Israeli Clubs in 2021-2022 UEFA Competitions [R]

Discussion in 'Israel' started by EvanJ, Jun 22, 2021.

  1. EvanJ

    EvanJ Member+

    Manchester United
    United States
    Mar 30, 2004
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Israel gets one club in the Champions League and three clubs in the new Europa Conference League. The Europa League is only for clubs from the top sixteen leagues.

    In the Champions League, Maccabi Haifa has a 4.875 coefficient, which makes them unseeded, and I wonder if it is the first time the Israeli champion has ever been unseeded in Qualifying Round 1. 4.875 is the minimum for an Israeli club. They will host the first leg against Kairat Almaty of Kazakhstan, who has a 6.000, which is tied for the second worst of the sixteen clubs, so Maccabi Haifa got a good draw. The games are on July 6 or 7 and 13 or 14. If they advance, they will host the first leg against Red Star Belgrade of Serbia, who has a 32.500, which will make them the fourth best of the ten seeded clubs in Qualifying Round 2, or the third best in the unlikely event that Valur of Iceland beats Dinamo Zagreb of Croatia in Qualifying Round 1. Qualifying Round 1 losers go to Europa Conference League Qualifying Round 3, and Qualifying Round 2 losers go to Europa League Champions Path Qualifying Round 3. It is possible for clubs from lesser leagues to reach the Europa League Group Stage if they come from the Champions League Qualifying Rounds.

    In the Europa Conference League, all Israeli clubs start in Qualifying Round 2, which has 90 clubs, and will be on July 22 and 29:

    Maccabi Tel Aviv has a 20.500 coefficient, which is the ninth best. In Qualifying Round 2, they will host the second leg against Gagra Tbilisi of Georgia, who has a 1.375 coefficient, or Sutjeska Niksic of Montenegro, who has a 4.750 coeffcieint.

    Hapoel Beer Sheva has a 17.500 coefficient, which is tied for twelfth. In Qualifying Round 2, they will host the second leg against Arda Kardzhali of Bulgaria, who has a 4.075 coefficient, which is the minimum for a Bulgarian club.

    MS Ashdod is unseeded with a 4.875 coefficient, and they will host the second leg against Qarabag of Azerbaijan, who has a 21.000 coefficient. In 2020-2021 Europa League Group I, they were the second seed, but they finished last, and their only point was from a 1-1 draw playing Maccabi Tel Aviv in Istanbul. Maccabi Tel Aviv won 1-0 hosting Qarabag, finished second, and was eliminated by Shakhtar Donetsk of Ukraine in the Round of 32.

    Even if Qarabag plays worse than their coefficient, I think they will advance. I will be very disappointed if Maccabi Tel Aviv and/or Hapoel Beer Sheva doesn't advance. Maccabi Haifa is unseeded, but not much worse than Kairat Almaty.
     
  2. EvanJ

    EvanJ Member+

    Manchester United
    United States
    Mar 30, 2004
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Maccabi Haifa 1-1 Kairat Almaty of Kazakhstan

    In the Champions League First Qualifying Round, unseeded Maccabi Haifa led 1-0 at halftime. https://www.flashscore.com/match/IJNnGVOn/#match-summary/match-statistics/0 says Kairat Almaty didn't have a shot on goal, but they scored, and it wasn't an own goal. If Maccabi Haifa is eliminated next week, they will go to the Europa Conference League Second Qualifying Round.
     
  3. EvanJ

    EvanJ Member+

    Manchester United
    United States
    Mar 30, 2004
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Kairat Almaty of Kazakhstan 2-0 Maccabi Haifa (3-1 aggregate)

    I made this post over seven minutes into stoppage time. In the unlikely event that another goal is scored, I'll post later. Israeli clubs start Europa Conference League qualifying next week.
     
  4. EvanJ

    EvanJ Member+

    Manchester United
    United States
    Mar 30, 2004
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    In the Europa Conference League Second Qualifying Round, all four Israeli clubs were away in the first leg.

    Qarabag (Azerbaijan) 0-0 Ashdod
    Qarabag dominted the amount of attacks (110 to 55), dangerous attacks (55 to 10), shots (9 to 3), and shots on goal (3 to 0). Possession was 50 percent each. Qarabag got a straight red in the 83rd. Qarabag's 21.000 coefficient was tied for sixth among the 90 clubs that did not start in Champions League qualifying, but they played worse than their coefficient in last season's Europa League Group Stage when they were in Pot 2, finished last, and their only point was a draw hosting Maccabi Tel Aviv, who finished second.

    Dinamo Tbilisi (Georgia) 1-2 Maccabi Haifa
    The path for teams that started in Champions League qualifying has different seeding, so Maccabi Haifa was among the top half in club coefficients but had to face a club with a higher coefficient. Maccabi Haifa scored in the 8th and led most of the game. Dinamo Tbilisi scored in the 88th. Many statistics were close, but Dinamo Tbilisi had much more free kicks and corner kicks combined, 29 to 13.

    Arda Kardzhali (Bulgaria) 0-2 Hapoel Beer Sheva
    Hapoel has a 17.500 coefficient, and Arda has a 4.075. Hapoel scored in the 52nd and 78th. Arda had more possesion, shots, free kicks, corner kicks, attacks, and dangerous attacks, but Hapoel had the only 5 shots on goal.

