Champions League qualifying: biggest, most and best
Thursday, August 24, 2017
Article summary
With the play-offs concluded, UEFA.com focuses on the players and clubs who have set the pace in the qualifying phase of Europe's top club competition.
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![Partizan stalwart Saša Ilić Partizan stalwart Saša Ilić](https://editorial.uefa.com/resources/023a-0e97a10a4253-4d9f03521ee9-1000/format/wide1/sasa_ilic_partizan_.jpeg?imwidth=158)
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Most appearances in European Cup/UEFA Champions League qualifying*
54: Saša Ilić (Partizan, Galatasaray, Salzburg)
46: Vitali Rodionov (BATE)
40= Vazha Tarkhnishvili (Sheriff)
40= Mikael Lustig (Rosenborg, Celtic)
37= Dmitri Likhtarovich (BATE)
37= Nuno Morais (APOEL)
Most goals in European Cup/UEFA Champions League qualifying*
15: Mihails Miholaps (Skonto)
14: Marcos Tavares (APOEL, Maribor)
13: Vitali Rodionov (BATE)
12= Cléo (Partizan)
12= Maksim Shatskikh (Dynamo Kyiv)
12= Eran Zahavi (Hapoel Tel-Aviv, Maccabi Tel-Aviv)
Most games played by a team in European Cup/UEFA Champions League qualifying*
76: Dinamo Zagreb (CRO)
68: Partizan (SRB)
By round
First qualifying round
Most appearances (player): 16 – Mihails Zemļinskis (Skonto)
Most goals: 13 – Mihails Miholaps (Skonto)
Most appearances (club): 16= F91 Dudelange, Pyunik, Sheriff, Skonto, Valletta,
Biggest win: Valletta 8-0 Lusitanos (03/07/12, first leg), Dynamo Kyiv 8-0 Barry Town (22/07/98, first leg), Košice 8-0 Cliftonville (29/07/98, second leg), Widzew Łódź 8-0 Neftchi Baku (30/07/97, second leg)
Biggest aggregate win: Cliftonville 1-13 Košice (1998/99)
Most successful campaign by a team starting out in the first qualifying round in 2016/17: no sides progressed further than second qualifying round
Second qualifying round
Most appearances (player): 23 – Saša Ilić (Partizan, Galatasaray, Salzburg)
Most goals: 8 = Juraj Halenár (Petržalka, Slovan Bratislava), Vitali Rodionov (BATE), Maciej Żurawski (Wisła Kraków, Celtic)
Most appearances (club): 30 – Sheriff (MDA)
Biggest win: HJK 10-0 Bangor (19/07/11, second leg)
Biggest aggregate win: Bangor City 0-13 HJK (2011/12)
Most successful campaign by a team starting out in the second qualifying round in 2016/17: Celtic, Dinamo Zagreb, København, Legia, Ludogorets (reached group stage)
Third qualifying round
Most appearances (player): 22 – Saša Ilić (Partizan, Galatasaray, Salzburg)
Most goals: 8 – Marcos Tavares (APOEL, Maribor)
Most appearances (team): 28 – Dinamo Zagreb (CRO)
Biggest win: Ekranas 0-6 Anderlecht (08/08/12, second leg), Monaco 6-0 Gorica (24/08/04, second leg)
Biggest aggregate win: Anderlecht 11-0 Ekranas (2012/13)
Most successful campaign by a team starting out in the third qualifying round in 2016/17: Monaco (reached semi-finals)
Play-offs
Most appearances (player): 12= Scott Brown (Celtic), Mikael Lustig (Rosenborg, Celtic), Nuno Morais (APOEL)
Most goals: 5= Sergio Agüero (Atlético, Man. City), Leigh Griffiths (Celtic)
Most appearances (team): 14= Celtic (SCO), København (DEN)
Biggest win: Celtic 5-0 Astana, Steaua Bucureşti 0-5 Manchester City, Borussia Mönchengladbach 6-1 Young Boys (24/08/16, second leg)
Biggest aggregate win: Young Boys 2–9 Borussia Mönchengladbach (2016/17)
Most successful campaign by a team starting out in the play-offs in 2016/17: Manchester City, Porto (reached round of 16)
*includes all qualifying phases: preliminary, intermediary and qualifying rounds, plus first, second and third qualifying rounds and play-offs
Stats last updated 17/08/17