A NUMBER of South African stars will begin their campaigns in the Uefa Europa League first round qualifiers this week, signalling the start of the new 2013-2014 campaign.
Bafana Bafana left-back Ricardo Nunes will travel with his Slovakian side Zilina to Georgia to face Torpedo Kutaisi on Thursday in what looks to be a potential banana skin for the team.
Zilina are regulars in European competition.
Nunes will be hoping to be fit after he missed Bafana's 2-1 defeat to Ethiopia in a World Cup qualifier on June 16.
Tokelo Rantie will look to continue his excellent scoring form this season that has already seen him net six goals in 11 starts for Swedish side Malmo.
He should be licking his lips at facing the part-timers of Drogheda United from the Republic of Ireland.
Malmo were runners-up in the old European Cup in the 1978-1979 season when they lost 1-0 to Brian Clough's Nottingham Forest.
They were in the group stages of the Europa League two seasons ago and that will be seen as a minimum requirement again from this campaign, where Rantie will be key to those chances.
Sive Pekezela is in his first season in the top flight in Sweden and his Gefle side will be in action against Estonian side Narva Trans in the first leg of their tie tomorrow night.
SA stars in Europa League action
A NUMBER of South African stars will begin their campaigns in the Uefa Europa League first round qualifiers this week, signalling the start of the new 2013-2014 campaign.
Bafana Bafana left-back Ricardo Nunes will travel with his Slovakian side Zilina to Georgia to face Torpedo Kutaisi on Thursday in what looks to be a potential banana skin for the team.
Zilina are regulars in European competition.
Nunes will be hoping to be fit after he missed Bafana's 2-1 defeat to Ethiopia in a World Cup qualifier on June 16.
Tokelo Rantie will look to continue his excellent scoring form this season that has already seen him net six goals in 11 starts for Swedish side Malmo.
He should be licking his lips at facing the part-timers of Drogheda United from the Republic of Ireland.
Malmo were runners-up in the old European Cup in the 1978-1979 season when they lost 1-0 to Brian Clough's Nottingham Forest.
They were in the group stages of the Europa League two seasons ago and that will be seen as a minimum requirement again from this campaign, where Rantie will be key to those chances.
Sive Pekezela is in his first season in the top flight in Sweden and his Gefle side will be in action against Estonian side Narva Trans in the first leg of their tie tomorrow night.
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