    Sutjeska Niksic (Montenegro) 0-0 Maccabi Tel Aviv
    Maccabi has a 20.500 coefficient, and Sutjeska has a 4.750. Maccabi got five yellows including an ejection for a second yellow in the 55th. Each club led in some statistics. Maccabi had more shots (9 to 6), and each club had 2 shots on goal.
     
  5. EvanJ

    EvanJ Member+

    Manchester United
    United States
    Mar 30, 2004
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I just found out that UEFA stopped using away goals as a tiebreaker.

    Ashdod vs. Qarabag, Hapoel Beer Sheva vs. Arda Kardzhali, and Maccabi Haifa vs. Dinamo Tbilisi will start at 8:00 P.M. local/1:00 P.M. USA Eastern, which is in one hour and ten minutes. Maccabi Tel Aviv vs. Sutjeska Niksic will start half an hour later. In the country coefficients for the last four complete seasons and this season so far, Israel is 23rd with 18.500. Bulgaria is 24th with 17.375, so if Hapoel Beer Sheva eliminated Arda Kardzhali it will help Israel remain ahead of Bulgaria. Israel ended 2020-2021 in 21st, but they did well in 2016-2017 that dropped out when 2021-2022 started.
     
  6. EvanJ

    EvanJ Member+

    Manchester United
    United States
    Mar 30, 2004
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Ashdod 0-1 Qarabag (0-1 aggregate)
    The only goal was in the 6th. Ashdod had 54 percent of the possession, but Qarabag had more shots on goal, 6 to 1. It's disappointing to draw away and lose at home, but Ashdod was facing one of the best seeded clubs.

    Hapoel Beer Sheva 4-0 Arda Kardzhali (6-0 aggregate)
    Arda Kardzahli had more possession, free kicks, corner kicks, attacks, and dangerous attacks. Hapoel Beer Sheva had 2.25 times as many shots, 18 to 8 and 2.25 times as many shots on goal, 9 to 4. Hapoel Beer Sheva took the lead in the 5th.

    Maccabi Haifa 5-1 Dinamo Tbilisi (7-2 aggregate)
    Maccabi Haifa led 2-1 with one of their goals being an own goal until they scored in the 75th, 81st, and 85th. Dinamo Tbilisi had more possession, free kicks, attacks, and dangerous attacks. Maccabi Haifa had more shots, 13 to 7, and more shots on goal, 8 to 2.

    Maccabi Tel Aviv 3-1 Sutjeska Niksic (3-1 aggregate)
    Maccabi Tel Aviv dominated the statistics with 58 percent of the possession, more shots (18 to 6), more shots on goal (10 to 4), more attcks (165 to 93), and more dangerous attacks (98 to 28).

    In the Third Qualifying Round, Maccabi Haifa (4.875) will host the first leg against HB Torshavn of Faroe Islands (2.250), Hapoel Beer Sheva (17.500) will host the second leg against Slask Wroclaw of Poland (3.025), and Maccabi Tel Aviv (20.500) will host the second leg against Spartak Trnava of Slovakia (7.500). The Champions Path, which Maccabi Haifa is in, did not have seeding.

    The draw for the Playoff Round is on Monday, and it is done assuming the better clubs advance in the Third Qualifying Round. FCSB and AEK Athens were seeded clubs who were eliminated today, and that was just enough to make Hapoel Beer Sheva seeded in the Playoff Round. AEK Athens trailed 1-0 hosting Velez Mostar of Bosnia and Herzegovina, but AEK Athens scored in the 90+8th to make the aggregate 2-2, and Velez Mostar advanced because AEK Athens made only two of five penalty kicks. If away goals were still used, AEK Athens would have advanced. It's similar to last season when three Champions League clubs with a higher coefficient than Maccabi Tel Aviv lost in the Second Qualifying Round, which was just enough to make Maccabi Tel Aviv seeded in the Third Qualifying Round. With two clubs who will be seeded in the Playoff Round if they get there, Israel has a chance to have two Group Stage clubs for the second consecutive season. Maccabi Haifa could reach the Group Stage also, but the Playoff Round for Champions has teams that lose in the Europa League Third Qualifying Round seeded, and clubs that win in the Europa Conference League Third Qualifying Round unseeded, so I'll be impressed if Maccabi Haifa reaches the Group Stage. I do not remember Israel having three or more Group Stage clubs in one season in the tournaments combined.
     
  7. EvanJ

    EvanJ Member+

    Manchester United
    United States
    Mar 30, 2004
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    If they reach the Europa Conference League Playoff Round Champions Path, Maccabi Haifa will host the second leg against the loser of the Europa League Third Qualifying Round Champions Path between Neftchi Baku of Azerbaijan (5.500) and HJK Helsinki of Finland (5.500). The Europa League Third Qualifying Round Champions Path has ten clubs without seeding, and Naftchi Baku and HJK Helsinki are two of the bottom three. When I said last week "the Playoff Round for Champions has teams that lose in the Europa League Third Qualifying Round seeded," I did not realize that Maccabi Haifa would face a champion that was not from one of the top leagues.

