Flora face date with history in Hoops European play-off clash

Macdara Ferris reports from A. Le Coq Arena in Tallinn

New history was always going to be created this season with UEFA launching a new club competition - the Europa Conference League.

For Flora Tallinn, this week’s play-off against Shamrock Rovers in the inaugural Europa Conference League represents a shot at Estonian football history as no club from the Meistriliiga has every qualified for the group stages of a European competition. 

Flora are the most successful club team in Estonia with 13 league titles and have only failed to qualify for Europe once since 1994 (which was the 2014/15 season).

They went close to the group stages last season making it to the play-off round only to lose the COVID-19 one-legged play-off 3-1 away to Dinamo Zagreb.

The Estonian champions went even closer this season in the Europa League third qualifying round, effectively missing out on a group stage qualification on penalties. 

Having beaten Hibernians of Malta in the Champions League first qualifying round, their lost 3-1 to Legia Warsaw in the next round to drop into the Europa League qualifiers against Omonia.

The Cypriot side beat them on penalties to take the place in the play-off round of the Europe League, knowing should they lose that tie they will drop straight into the Europa Conference League group stages.

“We had a couple of really painful losses,” said Jürgen Henn when extratime.com asked the Flora Head Coach at the pre-match press conference to reflect on their season so far in Europe. 

“We really want to give everything to make this happen (group stage qualification). It would be a great reward for our hard work in the past, not just this season but reward for the last three or four seasons (being champions in 2017, 2019 and 2020).”

Having lost out on penalties last week, Flora now get a second shot of group stage glory via UEFA’s new third tier club competition. Between them and six more matches in the Europa Conference League is a Shamrock Rovers side who Henn says are a tough opponent.

“We are playing against really tough opposition but this it is a good chance for this team. 

“From what we have seen, they have quality and players who have played in Championship. I have heard that a couple of players have drawn interest from Celtic so that is a sign of quality. 

“We expect a team that offers good tempo and a typical maybe British style but with a modern style.”

Flora will be skippered by 37-year-old Konstantin Vassiljev. The three time Estonian player of the year has scored 25 goals in 128 international appearances including a goal against Ireland in the Aviva Stadium in the 1-1 draw in November 2011.

“It would be a great achievement (to qualify for the group stages) as it would be the first time. Every first time is a special time and we have the chance to be the first to join the group stage. 

“Of course, it would be special for me as I am at this stage of my career where most of my career is behind me.” 

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— Extratime.com (@ExtratimeNews) August 18, 2021