UEFA Europa Conference League Matchday Three Preview

LASK and Maccabi Tel Aviv strongly positioned in Group A

Going into Matchday Three of the UEFA Europa Conference League, two teams look very well positioned to make the knockout rounds of the competition in Group A. Both LASK and Maccabi Tel Aviv were the group favourites at the time of the draw and both can take strong steps towards qualification this midweek.

Alashkert take on LASK in the Armenian capital Yerevan in a clash between two sides in terrible form domestically. Alashkert currently sit 2^nd bottom of the ten team Armenian Premier League and are currently on their 2^nd manager of the season after Milan Milanovic replaced Aleksandr Grigoryan in late September. LASK on the other hand sit 10^th out of 12 in the Austrian Bundesliga after a 1-0 home loss against Wolfsberger AC last weekend.

After their 4-2 away victory over Alashkert on Matchday Two, HJK Helsinki have revived their qualification hopes and will now look to strengthen their changes of progression further in their home match against Maccabi Tel Aviv at Bolt Arena, Helsinki. Despite their good form in Europe, Maccabi only sit 9^th in the Israeli Premier League. Owing to its status as a summer league, HJK are near to the end of their domestic season and currently sit 2^nd in the Finnish Veikkausliga, engaged in a tight title fight with KuPS.

Partizan and Gent face off for control of Group B

One of the matches of the week in Matchday Three of the Europa Conference League comes courtesy of Group B when the two group leaders Partizan Belgrade and KAA Gent face off at Partizan Stadium in the Serbian capital.

Despite fierce rivals Red Star completing an unbeaten season in 2020/21, all indications so far point to a tight title tussle between Partizan and Red Star this season in Serbia. So far in the Conference League group stages, Partizan, like their fierce rivals Red Star in the Europa League have recorded two wins from two. Gent also go into the contest in Belgrade with two victories so far, however, unlike Partizan, are struggling domestically, sitting only 12^th out of 18 in the Belgian Pro League A. The winner of this tie will all but secure qualification for the Conference League knockouts.

Just as important in this group is the other contest between Anorthosis Famagusta of Cyprus and Flora Tallinn of Estonia. Both sides have zero points so far and a loss for either all but eliminates them from qualification contention. Cosmopolitan Anorthosis, with 16 foreigners in their playing squad and 13 different nationalities take on Flora’s entirely Estonian roster.

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Mourinho’s Roma bidding for control and must win for CSKA Sofia & Zorya Luhansk in Group C

Of all the names in Group C, Jose Mourinho and his AS Roma side stand out most. Despite some wobbles domestically in recent matches, Giallorossi have been perfect so far in the new Conference League this season with four wins from four matches in both qualification and the first two group matches. However, it could be argued that Matchday Three represents the toughest task for Roma in European competition so far.

Their opponents 2020 Norwegian Eliteserien champions Bodo/Glimt are favourites to advance to the knockout rounds alongside Roma in second place in Group C. Giallorossi will head to Northern Norway and the town of Bodo, North of the Arctic Circle in what could be a very cold night for Mourinho and his players. Could Bodo, currently on track to win a second consecutive Norwegian title and on four points from their opening two Conference League group matches stun the Italian heavyweights and throw this group open?

The other match in Group C, truly has a do or die feel to it as CSKA Sofia take on Zorya Luhansk in the Bulgarian capital. CSKA were unable to make home advantage count on Matchday Two, disappointing drawing 0-0 at home against Bodo/Glimt. A victory is therefore imperative to remain in contention to qualify for the Europa Conference League knockout rounds. Zorya, currently 5^th in the Ukrainian Premier League have zero points from their opening two Conference League group matches and also need a win to revive their qualification hopes.

Truly “All to Play For” in Group D

In group stages of all European competitions, there is always one or a couple of groups which remain tantalisingly close throughout all six matches and where qualification goes down to the wire, Group D could well prove to be one of said groups. After two matchdays so far, AZ Alkmaar, Jablonec, Randers and CFR Cluj all still have a realistic chance of winning the group, sitting on 4,3,2 and 1 points respectively.

Jablonec, currently struggling down in 11^th place in the Czech First League take on Randers at Stadion Strelnice. The Danes currently are doing much better than their opponents in domestic competition, currently sitting 4^th in the Danish Super Liga. With this match being Jablonec’s second out of three at home, Petr Rada’s men could ideally do with a win to enhance their qualification hopes.

The other match in the group sees former Sheffield Wednesday and Chelsea playing hero Dan Petrescu’s CFR Cluj take on AZ Alkmaar at the Dr Constantin Radulescu Stadium in Cluj-Napoca. CFR Cluj have struggled in European competition this season despite being six points clear of their rivals in the Romanian Liga I after ten matches so far. After a slow start domestically in the Dutch Eredivisie, AZ have now won three straight domestic matches and will look to strengthen their position in Group D here with a win. A group where it truly is “All to Play For”.

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A German-Dutch clash as a potential “Game of the Matchday” in Group E

Whilst there are several contenders for Match of the Day from Matchday Three of the Conference League group stages, one match from Group E stands out above all others. In what should be a spicy German-Dutch affair, Feyenoord take on Union Berlin at the Dutch side’s iconic De Kuip stadium in Rotterdam.