    If they reach the Europa Conference League Playoff Round Main Path, Maccabi Tel Aviv will host the second leg against Kolos Kovalivka of Ukraine (6.620) or Shakhter Karagandy of Kazakhstan (3.125), albeit they beat FCSB of Romania who has a 21.000. I hadn't heard of Kolos Kovalivka, and they got promoted to the Ukrainian Premier League for the first time in 2019. They were fourth in 2020-2021.

    If they reach the Europa Conference League Playoff Round Main Path, Hapoel Beer Sheva will host the first legt against the loser of the Europa League Third Qualifying Round Main Path between Rapid Wien of Austria (17.000) and Anorthosis Famagusta of Cyprus (5.550).

    Given that good draw, all three Israeli clubs could reach the Europa Conference League Group Stage.

    In the Europa Conference League Third Qualifying Round first legs on Thursday, Maccabi Haifa hosts HB Torshavn of Faroe Islands at 8:00 P.M. Israel/7:00 P.M. CET/1:00 P.M. USA Eastern, Hapoel Beer Sheva is at Slask Wroclaw of Poland at 9:00 P.M. Israel/8:00 P.M. CET/2:00 P.M. USA Eastern, and Maccabi Tel Aviv is at Spartak Trnava of Slovakia at 9:15 P.M. Israel/8:15 P.M. CET/2:15 P.M. USA Eastern.
     
  8. EvanJ

    EvanJ Member+

    Manchester United
    United States
    Mar 30, 2004
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Maccabi Haifa 7-2 HB Torshavn of Faroe Islands
    With the score 3-1, HB Torshaven got an ejection.

    Slask Wroclaw of Poland 2-1 Hapoel Beer Sheva
    Slaswk Wroclaw has a very 3.025 coefficient, so a loss was disappointing, but Hapoel Beer Sheva could come back next week.

    Spartak Trnava of Slovakia 0-0 Maccabi Tel Aviv
    Maccabi Tel Aviv had better statistics. There wasn't much action with only 4 shots on goal, with 3 by Maccabi Tel Aviv, and 1 yellow card, which was for Spartak Trnava.
     
  9. EvanJ

    EvanJ Member+

    Manchester United
    United States
    Mar 30, 2004
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    In today's Europa Conference League Third Qualifying Round second legs:

    Hapoel Beer Sheva 4-0 Slask Wroclaw of Poland (5-2 aggregate)
    After losing 2-1 away, Hapoel Beer Sheva scored twice to take the aggregate lead within 7 minutes.

    Maccabi Tel Aviv 1-0 Spartak Trnava of Slovakia (1-0 aggregate)
    Shiran Yeini is a defender, but in the 13th minute he scored the only goal of either leg.

    HB Torashavn of Faroe Islands 1-0 Maccabi Haifa (3-7 aggregate)
    Maccabi Haifa had nothing to worry about after winning 7-2 last week, but it was still disappointing to lose and not get any coefficient points at a club with a 2.250 coefficient.

    In the Europa League Playoff Round on August 19 and 26:

    Maccabi Haifa (4.875) hosts the second leg against Neftci Baku of Azerbaijan (5.000).

    Maccabi Tel Aviv (20.500) hosts the second leg against Shakhter Karagandy of Kazakhstan (3.125), who beat two seeded clubs, including FCSB with a 21.000.

    Hapoel Beer Sheva (17.500) hosts the first leg against Anorthosis Famagusta of Cyprus (5.500).

    All three Israeli clubs will have second legs in or near Israel, and all of them could reach the Group Stage. The club coefficients above are for the last five complete seasons. Coefficient points earned in 2021-2022 do not help seeding in later rounds of 2021-2022.

    Israel is 23rd with 20.125 in the last four complete seasons and this season combined. Israel is in a six-way tie for eighth with 2.500 so far this season, but the top clubs ahven't played yet.
     
  10. EvanJ

    EvanJ Member+

    Manchester United
    United States
    Mar 30, 2004
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Shakhter Karagandy of Kazakhstan 1-2 Maccabi Tel Aviv

    Maccabi Tel Aviv had more shots on goal, 5 to 2. Flash Score doesn't have possession percentages.

    Hapoel Beer Sheva and Maccabi Haifa start in about two hours.
     
  11. EvanJ

    EvanJ Member+

    Manchester United
    United States
    Mar 30, 2004
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Neftci Baku of Azerbaijan 3-3 Maccabi Haifa

    Neftchi Baku led 3-1 when they went down a man in the 77th. Maccabi Haifa scored in the 78th and equalized in the 90+6th. Maccabi Haifa has much better statistics with 63 percent of the possession, 66.7 percent of the shots (14 to 7), 61.5 percent of the shots on goal (8 to 5), 58.9 percent of the attacks (106 to 74), 72.6 percent of the dangerous attacks (82 to 31), and a higher percent of attacks that were dangeorus (82/106 = 77.4 percent to 31/74 = 41.9 percent). I don't know what the average percent of attacks that were dangerous is, but 77.4 percent is very high. The clubs had the same amount of free kicks and corner kicks combined. Maccabi Haifa had 57 percent of the possession in the first half and 69 percent in the second half.

