Gameweek 3 sees many of the Conference League’s heavyweights go head-to-head for the first time. Split between early and late kickoffs, the fixture-list promises lots of excitement – here’s my assessment of what the week has to offer. (I will be sparing in my coverage of teams from the “big five” leagues, since they are by their nature well-covered elsewhere.)
Early Kickoffs
Group A
Group A is, unfortunately, a settled affair, with Maccabi Tel-Aviv’s 5-0 thrashing of Finnish outfit HJK earlier today a decent indicator of where it stands. Armenian champions Alashkert host LASK of Austria, but only one outcome here is likely. A near-certain LASK win – goals but not much competition on the agenda.
Group B
Both Partizan and Gent are well-set to qualify, meaning there is precious little jeopardy in the early game between Flora of Estonia and the Cypriots of Anorthosis, but both will be playing for pride and the prospect of recording their first-ever win in (and scoring their first goals of) the competition. A likely Anorthosis win.
Group C
Norwegians Bodø/Glimt have been one of the surprise packages of the competition so far, blowing away Zorya Luhansk in a first-week upset before stumbling a little in a goalless draw with CSKA Sofia last time out. In Roma, however, they face one of the strongest sides in the competition and will have to be at their best to get a result. A very probable Roma win – but upsets do happen…
Group D
No early kickoffs
Group E
The competition’s “group of death” is extremely finely-poised. Any side could (theoretically) go top with the right combination of results today, although Maccabi Haifa are unlikey to get much out of a Slavia Praha side smarting from a defeat to European royalty Feyenoord last time out. The Dutch side, the only team in the group still unbeaten, meanwhile face a tough test from Bundesliga upstarts Union Berlin. I’m predicting a Praha win and a Feyenoord-Union draw to take the Czechs (temporarily) top, but the latter game should be a cracker.
Group F
Danish heavyweights FC København are the team to beat in Group F, a task which this week falls to PAOK, distant runners-up in the Greek top flight last season. With Jonas Wind in fine goalscoring form for København, the task is an imposing one. A likely København win in this game between two of the competition’s best sides from outside the “big five” leagues.
Group G
A London derby by another name is the headline in Group G, as Tottenham take on Chelsea’s Dutch regular loan partner Vitesse. Rennes, recovering from a rocky start to the French season, meanwhile host Slovenian minnows Mura. This gameweek ought to feature both Tottenham and Rennes wins, and thereby entrench their status as the group’s likely qualifiers.
Group H
The early game in Group H sees Kazakh champions Kairat travel across the Caspian Sea to face Qarabağ, by far the Azeri side most experienced in UEFA competitions, in Baku. Kairat went 4-0 down to Basel last week, only to mount a stirring second-half comeback that almost earned a draw. Qarabağ are favourites to win here but this game should be entertaining regardless.
Stand-Out Early Kickoffs
Bodø/Glimt – Roma
København – PAOK
Feyenoord – Union Berlin
Qarabağ – Kairat
Late Kickoffs
Group A
No late kickoffs in Group A
Group B
Both Partizan of Serbia and Belgium’s Gent are experienced European sides, and both have duly made light work of their group matches so far. The battle to finish top of the pile should be an interesting one, though, with both teams likely keen to remain unbeaten, top the group and avoid the first knockout round. I’m cautiously calling this one as a draw, but anything could happen and it should be an intriguing watch.
Group C
Eastern Ukrainian exiles Zorya Luhansk have been another surprise package this season, but not in the way they might have hoped. Humiliated by Bodø/Glimt in the opening round of fixtures and faring little better against Roma last time out, they need a result here to keep hopes of progression alive. Bulgarians CSKA Sofia, with Alan Pardew on their staff, will not go down without a fight. I’m nevertheless predicting a Zorya win despite their poor start and will likely tune into this game myself.
Group D
A curious group, D features one clear standout team – the Dutch side AZ – and three others who are relatively evenly matched. Czechs Jablonec face down the Danes of Randers in the more finely-poised of the group’s two late kickoffs. AZ, meanwhile, need to stay focused during their game against Cluj – the Romanians are unfancied but are nevertheless no strangers to European upsets. I’m predicting a scoring Jablonec-Randers draw and a comfortable win for AZ, but would not be surprised by twists and turns in this group in particular.
Group E
No late kickoffs in Group E
Group F
Slovak champions Slovan Bratislava have thus far been unable to transfer their imperious domestic form onto the continental stage, but have no excuses against a Lincoln Red Imps side who are the first ever Gibraltarian team to qualify for the group stages of a European competition. Anything other than a Slovan win would, beyond the humiliation involved, all but rule them out of qualification with three games left to go.
Group G
No late kickoffs in group G
Group H
Basel are Switzerland’s pre-eminent European team, although you could have been forgiven for doubting this after they almost squandered a 4-0 lead at home to Kairat last time out. Manager Patrick Rahmen will presumably be keen to avoid similar complacency against Omonia – the Cypriots managed a draw against Kairat in their first fixture, only to suffer a thrashing at the hands of Qarabağ last time out, and have only scored once so far. A Basel win would see them regain control of the group and is therefore required as well as expected.
Stand-Out Late Kickoffs
Partizan – Gent
Zorya – CSKA Sofia
Jablonec – Randers
