Shamrock Rovers on collision course with Copenhagen in Champions League qualifiers

Shamrock Rovers in a huddle ahead of kick off in their Champions League qualifier in Copenhagen in 2011

Shamrock Rovers in a huddle ahead of kick off in their Champions League qualifier in Copenhagen in 2011 Credit: Macdara Ferris (ETPhotos)

Premier Division champions Shamrock Rovers are on a collision course with FC Copenhagen in the Champions League qualifiers.

The Hoops will play against the winners of the Champions League preliminary round qualifiers in the first qualifying round.

And if they come through that, they will play Danish champions Copenhagen.

The Danes reached the Champions League group stages last season – and they were unbeaten at home in a group that included Manchester City, Sevilla and Borussia Dortmund.

They also won their domestic league by four points last season – seeing off closest challengers Nordsjaelland in doing so.

Rovers played Copenhagen in the 2011 Champions League third round qualifiers, losing the first leg 1-0 in Denmark and 2-0 in Tallaght.

They dropped into the Europa League play-off round, beating Partizan to become the first Irish side to make the group stages of a European competition. 

But Bradley’s men must see off one of Atlètic Club d'Escaldes, Budućnost Podgorica, Tre Penne and Breidablik to play the Danes.

Atlètic Club d'Escaldes are the Andorran champions – but are entering the Champions League qualifiers for the first time.



Just last year, the club competed in the Europa Conference League qualifiers but were knocked out by Gzira United in Malta.

And they will face Budućnost Podgorica in their semi-final. Montenegrin outfit Buducnost have won five domestic league titles.

Tre Penne are the San Marino league holders and have never won a two-legged tie in Europe before.

If Rovers are beaten in the first round of the Champions League qualifiers by the winners of the preliminary round – they will face the losers of the tie between KI Klaksvik (Iceland) and Ferencvaros (Hungary) in the Europa Conference League second qualifying round.

With additional reporting from Macdara Ferris

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