    Hapoel Beer Sheva 0-0 Anorthosis Famagusta of Cyprus

    It was a disappointing home draw for a club with a much higher coefficient. Hapoel Beer Sheva had much better statistics with 60 percent of the possession, 67.9 percent of the shots (19 to 9), 75 percent of the shots on goal (3 to 1), 54.8 percent of the free kicks and corner kicks combined (17 to 14, I made up the statistic of adding set pieces), 54.3 percent of the attacks (75 to 63), 62.0 percent of the dangerous attacks (44 to 27), and a higher percent of attacks that were dangerous (44/75 = 58.7 percent to 27/63 = 42.9 percent). Anorthosis Famagusta had 59.1 percent of the fouls (13 to 9) and the only 4 yellow cards.

    Israel's coefficient for 2021-2022 is up to 3.000. I'm not going to post where that ranks after today's games end. I'll post that after next week when the Playoff Round is done and the Group Stage clubs for all three competitions are known.
     
  12. EvanJ

    EvanJ Member+

    Manchester United
    United States
    Mar 30, 2004
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Anorthosis Famagusta of Cyprus 3-1 Hapoel Beer Sheva (3-1 aggregate)

    Hapoel Beer Sheva allowed a goal and then scored to tie the second leg and aggregate. In the 45th, Hapoel Beer Sheva got a red for a second yellow. Anorthosis Famagusta scored in the 62nd and 69th, and Hapoel Beer Sheva got a second yellow for the second time in the 90+6th. There were 15 yellow cards, with 9 to Hapoel Ber Sheva, including 1 to a player not on the pitch. Anorthosis Famausta had 52 percent of the possession, more shots on goal (5 to 4, 55.6 percent), and more attacks (96 to 75, 56.1 percent). Hapoel Beer Sheva had more shots (9 to 8, 52.9 percent), more combined corner kicks and free kicks (25 to 18, 58.1 percent), more dangerous attacks (52 to 37, 48.4 percent), and a higher percent of attacks that were dangerous (52/75 = 69.3 percent to 37/96 = 38.5 percent).

    Maccabi Haifa 4-0 Neftci Baku of Azerbaijan (7-3 aggregate)

    After tariling the first leg 3-1, Maccabi Haifa scored the last 6 aggregate goals. Neftci Baku had more free kicks (19 to 7, 73.1 percent) that helped them have more combined corner kicks and free kicks (21 to 12, 63.6 percent). Maccabi Haifa was better in most statistics with 60 percent of the possession, more shots (14 to 8, 63.6 percent), more shots on goal (8 to 2, 80 percent), a higher percent of shots that were on goals (8/14 = 57.1 percent to 2/8 = 25 percent), more attacks (136 to 107, 56.0 percent), more dangerous attacks (79 to 46, 63.2 percent), and a higher percent of attacks that were dangerous (79/136 = 58.1 percent to 46/107 = 43.0 percent). Each club got 3 yellow cards.

    Maccabi Tel Aviv 2-0 Shakhter Karagandy of Kazakhstan (4-1 aggregate)

    Maccabi Tel Aviv dominated the statistics with 64 percent of the possession, more shots (9 to 7, 56.25 percent), more shots on goal (5 to 2, 71.4 percent), a higher percent of shots of shots that were on goal (5/9 = 55.6 percent to 2/7 = 28.6 percent), more combined corner kicks to free kicks (28 to 23, 54.9 percent), more attacks (93 to 79, 54.1 percent), more dangeorus attacks (82 to 48, 63.1 percent), and a higher percent of attacks that were dangeorus (82/93 = 88.2 percent to 48/79 = 60.8 percent). Each club got 3 yellow cards.

    Israel will have two Group Stage clubs for the second consecutive season. Israel is up to 3.500, which is half of their 7.000 last season. Israel is tied for fifth out of 55 countries, but the top leagues have clubs who haven't played yet. For the five season sum, today Israel passed Denmark for 22nd. However, Denmark has four clubs left and Israel has two. Israel is 1.500 behind Sweden who has one club left, 1.375 behind Norway who has one club left in Europa Conference League Pot 4, and 1.325 behind Greece who has two clubs left. Israel is likely to finish from 19th to 23rd. The Europa Conference League Group Stage draw is tomorrow. Maccabi Tel Aviv will be in Pot 2, and Maccabi Haifa will be in Pot 4. Flora Tallinn of Estonia (6.250, leads the aggregate by 3 goals so they will probably advance), Kairat Almaty of Kazakhstan (6.000), Lincoln Red Imps of Gibraltar (5.750), Randers of Demark (5.575), Anorthosis Famagusta of Cyprus (5.500), HJK Helsinki of Finland (5.500), and Bodo/Glimt of Norway (4.200) are the seven possible Pot 4 opponents for Maccabi Tel Aviv. There will be eight groups of four, which is different from twelve groups of four that the Europa League used to have.
     
  13. EvanJ

    EvanJ Member+

    Manchester United
    United States
    Mar 30, 2004
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Maccabi Tel Aviv got an easy draw in Group A. LASK of Austria has a 21.000, which is the worst of the Pot 1 clubs, and barely higher than Maccabi Tel Aviv's 20.500. Alashkert of Armenia has 6.500 and is in a group stage for the first time, and HJK Helsinki of Finland has a 5.500. Maccabi Haifa is in Group E with Slavia Prague of Czech Republic (43.500 to be tied for the middle two spots among the Pot 1 clubs), Feyenoord of Netherlands (21.000 that is tied with Pot 1 club LASK and Pot 2 club Qarabag), and Union Berlin of Germany (14.714 that is the best among Pot 3 clubs). With a 4.875 coefficient, you can't rule out Maccabi Haifa going pointless. Group winners go to the Round of 16. Second place clubs go to the Knockout Round, where they face third place clubs from the Europa League, with the winners going to the Round of 16.
     
