22-07-2025
No room for 404 error by Dundee United
Dundee United will be kicking themselves if they do not at least reach the Conference League third qualifying round.
It is nearly 40 years since the Tannadice club followed up their place in the European Cup last-four by reaching the Uefa Cup final.
They have failed to win a European tie in six attempts since their last win - against Principat of Andorra in 1997 - and they languish at 238th in the current rankings.
However, that is still 166 places above opponents Strassen, who have only ever played one other tie in European competition - when they lost 5-0 to Finnish side Kuopion Palloseura (KuPS) after a goalless draw at home in last season's first qualifying round.
Arno Bonvini's side have since finished runners-up in their domestic league - their best-ever performance - but they are a squad without notable names, with six summer exits being replaced with six additions, all from within Luxembourg.
Jim Goodwin's United ought to progress, but Rapid Vienna, who reached the Conference League quarter-finals last season, or Decic, who won the Montenegrin title two seasons ago, lie in wait.
Celtic will at least drop to the Europa League and Aberdeen to the Conference League if they lose their play-off ties, but the other clubs three face a rocky road to follow them into the league stages on what Scotland's Coefficient fears is a European "cliff edge".
Read the full European round up
