Kilmarnock FC have been coupled with Cercle Brugge during today’s Europa League second qualification round draw.
The UEFA Europa League draw was held in Nyon, Switzerland this afternoon and determined that Kilmarnock FC will have to play two qualification matches against Cercle Brugge. The matches will feature a home and away game on 25 July and 3 August. The winner over two games will qualify for the third Europa League qualifying round.
With Cercle Brugge as oppononent the men from manager Derek McInnes will feel to be meeting a relatively favorable European side, avoiding European heavyweights like Ajax, Rapid Wien and Molde FK. The Belgian number four of the 2023/2024 Belgian Pro League season will play their first European qualifying round in over a decade. Back in 2010 the Belgians survived their first qualifying round, but failed to pass the second qualifying round and never reached the play-off stage.
For Kilmarnock the meeting will be their first glimpse of European football since 2019. Over two meetings the Welsh side Connah’s Quay Nomads proved too big an obstacle during the 2019/2020 season. Killie will try to surpass the disappointing 0-2 home defeat against the Welsh last time around.
St Mirren Conference League qualification draw
Aside the Europea League draw, UEFA also drew the teams for the Conference League second qualification round this afternoon. The draw saw St Mirren coupled with either Icelandic side Valur or Albanian side KF Vllaznia. The Icelandic and Albanian team still have to play a first qualifying round against each other to determine who will play against St Mirren.
The St Mirren fans may feel cheerful about the possible opposition, as the club avoids higher ranked teams like FC Copenhagen, İstanbul Başakşehir, Legia Warszawa and Austria Wien. The two games against either Valur or KF Vllaznia will take place on 25 July and 1 August. The winner will have to survive one more third qualifying round and a play-off round to reach the League stage of the third tier European football tournament.
Kilmarnock managed to reach their European qualification spot by securing the fourth place in the Premiership past season. St Mirren was able to reach their European qualification spot by finishing fifth on the domestic table. If the two Scottish teams are able to get through the qualifying stage and play-off stage, they will face a change to the format of the competitions compared to past season. Upcoming season both the Europa League and Conference League will feature a single 36-team League stage. Each team will face eight different opponents, of which four matches at home, and four away. The top eight clubs advance straight into the round of 16.
There are no walk over teams, they cannot afford to underestimate Cercle Bruges.