Italian Clubs find out UEFA qualifying fate

By: Francesco | August 1st, 2008

Today the draw was held for the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Cup qualifying rounds. Juventus, Fiorentina, and Napoli all awaited the draw to see who they have to beat to get into the group stage of their respective tournaments (and Juventus and Fiorentina hoped it wasn’t Atletico Madrid or Galatasaray). After the draw, you can say that all three clubs can be satisfied.

Juventus will take on either Finnish club Tampere United or Slovakians Artmedia Bratislava. Fiorentina will have to get past Czech club Slavia Prague if they want to participate in the Champions League group stage for the first time since 1999/2000.

And in the UEFA Cup draw, Napoli were handed Albanian side Vllaznia Shkoder (try saying that 5 times fast) and have an excellent chance of progressing to the UEFA Cup group stage.

Category: Serie A

Tags: Champions League, Fiorentina, Juventus, Napoli, Serie A, UEFA, UEFA Cup

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• alessio |  August 1st, 2008 at 6:51 am

  
  
  

  What a terrific draw. I was worried a bit about Atletico and Galatarsaray (we could beat em both) but this will be a cruise.

  Posted from United States

  

• ursus arctos |  August 1st, 2008 at 7:28 am

  
  
  

  Francesco, Artmedia are from Slovakia, not Slovenia. Actually, if you want to get into detail they are the current incarnation of a club that traditionally represented the Hungarian minority in Bratislava.

  Ale, that’s what Celtic thought . . .

  Posted from Italy

  

• Francesco |  August 1st, 2008 at 7:50 am

  
  
  

  Thanks ursus. I got my “Slo’s” mixed up. I knew Bratislava was in Slovakia but for some reason I typed Slovenia.

  Posted from United States

  

• alessio |  August 1st, 2008 at 7:53 am

  
  
  

  Ah, did not realize they were the team that upset Celtic.

  But we’re not Celtic. :)

  Posted from United States

  

• ursus arctos |  August 1st, 2008 at 8:19 am

  
  
  

  No, you’re not. As much as I may wish you were . . .

  Posted from Italy

  

• Rob |  August 1st, 2008 at 9:09 am

  
  
  

  Slavia Prague is tricky for La Viola, that should be a great game.

  Posted from United States

  

• Antonio |  August 1st, 2008 at 10:00 am

  
  
  

  Forza Italia.

  Good luck to all.

  Posted from United States

  

• Antonio |  August 1st, 2008 at 10:15 am

  
  
  

  I would just like to make it known that I have been “banned” from posting comments on the ROma offside. I did not curse, insult, or yell at any individual. All I did was post my opinion on Totti. Which, was different then everyone else’s.

  Any time someone poses an opinion different from a Roma fans point of view they:
  1) Insult you. Not knowing much about calcio, and thinking all there is to Serie A football is Roma (which they are sadly mistaken), this is basically all they can do.

  2) Call Totti top 5 players EVER. All I can do when this happens is pray for them, and their helpless souls.

  3) Ban you from commenting. For posting an opposing viewpoint.

  Just thought I should make that known.

  P.S. YOu may see this on other articles around theoffside. I just think enough is enough. So, I will make it known.

  Posted from United States

  

• MAD |  August 1st, 2008 at 11:05 am

  
  
  

  Okay this is really freaking me out. Has this blog turned neutral or what? I keep waiting for it to turn BACK into Roma 2A but I don’t think I see a mention of Roma in the actual blog above…. No mention of their hair styles as if it were interesting news… No mention of the tiniest, teeniest Roma triviality as if it was interesting or the only thing that mattered…

  Weird, I tell you, how long has this been going on?

  Posted from United States

  

• Johonna |  August 1st, 2008 at 11:20 am

  
  
  

  Well, considering Francesco just got back from Rome, maybe he got it all out of his system. ;)

  Posted from United States

  

• alessio |  August 1st, 2008 at 12:32 pm

  
  
  

  Francesco is Parmista….I don’t know his opinions on Roma.

  Posted from United States

  

• Francesco |  August 1st, 2008 at 2:40 pm

  
  
  

  I think I’ve mentioned this before but I’m actually a Milanista. But I try to be as neutral as possible when it comes to writing posts.

  Posted from United States

  

• alessio |  August 1st, 2008 at 6:53 pm

  
  
  

  Ah, I just assumed cause you were writing for Parma. But another Milan fan isn’t awful. :)

  Posted from United States

  

• KJ |  August 1st, 2008 at 7:21 pm

  
  
  

  Doing a great job on the blog…Keep it up

  Posted from United States

  

• Giampiero |  August 2nd, 2008 at 12:54 am

  
  
  

  Francesco
  Based on your comments, on the Italia facebook group I thought you were a Milanista, but you writing for Parma completely confused me.

  Posted from United States

  

• Francesco |  August 2nd, 2008 at 6:01 am

  
  
  

  Well there was already a Milan blog here (written excellently by Gianfranco) so I always had a soft spot for Parma and decided to write about them.

  Posted from United States

  

• Joseph C |  August 2nd, 2008 at 8:40 am

  
  
  

  What about Salernitana Francesco I thought your family is from there? I could be mistaken.
  Forza Granada

  Posted from United States

  

• Francesco |  August 2nd, 2008 at 9:07 am

  
  
  

  Yes Joseph I’m a Milan fan but I will always follow Salernitana as well, since they are the team that represents where my family is from and I’ve followed them since the 90’s and I’m so happy they are finally back in Serie B.

  Posted from United States

  

• kari |  August 3rd, 2008 at 11:30 pm

  
  
  

  I’m happy for Salernitana, too. I used to like Marco Di Vaio. Salernitana is his former club.

  Posted from Viet Nam

  

Comments are closed