The side profits of AEK: Extra rest and definitely groups until December-The possible opponents

THE AEK is one breath away from winning the championship. Beyond the obvious, that is, the importance of the title, the “Union” also secures several collateral but not negligible profits from this trophy.

First, the “yellow and black” they ensure about 15 days of additional holidays, as their obligations in the Champions League qualifiers will not start from the second qualifying round, i.e. July 25-26 and August 1-2, but from the third qualifying round. AEK will play on August 8-9 and 15 in the third qualifying round of the non-champions.

At the same time, the “Union” is guaranteed to play, whatever happens in the summer qualifiers, in groups until December. In the best possible scenario, it will be in those of the Champions League, if it makes two qualifiers, in the third qualifier (August 8-9 and 15) and in the playoffs (August 22-23, 29-30). If AEK is eliminated in the third qualifying round of the Champions League, they will play in the Europa League playoffs, on August 24 and 31, and even if they are eliminated there, they will enter the Conference League groups. If AEK is eliminated in the Champions League playoffs, they will play in the Europa League groups.

The prospective opponents

The champions will learn their opponent, most likely a pair that will result in an opponent, at draw on July 24. AEK have hopes of being among the strong in this first draw, which will produce six pairings. The potential opponents at the moment are too many, since the teams that will start from the first qualifier are included. Among them are Dinamo Zagreb (Croatia), Young Boys (Switzerland), Molde (Norway), Astana (Kazakhstan), Zalgiris Vilnius (Lithuania), Helsinki (Finland), Flora Tallinn (Estonia), Heken (Sweden), Shamrock Rovers (Ireland), New Saints (Wales), Olympia Ljubljana (Slovenia), Zrinski (Bosnia), Lincoln (Gibraltar), Shakhtar Saligorsk (Belarus), Dynamo Tbilisi (Georgia), Rakov (Poland), Valmiera (Latvia), Larne (Northern Ireland), Hamrun Spartans (Malta), Esperanz (Luxembourg), Struga (N. Macedonia), as well as the champion of Denmark (Copenhagen or Norgeland), Czech Republic (Sparta or Slavia Prague), Cyprus (Aris Limassol or APOEL), Hungary (probably Ferencvar), Romania (Faul or Steaua), Bulgaria (CSKA Sofia or Ludogorets), Slovakia (Debrecen or Slovan), Turkey (Galata or Fenerbahce), Azerbaijan (probably Karabagh), Armenia (Banants), Moldova (probably Serif ) and Israel (probably Maccabi Haifa).

THE draw for the playoffs will be held on August 7while the champions of Ukraine Shakhtar Donetsk and the champions of Belgium (one of Genk, Union Saint-Jiloise and Antwerp) will be added to the six winners of pairs that will emerge from the third qualifying round of the Champions League.