UEFA CL, play-off return leg, 22-23 August 2017

The ten remaining participants of the 2017-18 UEFA Champions League were decided over two days with five matches each night. It was another round that brought about some notable charter flying, with TSG Hoffenheim travelling to Liverpool accompanied by a lot of supporters and Celtic Glasgow going very far towards the East, playing away at Kazakhstan's champions FC Astana.

22 August 2017

Sevilla CF vs. Istanbul Basaksehir

Sevilla sat on what seemed a comfortable lead from the first leg, but Basaksehir came twice within on goal of reaching the Champions League for the first time in their young club history. A 2-2 draw meant Sevilla reached the group stage, while Basaksehir played on in the Europa League.

TK3381 IST xxxx-1330 SVQ B738 (21/08/17)

TK3382 SVQ 0100-xxxx IST B738 (23/08/17)

HNK Rijeka vs. Olympiacos

The hosts had only managed to turn around the first leg fixture in the second half and thanks to an injury time goal by Romao they took a 2-1 lead onto the road. In Rijeka's nice stadium setting, they made no mistake however. Former German international turned journeyman Marko Marin scored one more goal for Olympiacos who thus reached the group stage.

AEE4010 ATH 1100-xxxx RJK A320 (21/08/17)

FC Astana vs. Celtic Glasgow

There could have been no doubts about the outcome of this tie. The first leg at Celtic Park had ended with a thumping 5-0 victory for Celtic who had already eliminated Linfield from Northern Ireland and Norwegian champions Rosenborg BK in previous rounds. Astana gave it a good whack, leading 4-1 at one point, but would still have required another three goals from there. The final result of 4-3 meant that Celtic went on to play in the Champions League. Aeronexus' Boeing 767-300/ER was their aircraft of choice for the long flight to Astana.

ARN01A GLA 1400-xxxx TSE B763 ZS-NEX (20/08/17)
ARN01A TSE 0200-0245 GLA B763 ZS-NEX (23/08/17)

OGC Nice vs. SSC Napoli

The Italians proved just one step too far for the Nice team coached by the Swiss Lucien Favre. Napoli had won the first leg at home 2-0 and went on to win in Nice by the same result.

TDR308 NAP 1700-1815 NCE F100 9A-BTD (21/08/17)

23 August 2017

Liverpool FC vs. TSG Hoffenheim

In their biggest match to that date, the upstarts of Hoffenheim faced Liverpool at Anfield Road, and seemingly played up the hill. Liverpool decided to not only defend the lead from the first leg, but to build on it. Within 20 minutes, Liverpool were three goals ahead and finally won the game 4-2, advancing to the Champions League group stage. It was the beginning of big things for Liverpool, who went to play in two successive finals of the competition. Hoffenheim played on in the Europa League, but finished last in their pool.

The game is remembered for a rare occurrence of a Lufthansa Airbus A330-300 that was called upon to take supporters across the channel, to Manchester in this case. There was a considerable number of other supporters flights too, with Eurowings' A320 and some corporate jets related to TSG Hoffenheim's owner.

LH342 FRA 1130-1215 MAN A333 (22/08/17)

LH343 MAN 1345-1625 FRA A333 (22/08/17, ferry flt)
MHV1899 MHG 1240-1340 LPL D328 D-CIRJ (22/08/17)
EW5218 FKB 1025-1130 MAN A320 (23/08/17)
SCR064 ??? xxxx-1145 LPL C525
D-CMHS ??? xxxx-1240 LPL C25B
D-IWPS ??? xxxx-1255 LPL C25A
MHV200 ??? xxxx-1430 LPL C25A D-IMHA

EW5219 MAN 0320-0615 FKB A320 (23/08/17)
MHV1899 LPL 0945-xxxx MHG D328 D-CIRJ (24/08/17)

LH342 FRA 0945-1030 MAN A333 (24/08/17, ferry flt)

LH343 MAN 1200-1440 FRA A333 (24/08/17)

A Lufthansa Airbus A330-300 arriving at Frankfurt in 2009. Only rarely have such aircraft been used for sports charter duties. 

FC Kobenhavn vs. FK Qarabag Agdam

The champions of Azerbaijan counted on Azerbaijan Airlines as usual for their trip to Copenhagen. At the Parken, they were determined to defend their 1-0 lead from the first leg at home and did well. Dino Ndlovu scored their very important away goal after a bit more than 60 minutes. They may have lost the game 2-1, but still qualified for the Champions League.

AHY5015 GYD 1730-2045 CPH A319 4K-8888 (21/08/17)

CSKA Moscow vs. BSC Young Boys

90 minutes were up in the first leg, when Young Boys' Kasim Nuhu turned a scoreless draw into a win for CSKA by virtue of scoring a slapstick own goal. The task proved too tough for the Swiss vice-champions once again, but at least the next season, they would finally make the cut.

2L6652 BRN xxxx-1740 SVO E190 (21/08/17)

2L1653 SVO 1915-xxxx BRN E190 (21/08/17, ferry flt)

FC Steaua Bucharest vs. Sporting CP

FCSB would have been hopeful after a first leg without any goals on either side. And at home they had a good start against Sporting, only to concede a first goal after 13 minutes. They managed to equalise the game soon after that, but in the second half, the floodgates opened seriously. Sporting won 5-1 and qualified for the Champions League.

PVG7991 LIS 1400-2130 OTP (21/08/17)