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Fixture Pile Up That Liverpool & Chelsea Would Love To Be In

nevillenixon's picture
Submitted by nevillenixon on Sun, 22/05/2016 - 15:24

Manchester United's narrow Emirates FA Cup victory in extra time over Crystal Palace has opened the door for West Ham United to enter the Europa League, thus ensuring some kind of European football for the inaugural season at the Olympic Stadium. Hammers will enter the Europa League at the same stage as they were knocked out this season, victory over Stoke City on the last day of the season would have meant going straight in to the group stage, instead of having to play in the third qualifying round. The third qualifying round legs are scheduled to take place on 28th of July and 4th of August, however Serie A champions Juventus are scheduled, at considerable cost to West Ham, for the Olympic Stadium’s curtain raiser on Sunday 7th of August. Matters are further complicated by the fact that should Slaven Bilic’s side be drawn at home for the first Euro qualifier leg, a difficult situation could arise, Hammers anchor tenancy officially begins on the 1st of August, UK Athletics has events scheduled between the 22nd to the 24th of July, and since the stadium takes seven days to set up as a football ground there would not be enough time for a home first leg tie. The draw for the third qualifying round takes place on the 15th of July and the club would have less than two weeks to come up with a positive solution to the problem, one option would be to ask uefa to allow the first leg to be played away irrespective of the draw, this would require the co-operation not only of a group of eurocrats, but also the permission of which ever club Hammers are drawn against. There is the spectre of having to play the home tie at an alternative UK venue, which apart from being logistically a nightmare would greatly inconvenience supporters from all sides. Hopefully common sense will prevail and moving the tie, if necessary bearing in mind the draw hasn't happened yet, doesn't become a major issue.However, let's be honest, these problems are the sort of problems fans want to be talking about and debating in pubs, clubs and on forums, there are many fans of 'leading clubs' such as Liverpool FC and Chelsea FC who would dearly love to be in Europe next season, even if it does mean starting in the third qualifying stage, after all, you have to be in it to win it! So after all, it will be the Hammers who will be experiencing European Knights, you can follow the odds via a reliable partner of ours (we vet them very carefully, hence no adsense links or pop unders or overs) who have not been hoisted on us by google! VISIT THE FULL WEBSITE HERE- Ed

Europa League Schedule in full:
Europa League Third qualifying round fixtures drawn 15th July 2016 First leg 28th July 20164 Second Leg 4th August 2016
Europa League Play off round fixtures drawn 5th August First Leg 18th August 2016 Second Leg 25th August 2016
Europa League Group Stage fixtures drawn 26th August 2016, Euro trophy Group Match 1 15th September 2016
Group Match 2 29th September 2016, Group Match 3 20th October 2016, Group Match 4 3rd November 2016
Group Match 5 24th November 2016, Group Match 6 8th December 2016,
Europa League Knock-Out Stage Last 32 fixtures drawn 12th December, First Leg 16th February 2017 Second leg 23rd February 2017
Europa League Knock Out Stage Last 16 fixtures drawn 24th February, First Leg 9th March 2017 Second leg 16th March 2017
Europa League Quarter Finals fixtures drawn 17th March, First Leg 13th April 2017 Second leg 20th April 2017
Europa League Semi Finals fixtures drawn 21st April, First Leg 4th May 2017 Second leg 11th May 2017
Europa League Final on 24th May 2017 at Friends Arena in Sweden

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Comments

Although I fully appreciate what is being said concerning potential fixture problems, can I just say the draw hasn't been made yet and as such nor has the problem.
Furthermore I just can't see uefa letting this be a problem either if we are drawn at home in the first leg. For it would open them and the already much maligned Europa league up to further criticism.

I would much prefer us to be concerntrating on the prospect of European football again and all the positives this will bring.
It could influence the proposed Lacazette transfer for example now we are a club definately playing in Europe next season.

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