Finally here: Türkiye’s quest for European football top 10 spot begins

As the curtain rises on the 2023-24 season, Türkiye finds itself positioned at 13th place in the UEFA country points classification, boasting a total of 26.6 points.

Last season, Türkiye achieved a 12th-place finish with 32.1 points, but the start of the new season resets the performance of all countries to level the playing field.

Securing a direct spot in the prestigious UEFA Champions League has become a crucial goal for Türkiye, as it requires a top 10 position in the classification.

Previously, the Turkish Süper Lig winners were granted direct entry into the Champions League if they held a “giant league” ticket.

However, this practice will no longer be in effect starting from the upcoming season.

Instead, the team with the highest coefficient among the Champions League participants will advance directly to the group stage.

Furthermore, if the Europa League champions secure a “giant league” ticket in their domestic league, the team with the highest coefficient among all qualifying teams, including those in League 2, 3 and 4, will earn direct entry to the group stage.

Hence, Türkiye’s aim to send a team directly to the Champions League necessitates a place within the top 10.

Türkiye faces tough competition from Ukraine, Serbia, Switzerland, Austria and Scotland for a coveted top 10 spot in the new season classification.

While these nations will be represented by five teams in UEFA tournaments, Türkiye’s representation has been reduced to four teams this season, posing a significant challenge.

Galatasaray, Fenerbahçe, Beşiktaş and Adana Demirspor will carry Türkiye’s flag in the European competitions this season.

Galatasaray set off their European campaign with the Champions League qualifiers, while the remaining three teams enter the Conference League qualifiers.

All Turkish teams must successfully navigate through three rounds to secure a spot in the group stages.

Notably, there is no chance of redemption in the Conference League qualifiers, meaning that any team eliminated at this stage bids farewell to continental football.

However, if Galatasaray face elimination, they will have an opportunity to compete in the Europa League qualifiers, with the fallback option of participating in the Conference League qualifiers if they fall short.

Türkiye may find solace in the fact that the Conference League typically features relatively weaker teams compared to the other two competitions.

Last season, Türkiye made significant strides in the Conference League, accumulating 31.5 out of the 59 points obtained and finishing the campaign in an impressive 12th place, a noteworthy climb from their starting position at 21st.

In the calculation of a country’s score for a season, teams earn points based on their match results.

Pre-qualifications in the Champions League, Europa League and Conference League reward teams with 1 point for a win and 0.5 points for a draw.

In the group stage, teams earn 2 points for a win and 1 point for a draw across all three tournaments.

Additionally, bonus points are awarded to teams in proportion to their success as they progress beyond the group stage.

In the Champions League, teams remaining in the groups receive 4 bonus points, while those advancing from the group stage collect 5 bonus points.

Furthermore, clubs earn 1 bonus point for each round reached in the quarterfinals, semifinals and finals.

The Europa League offers 4 bonus points to group leaders, 2 bonus points to group runners-up, and additional bonus points for each subsequent round achieved.

Similarly, in the Conference League, 2 bonus points are granted to group leaders, 1 bonus point to group runners-up and 1 bonus point to finalists.

The number of teams sent by each country to the tournaments holds significance in calculating the country’s score.

The points earned by teams are divided by the number of teams representing the country in European competitions.

For instance, in previous seasons, Türkiye, with five representatives, divided its collected points by five. However, due to the reduction to four teams this season, the points obtained will be divided by four.

Consequently, each win in the qualifiers will contribute 0.25 points to Türkiye’s country score, which currently stands at 26.6 points.

Once the group stage begins, a victory will reflect as 0.5 points in the country score.

Continental draws

Meanwhile, the UEFA European Conference League’s second qualifying round draw has set the stage for thrilling matchups as Fenerbahçe, Beşiktaş and Adana Demirspor discover their opponents in this prestigious continental tournament.

Conducted at the UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland, the draw showcased the pairings for the second qualifying round of Europe’s club-level football competition.

A total of 59 teams were involved in the draw, including the direct entrants, Adana Demirspor, Beşiktaş and Fenerbahçe, alongside 31 teams advancing from the first qualifying round, three teams eliminated from the preliminary qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League, and 13 teams eliminated in the 1st qualifying round.

Following the draw, Adana Demirspor were matched up against Romania’s formidable CFR Cluj.

Beşiktaş, on the other hand, await the winner of the encounter between Tirana from Albania and Dinamo Batumi from Georgia.

Fenerbahçe’s fate lies in the hands of the victor from the match between La Fiorita from San Marino and Zimbru from Moldova.

The first-leg matches are scheduled for July 27, while the return legs will take place on Aug. 3.

Adana Demirspor will commence their journey away from home, adding an extra challenge to their European campaign.

Meanwhile, both Beşiktaş and Fenerbahçe will have the privilege of playing their initial matches on their home turf.

The teams that successfully navigate the playoff round after the second and third qualifying rounds will earn the coveted opportunity to progress to the highly anticipated group stage, set to kick off on Sept. 21.

Beşiktaş’s quest

Beşiktaş will have the advantage of playing the first leg in front of their home crowd as they aim to make their mark on the tournament, which follows a thrilling double-match elimination format.

Their opponents, Dinamo Batumi, finished the previous season in an impressive second place.

Hailing from Georgia, Dinamo Batumi showcase their talent at the 20,000-seater Batumi Stadium.

The team’s recent triumph in becoming league champions for the first time in their history has solidified their status as formidable opponents.

Another contender that Beşiktaş might face are Albania’s Tirana.

Tirana hold the record for the highest number of participations in European competitions among Albanian teams.

Their home matches take place at the 9,500-seater Selman Stermasi Stadium.

With an illustrious history boasting 26 national championships, Tirana present a worthy challenge for the Black Eagles.

Fenerbahçe’s aspirations

Fenerbahçe, eagerly await their opponents in the second qualifying round of the UEFA European Conference League.

Their potential rivals emerge from the match between La Fiorita from San Marino and Zimbru from Moldova.

La Fiorita, ranked 257th in the UEFA team rankings, clinched a spot in European competitions by finishing third in the San Marino league last season.

Thomas Manfredini’s La Fiorita boast a modest budget of around 800,000 euros and feature a squad with an average age of 27.

Zimbru, the Moldovan representatives, also secured a third-place finish in their league last season.

Established on May 16, 1947, Zimbru possesses a team budget of approximately 4 million euros ($4.36 million).

Under Lilian Popescu, they have previously encountered Turkish opposition, clashing with Osmanlispor in the second qualifying round of the UEFA Europa League during the 2016-2017 season.

Zimbru’s youthful squad, with an average age of 25, seeks to leave a lasting impression on the competition.