Dozen domestic title winners battle for Champions League slots – The Kampala Report

The glamour, prestige and riches of club football’s finest competition are at stake when league winners of a dozen European countries lock horns for places in this season’s Uefa Champions League group stages later today.

Champions of Croatia, Serbia, Norway, Turkey, Denmark, Sweden and Czechia are among teams chasing the €20m cash windfall that’s at stake for simply overcoming the last qualification hurdle.

Croatia’s Dynamo Zagreb who are the talent factory behind legendary stars like 2018 Ballon D’Or winner Luka Modric, Mario Madzukic, Manchester City pair Mateo Kovacic and Josko Gvardiol as well as Barcelona’s Dani Olmo welcome Azerbaijan’s Qarabag who defeated Bulgaria’s Ludogorets 8-4 on aggregate in the previous round.

1991 European champions Red Star Belgrade, who along with Steau Bucharest of Romania, are the only clubs from Eastern Europe to ever lord over the continent, begin their unlikely ascent back to the apex of continental football away to Norwegian champions Bodo Glimt who underlined their growing reputation by pummelling Polish League winners Jagiellonia 5-1 on aggregate.

Another salivating contest takes place at the Stade Pierre Mauroy in northern France where Lille Metropole, who knocked Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahce out in the previous round, host Czechia champions Slavia Prague. The French side finished fourth in Ligue One last season but boast a formidable attack led by Canadian live wire Jonathan David.

Lille manager Bruno Genesio will warn his side to guard against complacency in the duel with a team that was strong enough to obliterate Belgium’s Union St Gilloise 4-1 on aggregate after winning home and away in the second qualifying round.

The sheer spending power of Turkish champions Galatasaray makes them favourites to advance in their duel with Swiss titlists Young Boys of Berne. Mauro Icardi, Wilfred Zaha, Michy Batshuayi, Dreis Mertens, Burak Yilmaz and Davinson Sanchez are among the stars expected to line up against Young Boys tomorrow.

TODAY
Dinamo Zagreb v Qarabag,
Bodo Glimt v Red Star Belgrade,
Lille Metropole v Slavia Prague,
Young Boys v Galatasaray,
Malmo v Sparta Prague,
Dynamo Kiev v Red Bull Salzburg,
Midtylland v Slovan Bratislava