  14. EvanJ

    EvanJ Member+

    Manchester United
    United States
    Mar 30, 2004
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Israeli clubs played in the Europa Conference League today instead of Thursday because Thursday in Yom Kippur. It was the first of six group stage matchdays, and I'm happy:

    Maccabi Haifa 0-0 Feyenoord of Netherlands

    Some statistics were close, but Feyenoord dominated shots 15 to 4 and shots on goal 3 to 0. Feyenoord has a 21.000 coefficient, and Maccabi Haifa has a 4.875, so I'm satisfied with a draw at home.

    Maccabi Tel Aviv 4-1 Alashkert of Armenia

    Maccabi Tel Aviv had 52 percent of the possession, more shots 17 to 11, and more shots on goal 8 to 4. Maccabi Tel Aviv has a 20.500 coefficient, and Alashkert has a 6.500.

    That's 0.750 country coefficient points today to go up to 4.250 this season.
     
  15. EvanJ

    EvanJ Member+

    Manchester United
    United States
    Mar 30, 2004
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    LASK of Austria won 2-0 at HJK Helsinki of Finland to make the Group A stanings:

    Maccabi Tel Aviv: 3 points, +3
    LASK: 3 points, +2
    HJK Helsinki: 0 points, -2
    Alashkert of Armenia: 0 points, -3

    Slavia Prague of Czech Republic won 3-1 hosting Union Berlin of Germany to make the Group E standings:

    Slavia Prague: 3 points, +2
    Maccabi Haifa: 1 point, +0
    Feyenoord of Netherlands: 1 point, +0
    Union Berlin: 0 points, -2

    Denmark passed Israel for 22nd in the country coefficients for the last four complete seasons and this season. Israel's 4.250 for this season is fourth.
     
  16. Ceres

    Ceres Member+

    Jan 18, 2004
    Aarhus, Denmark
    Club:
    AGF Aarhus
    Nat'l Team:
    Denmark
    #16 Ceres, Sep 18, 2021
    Last edited: Sep 18, 2021
    The main aim for Israel should be the 15th spot, which reward you with 2 teams in the Champions League qualifiers, 1 team (Cup winner) in the Europa league qualifiers and 2 teams in the Europa Conference League qualifiers, instead of 1 team in the CL qualifiers and 3 teams in the Conference League qualifiers, as it is now and also will be next season.

    Good news is that non of the countries below Israel will be able to catch up this season, considering that Romania, Hungary and Poland only have 1 of 4 teams left team and are more than 4.000 points behind = at least 18 wins behind the 2 Israeli sides. The 2 teams from Bulgaria right below in the ranking, "only" need to win 12 games more to catch up, but this also seem impossible.

    Israel will no doubt pass Sweden and Norway who both only have 1 of 4 teams left, and with the best team Malmö being in the Champions League, not likely able to score much points vs. Juventus, Chelsea and Zenit from Russia.

    As for Denmark, as mentioned, there is pretty much no chance for Israel to catch up because Denmark, unlike any of the other countries from 9-place and below (except for Belgium) still having 4 out of 5 teams left in the Europa League and the Europa Conference League group stages, and as top seeded, FC København is more or less already sure to progress from their group to the later stages, having beaten Slovan Bratislava 3-1 away and only having to face them at home and also doing well in the two games vs. the Red Imps minnows from Gibraltar to be able to progress.

    The fight for the top spot in their group will be vs. PAOK from Greece, but with the shape FCK are in right now in the Danish Superliga, the brilliant signings they have made, and having beaten Turkish Sivasspor both home (5-0) and away (2-1) in the play-off's and now also Bratislava (3-1) away, they seem quite unbeatable at the moment vs. teams outside the top-5 leagues (in much the same way as the Denmark NT).

    Most experts also believe that FC Midtjylland will progress from their group in the Europa League (eliminating Celtic from Scotland in the Champions League qualifiers), though they are a bit unstable because they have both been selling and buying a lot of players in the summer transfer window, as usual for Danish top teams, but the big surprise from Denmark is going to be the group stage debutants from Randers, who may seem quite modest on paper, but very unusually have been able to keep their best players while also signing quality reinforcements of lately, to cope with both the Superliga and Europe at the same time, so they are a very "well oiled machine", both team-wise and tactically, not least brilliant at set pieces and so are more than highly difficult to beat. The Danish Champions Brøndby are on the other hand terrible ill prepared, having sold or lost 5 of their key players to Frankfurt, Bremen, Köln, Pisa from Italy and Dutch Zulte Waregem, while having trouble finding replacements in time. So they will probably crash and burn this season.
     
