Four things you may have missed from this weeks UEFA qualifiers as Marc Guiu has miss of the season contender | OneFootball

The first leg of the final round of qualifiers for the Champions League, Europa League and the Europa Conference League all took place this week.

A host of sides are now just one game away from securing their place in the revamped UEFA competitions for this season, with their fate being decided next week when the second legs take place.

With all the football that’s happening at the moment, it’s easy to miss some of the stats and stories. So, we’ve rounded up what’s happened in the Uefa qualifying matches over the past few days.

Galatasaray have it all to do despite comeback

After their record-breaking league campaign in 2023/24 when they won the title with 102 points, Galatasaray were confident of securing back-to-back Champions League appearances for the first time since 2019.

However, the first-leg against Young Boys did not go to plan. Despite having 21 shots, eight shots on target and acquiring an xG of 2.18, the Turkish champions finished the game a goal behind a man down. Okan Buruk’s side found themselves behind after just three minutes when Joel Monteiro fired past Fernando Muslera and in first time stoppage time, he doubled their lead.

A quickfire double from sub Michy Batshuayi, who made it three goals in his last three games for the Turkish giants looked to have to sent both sides level going into the second leg, but it all went wrong again late on.

With 84 minutes on the clock, Abdülkerim Bardakci received his marching orders for handball in the box and Filip Ugrinic dispatched the ball from the spot to restore his side’s slender lead. It extended Young Boys’ unbeaten run to three games against Galatasaray (two wins) and one game away from securing Champions League football in back-to-back seasons for the first time in the club’s history.

Akpom bags hat-trick while Ajax’s teen sensation also makes the headlines

Ajax all but booked their place in next season’s Europa League with a 4-1 first leg victory over Jagiellonia Białystok, despite falling behind.

A hat-trick from former Arsenal and Middlesbrough striker Chuba Akpom and a further strike from 19-year-old Mika Godts completed the comeback for the Dutch side as they take a three-goal lead back to Amsterdam next week. It was Akpom’s first goals of the campaign as he equalled last season’s tally in the Europa League in just 69 minutes, sending the ‘keeper the wrong way with his third strike from the penalty spot.

However, it was not just Akpom who caught the eye with teenager Mika Godts heavily involved. He put Ajax in front after 27 minutes and finished the game with an incredible 22 touches in the opposition box, eight shots and four shots on target as well as well taken goal.

It wasn’t all good news for the youngster, however, after he saw his penalty saved late on. That won’t stop the hype around him though, as he more than proved that this could be his breakthrough season.

Jonathan David involved again

Despite rumours of a departure this summer, Jonathan David remains a Lille player and they will be glad that he is.

After scoring 24 goals and providing a further four assists across his 42 appearances in Ligue 1 and the Conference League last season, it has taken him no time at all to get going this time around. He scored and assisted against Slavia Praha as the French side moved incredibly close to their first Champions League appearance since 2022 when they were knocked out by Chelsea in the last 16.

His two goal involvements in the 2-0 victory means he has now found the back in each of his last three appearances across all competitions and after the scoring the winning goal against Fenerbahce in the previous qualifying round has all but secured their place in the group stage proper.

Marc Guiu misses a sitter in Chelsea victory

Goals from Christopher Nkunku and Noni Madueke have given Enzo Maresca his first victory as Chelsea manager.

A much changed side from the weekend’s defeat to Chelsea got the job done against Servette in the Europa Conference League, as the Blues ensured that they take a 2-0 lead to Switzerland next week. However, that won’t be what everyone is talking about after the game as Marc Guiu somehow missed the chance to score his first Chelsea goal with the whole goal gaping.

The 18-year-old did well to take the ball off the goalkeeper, but with an open goal he somehow took too long to get his shot away and his feeble effort was saved by the grateful Jérémy Frick. The ball then rebounded to the Chelsea forward for another bite at the cherry, but his two follow up shots were both once again saved by Frick who couldn’t believe his luck.