Never the most popular competition, the UEFA Intertoto Cup was laughed at in some quarters ... and many felt we shouldn't even accept the invitation.
It is such a bizarre competition, we WON it, and it took a month for someone to tell us!
It is such a bizarre competition, we WON it, and it took a month for someone to tell us!
But ... you know what ... I wish we were in it right now.
And anyone who wants an update of how things are progressing ... without our involvement ... read on.
Several teams are in strong positions to progress through the second round after last week's first games, with their potential opponents for the next stage already decided. Russia's FC Saturn Moskovskaya Oblast are perhaps already thinking of meeting VfB Stuttgart for a UEFA Cup second qualifying round berth as they travel to Luxembourg 7-0 to the good against FC Etzella Ettelbrück after a spectucular result in their first European tie. Budapest Honvéd FC welcome FK Teplice already holding a 3-1 lead while Rosenborg BK can feel confident, having won by the same score against FK Ekranas in Lithuania. Other teams leading ahead of home ties include Sweden's IF Elfsborg, 2-0 up against Hibernian FC, Israeli team Bnei Sakhnin FC, who triumped 2-1 in F.Y.R. Macedonia against FK Renova, and 2006 winners Odense BK, who will defend a 2-1 advantage against Finland's FC TPS Turku as they attempt to earn a tie against Villa.
On the other hand, the task is tougher for last year's UEFA Cup group stage entrants Panionios NFC, who are 1-0 down ahead of the visit of OFK Beograd. Also aiming to defend leads on their travels are Grasshopper-Club, 2-1 up against Albanian team KS Besa, SK Sturm Graz thanks to their 2-0 win against FC Shakhtyor Soligorsk in Belarus last week and FK Rīga, 1-0 to the good as they go to Dublin's Bohemian FC. Four ties are currently level - Sivasspor drew their first UEFA competition tie at Montenegro's OFK Grbalj 2-2, PFC Chernomorets Burgas and KFC Germinal Beerschot Antwerpen are at home to NK Gorica and PFC Neftçi respectively with the scores at 1-1 while it is goalless between SC Tavriya Simferopol and FC Tiraspol. That second leg in Ukraine is played on Sunday along with the games at Etzella, Shakhtyor, Sivasspor, Tavriya, Rosenborg, Panionios and OB. The other ties conclude on Saturday.