat ‘Nutsy’ Fenlon. But it can be a solution.
The 2nd qualifying rd. will take place at 13:30. And the same steps are followed. 15 individuals clubs from slightly stronger Leagues await the 51 Pairings from the 1st rd. A long list is created, using the highest co-efficient Club of each of the 51 pairings. Split the list in half, Seeded and Unseeded, put them in groups where the same National Associations won’t play each other and then chose the numbers in the same way.
It will mean some pairings will play other pairings (e.g. Team A/Team B v. Team C/Team D). Other pairings will play a single club of the 15 waiting, who won’t all be seeded, so there could be two single clubs drawn against each other.
These coming weeks will be one of the highlights of the season and the memories of the Europa League matches will last a long time for many UCD Fans. This is your time to soak the occasions and the atmosphere surrounding the Club at the moment. It’s great being a UCD FAN right now, take it all in enjoy the prestige that UCD are experiencing right now.
Enjoy the game!
