The draw for the first round of Champion League qualifying sees Irish champions Shamrock Rovers face tough opposition
Champions League
The draw announced that League of Ireland (LOI) winners Shamrock Rovers will face SK Slovan Bratislava in Champions League qualifying.
The first leg will be played away on the 6th or 7th July. The return game will be in Tallaght on the 13th or 14th July.
The last time an Irish side faced the Slovakian champions was in 2019 when Dundalk lost 4-1 on aggregate in the third round of qualifying for the Europa League.
The second-round draw on Wednesday morning revealed that the winner of the tie would play against Swiss league winners BSC Young Boys.
As Ireland’s representatives in the Champions League, Rovers are already guaranteed €810,000.
The second-round draw also announced that Celtic will play against Danish club FC Midtjylland.
☘️ 𝗨𝗘𝗙𝗔 𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗠𝗣𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗦 𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗚𝗨𝗘 𝗗𝗥𝗔𝗪 |
Shamrock Rovers FC will face Slovan Bratislava in the 2021/22 UEFA Champions League 1st Qualifying Round.
Rovers will be away in the 1st leg.
Dates & kick-off times TBC.#RoversInEurope pic.twitter.com/CT3KoY6kKT
— Tipperary Hoops (@TipperaryHoops) June 15, 2021
Europa Conference League
Ireland will have no sides in the first round of qualifying for the Europa League. Instead, the newly formed Europa Conference League will have three Irish teams competing.
The draw announced that club Bohemians will be facing Icelandic team Stjarnan in the first round.
Sligo Rovers will also play Icelandic opposition with FH Hafnarfjorour in their first European game.
After winning the FAI cup, Dundalk will face against Welsh team Newtown AFC.
The first leg of each of these matches will start on the 8th of July and the return leg will be the following week on the 15th July.
If Shamrock Rovers lose to their Slovakian opponents, they will be given a bye into the third round of the Europa Conference League qualifying.
Here are the results from the first Europa Conference League Draw?!⚽️🏆#UECL pic.twitter.com/1np7SP4lF2
— UEFA Europa Conference League (@EuropaConLeague) June 15, 2021