  17. EvanJ

    EvanJ Member+

    Manchester United
    United States
    Mar 30, 2004
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    15th would be great, but it's not realistic. Israel has too many bad seasons. In the last four complete seasons, Denmark has 4.125, 4.875, 5.125, and 5.250. Israel has a much higher standard deviation with 2.375, 2.625, 5.625, and 7.000. For both countries I gave the values in increasing order, not chronological order. Going farther back, Israel got 2.250 in 2015-2016 and 1.375 in 2014-2015. That means in a majority of the last seven complete seasons, Israel got 2.625 or lower. Israel's 7.000 in 2020-2021 ranked ninth, but 2.375 in 2019-2020 was tied for 33rd. The ranking of ninth was above Russia, Ukraine, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, Greece, Denmark, Czech Republic, and Croatia where you could name plenty of clubs in those leagues better than the top Israeli club.

    Another notable thing is the coefficients for the top Israeli clubs. Comparing Maccabi Tel Aviv and Hapoel Beer Sheva to Sparta Prague, Slavia Prague, and Viktoria Plzen, I would expect Czech Republic to have a much higher country coefficient, when Czech Republic has 24.000 and Israel has 21.875. It benefits countries to have the same countries in UEFA every season so they have higher coefficients. On the other hand, seeing a variety of domestic champions is better than having BATE Borisov (13 consecutive titles through 2018) of Belarus, Sheriff Tiraspol of Moldova (19 of the last 21 titles), Dinamo Zagreb of Croatia (15 of the last 16 titles), Qarabag of Azerbaijan (7 consecutive titles through 2019-2020), or Malmo FF of Sweden (5 of the last 8 titles) dominate. Red Star Belgrade (Crvena Zvezda) and Partizan Belgrade have combined to win the last 23 Serbian titles, and have been in the top two in 20 of the last 22 seasons. On Vojvodina Novi Sad in 2008-2009 and Radnicki Nis in 2018-2019 have finished above either Belgrade club during that time. Israel has had 6 champions in the last 14 seasons, with Maccabi Tel Aviv leading with 5 titles. In the last 10 seasons, 8 clubs have finished in the top three, which is over half of the 14 clubs that the league has at a time. Including clubs who were in the top level some seasons, they had over 14 clubs in the top level in the last 10 seasons. This season was the first time in a while (possibly ever) that Israel's champion was unseeded in Qualifying Round 1.

    I don't like the change that clubs get the coefficient they earned or 20 percent of the country coefficient, whichever is greater, rather than adding them like UEFA used to do. For the last five complete seasons, which is what was used for seeding for 2021-2022, Maccabi Tel Aviv led Israel with a 20.500. Qarabag of Azerbaijan and FCSB of Romania each had a 21.000, but if you add 20 percent of the country coefficient, Maccabi Tel Aviv would have been above the other two.

    On September 30, Maccabi Tel Aviv has their hardest game, which is at LASK of Austria. Maccabi Haifa is at Union Berlin of Germany, who is in last after one matchday, but is from a top league. Maccabi Haifa has their middle two games against Pot 1 club Slavia Prague of Czech Republic, so losing their next three wouldn't be surprising.
     
    Ceres repped this.
  18. Ceres

    Ceres Member+

    Jan 18, 2004
    Aarhus, Denmark
    Club:
    AGF Aarhus
    Nat'l Team:
    Denmark
    Well, the main problem for countries below the 15th spot after the introduction of the Europa Conference League is that you get both a 2nd and 3rd chance if you lose in the Champions League qualifiers and a 2nd chance if you lose in the Europa League qualifiers, but are eliminated and out if you lose in the Conference League qualifiers and the qualifiers only provide 1 point for a win and ½ a point for a draw, while games in a group stage of any kind, provide 2 points for a win and 1 for a draw.

    So Denmark may start out low and slow, but is blessed for being 13 in the ranking for this season and 14th in the ranking for next season, giving them 2 spots in the CL qualifiers, 1 spot in the EL qualifiers and 2 in the Conference League, while the likes of Sweden, Norway, and Israel have an uphill battle with 3 of 4 teams in the Europa Conference League qualifiers, making it most likely for only 1 or at best 2 teams qualifying for a group stage both this and next season.

    Denmark may seem kind of blessed, but will never progress all that much above a 15 spot in the league ranking because the top clubs are pretty much all about producing and selling young talents to the top-5 leagues, except for FC København that have the financial power to buy very good players from top countries abroad before they plan to sell their top Danish talents. It's all good for the Danish NT's both at youth and senior level as it's easy to see, but will keep the Danish Superliga below it's actual potential in Europe, because of the much trading and selling in the summer transfer windows every year, before the Europa Cup qualifiers kicks off.
     
  19. EvanJ

    EvanJ Member+

    Manchester United
    United States
    Mar 30, 2004
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    LASK of Austria 1-1 Maccabi Tel Aviv

    LASK scored in the 10th minute and led most of the game, but Eden Shamir or Osama Khalaila equalized in the 88th. If Shamir scored, it is his first goal for Maccabi Tel Aviv while on loan from Standard Liege of Belgium. I used Flash Score, and https://www.flashscore.com/match/K2CIHxiS/#match-summary/match-summary says Shamir scored, while https://www.flashscore.com/match/K2CIHxiS/#report is a recap titled "Last-gasp Khalaila breaks Linzer hearts." Maccabi Tel Aviv had 57 percent of the possession in each half, 61.1 percent of the total passes (525 to 334), 65.8 percent of the completed passes (424 to 220), a higher pass completion percentage (424/525 = 80.8 percent to 220/334 = 65.9 percent), and 59.4 percent of the combined free kicks and corner kicks (19 to 13). LASK had 61.7 percent of the attacks (153 to 95), 58.3 percent of the dangerous attacks (63 to 45), 62.5 percent of the shots (15 to 9), and 66.7 percent of the shots on goal (6 to 3). Maccabi Tel Aviv had a higher percent of attacks that were dangerous (45/95 = 47.4 percent to 63/153 = 41.2 percent), 27.8 percent of the fouls (LASK had more, 13 to 5), and 40 percent of the yellow cards (LASK had more, 3 to 2).

