When the draws for the third qualifying round of the competition were made yesterday at the UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland, the two Maltese clubs still involved had mixed feelings about the outcome.
In fact, Sliema Wanderers received a big boost in the sense that they will probably face the mighty Galatasaray of Turkey, now coached by the famous former Dutch international midfielder Frank Rijkaard, who made a name also with Milan and later also coached FC Barcelona. Despite a lull in recent years, they are still considered among the top 20 clubs overall in Europe.
The Turks, in fact, are expected to beat Tobol of Kazakhstan on aggregate to qualify for the third round. In the first match in Kazakhstan on Thursday, the teams drew 1-1.
Of course, Sliema also have to qualify to reach the stage where they will probably meet the Turkish side. And to do that, they will have to earn at least a score draw in Israel next week against Maccabi Netanya. The first leg in Malta last Tuesday ended in a goalless draw.
Rijkaard has been given the task of rebuilding Galatasaray. On Thursday, against Tobol, his team included Turkish internationals Usak, Yilmaz, Yildiz, Senturk, Sarioglu and Cetim in the starting line-up, as well as Ucar and Colak and former Czech Rep. International Milan Baros among the substitutes. It was Baros, in fact, who scored the equaliser for the Turks after Tobol had taken an early lead in the first half.
Valletta also have to qualify to reach this round. They need only a goalless draw against St Patrick's Athletics FC of Ireland next Thursday after their highly creditable 1-1 draw in Dublin last Thursday.
Their possible opponents, FC Krylya Sovetov of Samara, are an unknown club locally.
They were founded in 1942 and play their matches at the Metallurg Stadion in Samara. It has a capacity of 33,220. Their manager is Leonid Slutsky and he led the side to sixth place in the Russian Premier League last season.
It was in 2002 that they had their baptism of fire in the European club competitions – in the Intertoto Cup. In 2005-2006, they took part in the UEFA Cup. After beating BATE Borisov of Belarus 4-0 on aggregate, they lost to AZ Alkmaar of The Netherlands in the next round.
Their best placing in the Russian Premier League was third in 2004. That same season, they also finished finalists in the Russian Cup.