In addition to the Netherlands vs Germany rivalry that is evoked by virtue of this fixture, there are also so many other noteworthy subplots to this contest. It pits Feyenoord, one of the traditional giants of their country’s football scene against a comparative much more modest sized club in Germany in the shape of Union. Die Eisener are only appearing in European club competition of any description for just the fourth time. Feyenoord on the other hand are old hands when it comes to European qualification, being a club that seldom misses continental competition.

With both Feyenoord and Union on three points each, a win for either will enhance their prospects of qualification. In the group’s other match, Slavia Prague, reeling from their 2-1 away loss to Feyenoord on Matchday Two, travel to Israel to take on Maccabi Haifa, who after gathering just one point from their opening two matches need to make home advantage count if they are to have a chance of making the knockout rounds.

A crunch clash between FC Copenhagen and PAOK FC headlines Group F

Perhaps not quite as high profile a match but nonetheless one which is worth keeping one’s attention on comes courtesy of Group F. It features arguably the two group favourites pre-Matchday One in the shape of FC Copenhagen who take on PAOK FC at the Danish outfit’s Parken Stadion.

The Danes currently sit 2^nd in the Danish Super Liga, three points off current leaders Midtjylland after 12 matchdays. PAOK on the other hand also sit 2^nd domestically and come into the Matchday Three contest in the Danish capital on the back of a barnstorming 4-4 draw against Volos in the Greek Super League last weekend. PAOK’s inability to win at home against Slovan Bratislava on Matchday Two in a 1-1 draw leaves the Greeks in greater need of a win here.

In the other match in the group, Slovan Bratislava, current Slovak champions will look to put themselves in a strong position to qualify for the knockout rounds of the Conference League ahead of one of either Copenhagen or PAOK as they face Lincoln Red Imps in the Slovak capital. Given this is the first of back-to-back matches against the Gibraltar outfit for Slovan, anything but two victories would severely compromise their knockout round qualification chances.

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Can Rennes & Tottenham take control of Group G on Matchday Three?

Upon the Europa Conference League draw back in August, Stade Rennais and Tottenham Hotspur were instantly seen as favourites for qualification in Group G. After a 2-2 tie between the sides at Rennes Roazhon Park on Matchday One both Tottenham and Rennes will be looking to use their Matchday Three fixtures to enhance their qualification chances.

Rennes travel to Slovenia to take on first time Slovene champions NS Mura. After a slow start in Ligue 1, Bruno Genesio and his players have rallied in recent domestic matches. A shock 2-0 home win against PSG before the international break was then backed up by a 3-0 away victory against FC Metz to take Rennes up to 7^th in Ligue 1. Mura currently sit 5^th in the Slovene PrvaLiga after 13 matchdays, however, one feels given Rennes’s upturn in form that they will face a tough night.

Tottenham showed their credentials to be a potential winner of the inaugural Europa Conference League on Matchday Two following a 5-1 home victory over Mura. Either side of the international break, Nuno Espirito Santo’s side recorded one goal victories against Aston Villa and Newcastle respectively to take them up to 5^th place in the English Premier League.

If there is to be any potential obstacle to Spurs’ qualification for the knockout rounds of the Europa Conference League, this Matchday Three away trip to Vitesse Arnhem could be the hardest one to overcome. After a narrow home 2-1 loss to Rennes on Matchday Two last time out, Vitesse, who currently sit 6^th in the Dutch Eredivisie really need a win here to have a genuine qualification chance.

Can home comforts for Basel & Qarabag help them put one foot in the Conference League knockouts in Group H?

Finally, we head to Group H in what could be a very decisive Matchday Three where two sides in particular could go a long way towards having one step in the knockout rounds of the Europa Conference League.

After four seasons of domestic dominance in Switzerland by Young Boys Bern, the club who previously held a dynasty in the country’s football scene, FC Basel are looking to reassert their previous domination. After 10 rounds of the 2021/22 Swiss Super League, Basel sit top of the standings on their quest for a 21^st Swiss title come season’s end.

Rotblau should also in addition to conducting a domestic title challenge look to have a strong run in European competition this season considering the draw they landed. After a nil-nil draw against Qarabag in Azerbaijan on Matchday One, Basel gave their qualification chances a boost with a 4-2 home win against Kairat Almaty on Matchday Two.

One player at Basel to keep an eye on is 23 year-old forward Artur Cabral, the Brazilian forward has noted 20 goals and 6 assists in 18 matches in all competitions so far this season. A win against Cypriot outfit Omonia Nicosia on Matchday Three should see Patrick Rahmen’s Basel with one foot in the Europa Conference League knockouts.

Qarabag gave their knockout qualification hopes a boost on Matchday Two with a 4-1 away victory against Omonia Nicosia. Last season’s Azeri Premier League runners-up will now look to make the most of home advantage and further strengthen their qualification chances on Matchday Three. Their opponents, Kazakh Premier League champions Kairat need a win to keep alive their qualification chances.