As the new football season approaches, both AEK and Aris are gearing up for their initial competitive fixtures, starting with the qualifying rounds of the UEFA Conference League.
On Thursday, July 20th, these Greek clubs will embark on their European campaigns from the second qualifying round, aiming to secure a spot in the League Phase of the continent’s third-tier club competition. Aris will travel to Azerbaijan to face Aras at 19:00, while AEK will host Hapoel Beer Sheva at 21:00 in the OPAP Arena.
Later today at 15:00, both teams will discover their potential opponents for the third qualifying round during the draw held in Nyon, Switzerland.
Potential Third Qualifying Round Opponents for AEK
AEK could face a variety of clubs from across Europe, including teams from Poland, Norway, Austria, and more. Some notable matchups include:
- Raków Częstochowa (Poland) or Žilina (Slovakia)
- Rosenborg (Norway) or Banga (Lithuania)
- Viking FK (Norway) or Koper (Slovenia)
- Ararat (Armenia) or Universitatea Cluj (Romania)
- Austria Wien (Austria) or Spaeri (Georgia)
- Vaduz (Liechtenstein) or Dungannon Swifts (Northern Ireland)
- Dundee United (Scotland) or Strassen (Luxembourg)
- AIK (Sweden) or Paide (Estonia)
- Larne (Northern Ireland) or Prishtina (Kosovo)
- Hafnarfjörður (Faroe Islands) or Brøndby (Denmark)
- Silkeborg (Denmark) or Akureyri (Iceland)
- Vardar (North Macedonia) or Lausanne (Switzerland)
- Aris Limassol (Cyprus) or Puskás Akadémia (Hungary)
- Sarajevo (Bosnia) or Craiova (Romania)
- Šutjeska (Montenegro) or Beitar Jerusalem (Israel)
- St Patrick’s Athletic (Ireland) or Kalju (Estonia)
- Zalgiris (Lithuania) or Valur (Iceland)
- Polissya (Ukraine) or Santa Coloma (Andorra)
- Košice (Slovakia) or Neman (Belarus)
- Atlètic Escaldes (Andorra) or Dinamo City (Albania)
- Midtjylland (Denmark) or Hibernian (Scotland) – (loser)
- Anderlecht (Belgium) or Häcken (Sweden) – (loser)
- Celje (Slovenia) or AEK Larnaca (Cyprus) – (loser)
- Levski Sofia (Bulgaria) or Braga (Portugal) – (loser)
Possible Third Qualifying Round Opponents for Aris
Aris faces a diverse range of potential adversaries from leagues spanning the Netherlands, Austria, Czech Republic, and beyond. Key possible matchups include:
- AZ Alkmaar (Netherlands) or Tampere Ilves (Finland)
- Rapid Wien (Austria) or Dečić (Montenegro)
- Sparta Prague (Czech Republic) or Aktobe (Kazakhstan)
- Cherno More (Bulgaria) or Başakşehir (Turkey)
- Olexandriya (Ukraine) or Partizan Belgrade (Serbia)
- Torpedo-BelAZ Zhodino (Belarus) or Maccabi Haifa (Israel)
- St Joseph’s (Gibraltar) or Shamrock Rovers (Ireland)
- Omonia Nicosia (Cyprus) or Torpedo Kutaisi (Georgia)
- Novi Pazar (Serbia) or Jagiellonia Białystok (Poland)
- Kardzhali (Bulgaria) or HJK Helsinki (Finland)
- Varaždin (Croatia) or Santa Clara (Portugal)
- Zimbru Chișinău (Moldova) or Astana (Kazakhstan)
- Hammarby (Sweden) or Charleroi (Belgium)
- Radnički 1923 (Serbia) or KÍ Klaksvík (Faroe Islands)
- Vllaznia (Albania) or Víkingur Reykjavík (Iceland)
- Zira (Azerbaijan) or Hajduk Split (Croatia)
- Riga FC (Latvia) or Dila Gori (Georgia)
- Paksi FC (Hungary) or Maribor (Slovenia)
- Hibernians (Malta) or Spartak Trnava (Slovakia)
- Pyunik (Armenia) or Győr (Hungary)
- Petrocub (Moldova) or Sabah (Azerbaijan)
- Lugano (Switzerland) or Cluj (Romania) – (loser)
- Beşiktaş (Turkey) or Shakhtar Donetsk (Ukraine) – (loser)
- Sheriff Tiraspol (Moldova) or Utrecht (Netherlands) – (loser)
- Banik Ostrava (Czech Republic) or Legia Warsaw (Poland) – (loser)
Context and Expectations for the Season Ahead
Both AEK and Aris are entering this season with renewed ambitions to make a significant impact in European competitions. With the UEFA Conference League gaining prominence since its inception in 2021, it offers clubs from smaller leagues a valuable platform to compete internationally and boost their UEFA coefficients.
For instance, in the 2023 season, teams like West Ham United and Fiorentina showcased the competitive nature of the tournament, highlighting its potential for clubs like AEK and Aris to gain valuable experience and exposure. Greek football fans are eagerly anticipating strong performances from their teams, hoping to see them advance beyond the qualifying rounds and into the group stages.
As the draws unfold and fixtures are set, the focus will be on tactical preparation, squad depth, and managing the dual demands of domestic and European football. Both clubs have invested in strengthening their rosters during the summer transfer window, aiming to balance experience and youth to navigate the challenges ahead.