    The standings are:

    Maccabi Tel Aviv (Pot 2, 20.500): 4 points, 5 goals scored, 2 goals allowed: +3
    LASK of Austria (Pot 1, 21.000): 4 points, 3 goals scored, 1 goal allowed, +2
    HJK Helsinki of Finland (Pot 4, 5.500): 3 points, 4 goals scored, 3 goals allowed, +0
    Alashkert of Armenia: 0 points (Pot 3, 6.500), 3 goals scored, 8 goals allowed, -5

    Clubs play the same opponent in the middle two games. Maccabi Tel Aviv plays HJK Helsinki, and HJK Helsinki hosts the first game. Clubs play an opponent in games one and five, and an opponent in games two and six, so Maccabi Tel Aviv ends hosting LASK. If Maccabi Tel Aviv beats HJK Helsinki twice, and Alashkert gets 3 or fewer points in two games vs. LASK, Maccabi Tel Aviv will clinch advancing on Matchday 4. I do not know when the last time (if ever) an Israeli club won a group, and when the last time (if ever) an Israeli club advanced on Matchday 4. There is a benefit to winning the group because winners go to the Round of 16, while second place clubs face Europa League third plcae clubs in the Preliminary Knockout Round.

    The draw is 1/4 = 0.250 coefficient point to get Israel up to 4.500. I will post Israel's country coefficient and rank after the second set of games, which includes Maccabi Haifa at Union Berlin of Germany. Neither club had a shot in the first 11 minutes.
     
  20. EvanJ

    EvanJ Member+

    Manchester United
    United States
    Mar 30, 2004
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Union Berlin of Germany 3-0 Maccabi Haifa

    The standings are:

    Feyenoord of Netherlands (Pot 2, 21.000): 4 points, 2 goals scored, 1 goal allowed, +1
    Slavia Prague of Czech Republic (Pot 1, 43.500): 3 points, 4 goals scored, 3 goals allowed, +1
    Union Berlin of Germany (Pot 3, 14.714): 3 points, 4 goals scored, 3 goals allowed, +1
    Maccabi Haifa (Pot 4, 4.875): 1 point, 0 goals scored, 3 goals allowed, -3

    Israel is tied for 12th with a 4.500 for 2021-2022 so far, and remained 23rd for the last four complete seasons and this season with a 22.125.
     
  21. EvanJ

    EvanJ Member+

    Manchester United
    United States
    Mar 30, 2004
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    HJK Helsinki of Finland (5.500) 0-5 Maccabi Tel Aviv (20.500)

    It was 0-1 at halftime, and Maccabi Tel Aviv scored in the 49th (penalty), 60th, 87th (penalty), and 90+4th. Maccabi Tel Aviv had 57 percent of the possession, more shots (13 to 6), and more shots on goal (7 to 3 with all of HJK Helsinki's in the second half), but HJK Helsinki had more free kicks (15 to 4), more corner kicks (1 to 0), and more dangerous attacks (53 to 49). That means HJK Helsinki had 80 percent of the combined free kicks and corner kicks. Each club got 1 yellow card. Maccabi Tel Aviv has 7 points from 3 games, and the other game in the group is Alashkert of Armenia (6.500) vs. LASK of Austria (21.000). At the same time, Maccabi Haifa (4.875) hosts Slavia Prague of Czech Republic (43.500). Slavia Prague has nine players injured and one players suspended, which is why they brought only seven subs, and two are goalkeepers, so if they make the maximum five subs, and none are goalkeepers, we know who will be subbed on. The other game is Feyenoord of Netherlands (21.000) vs. Union Berlin of Germany (14.714). All three of those will start in about 15 minutes.
     
  22. EvanJ

    EvanJ Member+

    Manchester United
    United States
    Mar 30, 2004
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Maccabi Haifa 1-0 Slavia Prague of Czech Republic

    Slavia Prague had much better statistics with 57 percent of the possesopn, more shots (20 to 9), and more shots on goal (6 to 3). The goal was in the 24th minute. Here are the standings through Matchday 3 of 6:

    Group A:
    Maccabi Tel Aviv: 7 points, 10 goals scored, 2 goals allowed, +8, above LASK on head-to-head away goals, which is unfair because LASK hasn't played in Israeli yet, but tiebreakers before the end don't matter, and if you use goal differential, Maccabi Tel Aviv would still be above LASK.
    LASK of Austria: 7 points, 6 goals scored, 1 goal allowed, +5
    HJK Helsinki of Finland: 3 points, 4 goals scored, 9 goals allowed, -5
    Alashkert of Armenia: 0 points, 3 goals scored, 11 goals allowed, -8
    The only clubs in the Europa Conference League who have scored or allowed double-digits are Maccabi Tel Aviv with 10 scored, and Alashkert with 11 allowed.

