Unglamorous opponents await Maltese clubs

Officials from Sliema Wanderers, Valletta and Birkirkara, Malta's representatives in this year's Champions League and UEFA Cup competitions, will be anxiously waiting to discover the name of their opponents in today's draws at the UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland.

Sliema, who yesterday met former Man. United player Ben Thornley with a view of offering him a contract to play for them in the Champions League, will be the first to learn their fate as the draw is scheduled for noon.

Twenty teams are in the hat for the ten first qualifying round matches in the Champions League, which will be played on July 16 and 23. One of the seeded sides who could be pitted against Sliema are AC Omonia of Cyprus. In 1995-96, they met Sliema in the UEFA Cup, coming out on top 5-1 on aggregate. Rabat had also faced Omonia when, in the 1985-86 Champions Cup, they lost 0-10 on aggregate.

In 1997-98, Latvia's FC Skonto defeated Valletta 2-1 in the preliminary round of the Champions League to earn a prestigious second qualifying round tie against Barcelona. Skonto are among the seeded teams who could be drawn against Sliema.

Valletta and Birkirkara are both expecting tough ties in the UEFA Cup. There are 82 entrants which have been placed into ten different groups according to the clubs' coefficient ranking list.

Valletta are in Group C and will face either Swiss side Neuchatel Xamax, D. Bucharest of Romania, Austria's FC Karnten or Czech side Victoria Zizkov.

For the third year running, Birkirkara are set for another trip to Eastern Europe. Two years ago, the Stripes had managed to oust Georgian outfit L. Tbilisi before bowing out to Din. Moscow of Russia. Last year, they were knocked out by Ukraine's M. Zaporizhya.

In this year's UEFA Cup qualifying round, Birkirkara will face one of the following clubs: Bulgaria's Levski Sofia, Hajduk Split of Croatia, Hungary's Ferencvaros or Torpedo Moscow of Russia.

Stripes head Victor Zammit told The Times that all teams in their group are strong but not attractive. Zammit, however, said he prefers to be drawn against Ferencvaros, who, on paper, seem to be the best of the lot.

Champions League

Sliema Wanderers to play one of the following seeded teams: HJK Helsinki (Finland); FC Skonto (Latvia); AC Omonia (Cyprus); FC Bohemian (Ireland); FC Sheriff (Moldova); Dinamo Tbilisi (Georgia); FK Leotar (Bosnia); FBK Kaunas (Lithuania); KR Reykjavik (Iceland); FK Vardar (Macedonia).

Ties to be played on July 16, 23

UEFA Cup

Group C
Valletta to face one of the following teams: Neuchatel Xamax (Switzerland); Dinamo Bucharest (Romania); FC Karnten (Austria); Victoria Zizkov (Czech Republic).

Group I
Birkirkara can be drawn against: Levski Sofia (Bulgaria); Hajduk Split (Croatia); Ferencvaros (Hungary); T. Moscow (Russia).

Ties to be played on August 14, 28