Soccer

Shamrock Rovers without key duo for Champions League return against Icelandic champions Breidablik

Neil Farrugia and Jack Byrne unavailable for selection, but Hoops manager in no mood to be downbeat

Jack Byrne is out for Shamrock Rovers' return match against Breidablik in Iceland. Photograph: Morgan Treacy/Inpho
Jack Byrne is out for Shamrock Rovers' return match against Breidablik in Iceland. Photograph: Morgan Treacy/Inpho
Macdara Ferris in Kopavogur
Mon Jul 17 2023 - 20:36
Champions League first qualifying round, second leg: Breidablik (Ice) (1) v Shamrock Rovers, Kópavogsvöllur Stadium, Tuesday, 8.15 Irish time

Shamrock Rovers have it all to do against Icelandic champions Breidablik in the Champions League first qualifying round having lost the first leg 1-0 in Tallaght. Their task is made more difficult as they will be missing two key men for the return leg with Neil Farrugia and Jack Byrne out.

Hoops manager Stephen Bradley is disappointed the duo are not available for selection, saying Farrugia’s loss is “a big blow”. But he was keen to point out, when speaking pitchside in the Kópavogsvöllur Stadium, that his side managed for the middle part of last year without Byrne.

In Europe, Rovers won at home against Hibernian and away to Shkupi without the Ireland international. “We played a large part of last season domestically and in Europe when Jack was missing, so that isn’t anything new to the group.”

Bradley is looking for his team to up their game in the second leg, something he feels they are well capable of doing. “If we hit our levels and perform to our levels, we know we are more than capable of winning this game and going through. This team has shown over the years they can step up when they need to.”

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Last season Rovers made it through the first qualifying round which was a key stepping stone in making the group stages of the Europa Conference League. There is a level of expectation around the League of Ireland champions from the last three seasons that they can make group-stage football again this season.

“There is pressure from outside and that is fine but we take that as being an acknowledgement of what we have done in the last few years. We enjoy playing with that expectation. We don’t want to hide away from that. We don’t want to be a team that shies away from saying we want to do well both in Europe and domestically. We work every day, every week, to play in the Champions League and we don’t want that to end here.”

Breidablik’s manager Óskar Porvaldsson spoke about his team not sitting back on their 1-0 advantage. “We cannot go and only defend our lead,” said Porvaldsson. “We need to attack, like we attacked in Dublin. We are best when we play higher up the pitch.”