Possible opponents for Hibs, Floriana in UEFA Europa League third qualifying round

In case of success in the second qualifying round of the UEFA Europa League, Hibernians will be facing either Stade de Reims of France or Servette of Switzerland while Floriana would meet either Flora Tallinn of Estonia or KR Reykjavik of Iceland.

The third qualifying round draw was held on Tuesday in Nyon.

In the UEFA Europa League second qualifying round Champions Path, Floriana face Linfield of Northern Ireland away from home and in case of a win, they would host Flora Tallinn or KR Reykjavík in the third qualifying round.

In the UEFA Europa League second qualifying round Main Path, Hibernians host Fehervar of Hungary and in case of a win, they would face either Servette or Reims in the third qualifying round.

Ties take place on 24 September, with extra time and a penalty shoot-out if required. Winners advance to the UEFA Europa League play-off round.

Stade de Reims won six Ligue 1 titles, two Coupe de France trophies, and five Trophee des champions titles. They took part in the European Cup (the Champions League) four times, reaching the final twice in 1955/56 and 1958/59 and losing 3-4 and 0-2 to Real Madrid. However, since the 1980s, Reims have struggled to get back to their glory. The club hovered between Ligue 2 and the Championnat National for over thirty years after their relegation from the top flight in the 1979. In 2012 they were promoted back to Ligue 1, were relegated again in 2016, but returned two years later in 2018.

Servette is one of Switzerland’s most successful clubs, winning 17 national titles, as well as 7 Swiss cups. Founded in 1890, the team has spent the majority of its history in the top flight of Swiss football. However, after their last league title in 1998, Servette began experiencing financial problems, which led to a turbulent decade. The club was relegated to the third division in 2004–05 due to a bankruptcy. They earned promotion to the Swiss Super League in 2011 but were relegated at the end of the 2013 season. They regained promotion to the Swiss first tier in 2019. Their best achievement in Europe was reaching the quarter-finals of the Cup Winners Cup in 1978/79. In 1961, they were drawn with the Paolites in the European Cup, winning 5-0 at home and 2-1 at The Stadium.

Flora Tallinn are one of two clubs which have never been relegated from the Estonian top division. They have won more trophies than any other club in Estonian football, with a record 12 league titles, eight Cups and a record ten Super Cups. Although Flora Tallinn have been taking part in European competitions since 1994, they never went beyond the second qualifying round of a competition.

KR is the oldest and most successful club in Icelandic football, having won the championship 27 times and the cup 14 times. They only managed to reach the third qualifying round of a European competition twice in the Europa League – 2009/10 and 2011/12. In the UEFA Champions League 2000/01, KR Reykjavik had eliminated Birkirkara with a 6-2 aggregate score.

Third qualifying round ties: 24 September

Champions Path

Sarajevo (BIH) vs Astana (KAZ) or Budućnost Podgorica (MNE)
Sheriff (MDA) vs Inter Escaldes (AND) or Dundalk (IRL)
Ararat-Armenia (ARM) or Fola Esch (LUX) vs Celje (SVN)
Riga (LVA) or Tre Fiori (SMR) vs Celtic (SCO)
KuPS (FIN) or Slovan Bratislava (SVK) vs Sūduva (LTU)
Legia (POL) vs Sileks (MKD) or Drita (KOS)
KÍ (ISL) vs Connah’s Quay Nomads (WAL) or Dinamo Tbilisi (GEO)
Djurgården (SWE) or Europa (GIB) vs CFR Cluj (ROU)
Linfield (NIR) or Floriana (MLT) vs Flora Tallinn (EST) or KR Reykjavík (ISL)

Main Path

Nõmme Kalju (EST) or Mura (SVN) or AGF Aarhus (DEN) vs PSV Eindhoven (NED)
Budapest Honvéd (HUN) or Malmö (SWE) vs Lokomotiva Zagreb (CRO)
Sporting CP (POR) vs Viking (NOR) or Aberdeen (SCO)
Charleroi (BEL) vs Sfintul Gheorghe Suruceni (MDA) or Partizan (SRB)
Ventspils (LVA) or Rosenborg (NOR) vs Alanyaspor (TUR)
Kukës (ALB) or Wolfsburg (GER) vs Desna Chernihiv (UKR)
Hibernians (MLT) or Fehérvár (HUN) vs Servette (SUI) or Reims (FRA)
Teuta (ALB) or Granada (ESP) vs Locomotive Tbilisi (GEO) or Dynamo Moskva (RUS)
Rijeka (CRO) vs Aris (GRE) or Kolos Kovalivka (UKR)
St. Gallen (SUI) vs AEK Athens (GRE)
LASK (AUT) vs Dunajská Streda (SVK) or Jablonec (CZE)
Shamrock Rovers (IRL) or AC Milan (ITA) vs Bodø/Glimt (NOR) or Žalgiris Vilnius (LTU)
Botoşani (ROU) or Shkëndija (MKD) vs Lokomotiv Plovdiv (BUL) or Tottenham (ENG)
Bala Town (WAL) or Standard Liège (BEL) v Vojvodina (SRB)
Rostov (RUS) vs Maccabi Haifa (ISR) or Željezničar (BIH) or Kairat Almaty (KAZ)
Progrès (LUX) or Willem II (NED) vs Lincoln Red Imps (GIB) or Rangers (SCO)
OFI Crete (GRE) or Apollon Limassol (CYP) vs Hammarby (SWE) or Lech (POL)
Beşiktaş (TUR) vs Borac Banja Luka (BIH) or Rio Ave (POR)
Bačka Topola (SRB) or FCSB (ROU) vs Riteriai (LTU) or Slovan Liberec (CZE)
Laç (ALB) or Hapoel Beer-Sheva (ISR) vs Coleraine (NIR) or Motherwell (SCO)
IFK Göteborg (SWE) or Copenhagen (DEN) vs Piast Gliwice (POL) or Hartberg (AUT)
Osijek (CRO) or Basel (SUI) vs Anorthosis (CYP)
Neftçi (AZE) or Galatasaray (TUR) vs Renova (MKD) or Hajduk Split (CRO)
Viktoria Plzeň (CZE) vs SønderjyskE (DEN)
Kaysar Kyzylorda (KAZ) or APOEL (CYP) vs Olimpija Ljubljana (SVN) or Zrinjski (BIH)
CSKA-Sofia (BUL) or BATE Borisov (BLR) vs B36 Tórshavn (FRO) or TNS (WAL)