UCL Show Case
By Babajide Olaitan
1 july 2014

As it is said to be under UEFA standard, 76 or 77 teams would participate from all tiers of Europe and 32 would make it through to the group stage

10 surviving teams that went through knock-out qualifying rounds and play-offs to join 22 that have already qualified in advance.

The first qualifying rounds starts off today as six champion teams prepare to get a post in the finals.

According to Uefa.com Should any of the six teams involved in ties over the next two nights make it to that decider, the final would be their 21st game of the campaign, though for the champions of Andorra, Armenia, San Marino, Estonia, Gibraltar and the Faroe Islands, even getting as far as the second qualifying round would be a notable achievement.

First-time UEFA Champions League contenders are involved in all three ties.

Having won their maiden Armenian title last season, FC Banants are heading to FC Santa Coloma with more than hope.

“Playing in the UEFA Champions League is a success in itself, but the most important thing for us is not just taking part in the competition but taking part well,” goalkeeper Artur Toroyan told UEFA.com .

Thirty minutes after Banants’ game kicks off, SP La Fiorita will get their first taste of the action in Europe’s top club competition as they host FC Levadia Tallinn. “I have always said that I had two objectives in my career as a coach,” La Fiorita boss Alberto Manca told UEFA.com .
“I wanted to win the league title in San Marino and I did it. My next dream
is to lead my side to a historic qualification for the second round of the UEFA Champions League. I have done 50% of my job.”

On Wednesday, it is Lincoln FC’s turn to make history as the first Gibraltarian representatives in the UEFA Champions League. “For Lincoln it means
establishing ourselves as the most successful club in Gibraltar,” goalkeeper Jordan Perez told UEFA.com ,
his side having won a 12th successive national title in 2013/14.

Giants at their own level, all six sides are dreaming of a chance to measure themselves against even bigger
opponents in the next phase. Since the advent of the play-off round in 2009/10, only one club has made it from the first qualifying round through to the third –
F91 Dudelange in 2012/13 . The play-offs and the group stage may seem distant for the six teams involved this week, but with admission to the top club competition in world football comes the right to dream.
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