Photo: uefa.com
Ended the group tournaments of League of Nations, the draw for the qualifying tournament of Euro-2020.
It’s time to draw some preliminary conclusions (and for us – almost final) and to remind you how the performance of the new UEFA tournament will affect the qualification of the championship of Europe. At the same time try to dispel a few myths and common misconceptions.
Won’t be here lyrics about how games of the League of Nations more useful and interesting friendly matches, there would be no financial component. Only tournament.
By itself, the League of Nations-2018/19 for us ended. As for all the others, except for the four winners. We won promotion to the League And waiting for the start of the next tournament under this name – an official decision about his conduct and drawing of lots.
Portugal, Switzerland, the Netherlands and England from 5 to 9 June 2019 in the final of the League of Nations will determine the winner of the tournament. The draw will take place in Dublin on 3 December. And that’s all! In addition to the title, recognition and money the winner will get nothing. He Euro-2020 can easily not get.
And any tournaments within the League of Nations-2018/19 will be no more!
AS THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS AFFECT EURO-2020
The results of performances in the League of Nations, firstly, affect the seeding of teams when the draw for the qualification of Euro-2020.
1. The first four teams (the aforementioned Quartet) is guaranteed to be in a group with five rather than six teams (A, B, C, D). Someone else will be lucky to get to E.
2. The teams in the League (that is where we played) the first and the second places came in the second seeding pot. Absolutely everything, regardless of other parameters (points, goals). Plus two of the four losers of the League A – Germany and Iceland, who have just two points.
No wonder the poles fought so hard for a point on Tuesday in Portugal. Beat the Germans on goal difference, sending them into a second basket.
3. The playoffs losers of selection of Euro-2020 consists of the semi finals with one match. The first command group (also among the losers) taking fourth, second – third. The final by drawing lots.
I would not, of course, to participate in such a playoff, you need to go directly to Euro-2020, occupying one of two first places in the group. However, if you do, then it is guaranteed that we will be playing at home, because it is better than Ukraine, the result in the League (more points) only in Bosnia. The rest – from the evil one.
CHANCES INCREASE NOT ALL!
At the time, was amused by the message that the League of Nations increases (at least for us) the chances of getting into the final tournament of Euro-2020. What is it like? 55 applicants (instead of 53), the same 24 – increases the chances? That’s what increases is the fact that the owners (and their – 12!) not guaranteed a place in the final. But after the expansion of the tournament in half (from 16 to 24 teams) is just a breeze.
Do not increase the chances – there is not an additional, but simply a new path instead of the old. Before there was a loophole with a third place and the play-offs now out of the playoffs. Almost the same if to compare with butt matches.
Chances are higher for teams from the cellars of the rating. Here is not argue. Guaranteed allocation of permits teams from groups C and D definitely increases the chances. But again – THEIR chances.
Put some teams from the League are able to qualify for Euro-2020 directly in qualifying for this tournament. But of those who played in the D League, earlier in the final tournament of Euro were only Latvia (Maris Verpakovskis in 2004).
I don’t think someone will make their way directly now. Even have little doubt that the group winners of the League D, Georgia, Belarus, Kosovo and Macedonia is in the group qualifying tournament of Euro 2020, the first or second place. Therefore, they very likely will decide the fate of the permit to the championship from League D. Is currently a post-Soviet Balkan confrontation.
LABYRINTHS OF THE PLAYOFFS
Here at first glance, the devil himself a leg break, although it seems to be in the rules all spelled out clearly. But not in detail – apparently assuming that sufficiently spaced unwavering milestones. And they are for the playoffs are as follows:
1. Four ways for the four teams to determine the winners of the four vouchers one in each League.
2. The acquisition of the four groups of the playoffs starts from the bottom up – from the D League!
3. The group winners, not qualified to the final tournament of Euro-2020, don’t play in the playoffs with the “senior” leagues.
Perhaps, enough. The last two points are very important to us, if you still have to play those same playoffs. That is, first a play-off group D. Then the playoffs group C. it Seems that this will not have any problems. If not the first team (if someone will make it directly), then the next rating.
Liga V. First right to play in the playoffs get not able to reach the final of Euro 2020, as the group winners of this League (yet conditionally Bosnia, Ukraine, Denmark and Sweden). If one of them already got a ticket – the next rated (space glasses) – Russia, Austria, Czech Republic, Wales (second place), Slovakia, Turkey, Ireland, Northern Ireland (third). It seems that team from the League With attract will not have.
And, finally, the most interesting of the playoffs of the League A. There were 12 teams. Direct vouchers for Euro-2020 – 20. There are three options at the end of the group stage of qualification of Euro-2020: 1) all members of the League And will become finalists; 2) finalists will be eight or more teams; 3) finalists will be less than eight teams.
Let’s start from the end:
If the finals won fewer than eight teams in the League And in the playoffs of the League But only play the losers of the League of A – rated.
If the finals won exactly eight teams in the League And then the other four and play in the playoffs.
If the finals has won more than eight teams in the League And then the vacant places in the playoffs are filled with teams from League B. But not group winners! It is important for us, if we have to play in the playoffs. From the League And opponents will not be!
Further, the nuances regarding teams with less than us. Simply put: in the playoffs of the League And can only get those teams from the League who did not get seats in the playoffs. Their owners are determined before (go from D to A).
But it is better just to play well in qualifying for Euro-2020 – before the playoffs, things not to bring…
Eugene BELOZEROV, Sport-Express in Ukraine
THE COMPOSITION OF THE DIVISIONS IN THE DRAW OF THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS-2020/21
Division a: the Netherlands, Switzerland, Portugal, England, France, Belgium, Italy, Spain, UKRAINE, Sweden, Bosnia, Denmark.
Division B: Germany, Iceland, Poland, Croatia, Czech Republic, Russia, Austria, Wales, Scotland, Finland, Norway, Serbia.
Division C: Slovakia, Turkey, Northern Ireland, Ireland, Israel, Albania, Hungary, Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, Montenegro, Georgia, Belarus, Kosovo, Macedonia.
Division D: Cyprus, Estonia, Slovenia, Lithuania, Kazakhstan, Luxembourg, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Latvia, Moldova, Faroe Islands, Gibraltar, Andorra, San Marino, Malta, Liechtenstein.