What is on?
This week and next, Shamrock Rovers face Greek Super League champions PAOK in a play-off to reach the Europa League group stages. The first leg is in Greece at 6.30pm on Thursday.
What’s the Europa League?
The Europa League is Uefa’s second tier competition, below the Champions League and above the Conference League.
What happens if Rovers are – as is widely expected – beaten by PAOK?
They will be rerouted to the Conference League group stages, just like in 2022 when they finished bottom of a group containing Djurgardens of Sweden, Gent of Belgium and Molde of Norway with two draws in Tallaght and four defeats.
What’s the difference in prize money between the Europa League and the Conference League?
Rovers get €4.31 million if they beat PAOK and €3.17 million if they lose.
The tap keeps running over six match days with €450,000 for each win in the Europa group stages (€400,000 in the Conference) and €150,000 for each draw (€133,000). There’s another payment of €600,000 (€400,000) for finishing as a top eight ranked side and €300,000 (€200,000) for being ranked ninth to 16th.
If Rovers reach the last 16 they would bank another €1.75 million (€800,000 in the Conference).
What about St Pat’s?
St Pat’s under Stephen Kenny are a two-legged play-off victory away from reaching the Conference League group stages. They must find a way past Istanbul Başakşehir FK, a squad valued at over €50 million that finished fourth in the Turkish Super Lig last season. The first leg is in Tallaght on Thursday night at 7.45pm.
So, both Irish clubs have next to no chance?
It would be a monumental achievement if this St Pat’s squad reached the group stages. Up there with anything Kenny achieved at Dundalk.
But there is little evidence that St Pat’s can build a strong enough lead in Tallaght on Thursday night to get the job done in Istanbul. They currently sit seventh in the Premier Division, eight points clear of a relegation play-off and eight points off qualifying for Europe next season.
Rovers dream of winning five in a row is fading fast. They lie fifth, 10 points behind league leaders Shelbourne.
How do we watch these miracles unfold?
For budgetary and viewership reasons, RTÉ, Virgin Media and TG4 passed on covering any European qualifiers in the past month. The estimated cost of broadcasting all four matches in close to €200,000.
LOITV will show Rovers v PAOK while St Pat’s are expected to use another streaming service that costs €10.
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