    Group E:
    Feyenoord of Netherlands: 7 points, 5 goals scored, 2 goals allowed, +3
    Maccabi Haifa: 4 points, 1 goal scored, 3 goals allowed, -2
    Slavia Prague of Czech Republic: 3 points, 4 goals scored, 4 goals allowed, +0
    Union Berlin of Germany: 3 points, 5 goals scored, 6 goals allowed, -1
    It is unusual for the second place club to have the worst gola differential and to have lost 3-0 to the last place club, but that happened. Every club has scored. Maccabi Haifa, CSKA Sofia of Bulgaria, CFR Cluj of Romania, and Lincoln Red Imps of Gibraltar are tied for the fewest goals with 1.

    In the Group Stage country coefficients, wins are worth 2 points, so Israel got 4 points/4 clubs they started with = 1. Their country coefficient for the last four complete seasons and thie season so far is 23.125. Today they passed Denmark and Sweden for 21st. Denmark has four clubs left, so they could pass Israel. Sweden has Malmo in the Champions League Group Stage, where they lost 4-0, 4-0, and 3-0, so Sweden might not get any more points this year. Israel has a five season sum of 23.125, and their 5.500 for 2021-2022 so far is tied for ninth.



     
  23. EvanJ

    EvanJ Member+

    Manchester United
    United States
    Mar 30, 2004
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Maccabi Tel Aviv 3-0 HJK Helsinki of Finland

    Maccabi Tel Aviv's statistics were not impressive. They had only three shots on goal, which included goals in the 22nd and 90+3rd. HJK Helsinki scored an own goal in the 65th. Maccabi Tel Aviv had 55 percent of the possession, more shots (10 to 4), and more shots on goal (3 to 1). HJK Helsinki had 1 more combined corner kick and free kick (16 to 15), and Maccabi Tel Aviv had one more yellow card (2 to 1). LASK of Austria won 2-0 hosting Alashkert of Armenia, which advances Maccabi Tel Aviv and LASK. Group winners go to the Round of 16, and second place clubs play Europa League third place clubs before that. Maccabi Tel Aviv got a draw at LASK, and Maccabi Tel Aviv's goal differential is 4 better, so if Maccabi Tel Aviv draws hosting LASK and wins at Alashkert, Maccabi Tel Aviv will finish first unless LASK has a giant margin over HJK Helsinki. If Maccabi Tel Aviv wins hosting LASK, they will lead by 3 points and the head-to-head tiebreaker with one game left, so Maccabi Tel Aviv would clinch first. UEFA no longer uses away goals as a tiebreaker. I do not know when the last time (if ever) an Israeli club clinched advancing on Matchday 4 and when the last time (if ever) an Israeli club won a group.

    Maccabi Haifa is early in their game at Slavia Prague of Czech Republic. After that set of games, I will post Israel's coeffieicent rank. Maccabi Tel Aviv's win gave Israel 2/4 = 0.500, which makes 6.000 for this season so far.
     
  24. EvanJ

    EvanJ Member+

    Manchester United
    United States
    Mar 30, 2004
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Slavia Prague of Czech Republic 1-0 Maccabi Haifa

    The first shot on goal was by Maccabi Haifa in the 45th minute. Slavia Prague scored in the 49th minute, had the only 5 shots on goal of the second half, and had 56 percent of the possession in each half. In four games, Maccabi Haifa has scored 1 goal and allowed 4. With Feyenoord of Netherlands' 2-1 win at Union Berlin of Germany, Union Berlin remained in last, but Maccabi Haifa could finish last. Maccabi Haifa's next game is hosting Union Berlin, who won 3-0 hosting Maccabi Haifa, which is the only one of 32 games played by last place clubs in the Europa Conference League that a last place club won. Even if Maccabi Haifa finishes last with 4 points, that's fine by the standards of a Pot 4 club.

    Maccabi Tel Aviv got a bonus point for advancing from the Europa Conference League Group Stage, which I did not count in my previous post, so Israel got 3/4 = 0.750 today, but Israel still fell one spot to 22nd in the last four complete seasons and this season combined. Denmark got 1.200 today to move up to 20th with 24.175. They passed Norway, which is 21st with 24.000, and Israel which is 22nd with 23.875. Denmark does not have any bonus points yet, but they have a good chance at getting them. Maccabi Tel Aviv will get one more bonus point if they win their group. For this season, Israel is ninth with 6.250. For the last four complete seasons and this season, Maccabi Tel Aviv is 58th with a 23.500. The highest five season club coefficient rank by an Israeli club is 58th by Hapoel Tel Aviv from 2006-2007 through 2010-2011, so maybe Maccabi Tel Aviv will break the record for best rank by an Israeli club.

    The next games are in three weeks because national teams play in between.
     
  25. EvanJ

    EvanJ Member+

    Manchester United
    United States
    Mar 30, 2004
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States


    Maccabi Tel Aviv's third goal was from outside the 18 yard box through the air.

    Israel's highest country coefficient in two consecutive seasons is 14.166 from 8.333 in 2001-2002 and 5.833 in 2002-2003. If Maccabi Tel Aviv gets a win and a draw (or two wins, or points from Maccabi Haifa), Israel will be up to 7.250 this season and 14.250 for this season and last season combined.
     

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