The composition of the seeded and unseeded pots for the second qualifying round of the UEFA Europa League has become clearer ahead of next season’s draw.
As reported by İdman.Biz, citing analytics platform Football Meets Data, teams from the unseeded pot in the first qualifying round would move into the seeded section for the second round if they are paired against either Ferencvaros or Qarabag.
All other unseeded clubs from the opening qualifying round are expected to remain unseeded in the second stage of the competition.
That scenario means Azerbaijani champions Qarabag could face several high-profile European clubs if they successfully progress from the first qualifying round. Possible opponents from the unseeded pot currently include Sheriff, Dynamo Kyiv, Besiktas, Twente, Hajduk Split, Tromso, St. Gallen, CSKA Sofia and Hammarby.
Qarabag have become regular participants in UEFA competitions over the past decade and remain Azerbaijan’s most experienced club on the European stage. The side from Agdam have reached the Europa League knockout stages in recent seasons and consistently improved the country’s UEFA coefficient ranking, while last season they became the first club in Azerbaijani football history to reach the Champions League play-offs.
The draw for the Europa League qualifying rounds is expected to attract significant attention across Azerbaijan, with Qarabag once again aiming to secure a place in the league phase of a major European competition.
