Zambian midfielder Benson Sakala is eyeing to help his new side Bohemians Praha 1905 qualify for any of UEFA’s three international club competitions: the Champions League, Europa League, or the Conference League.
Sakala has agreed to a 2-year deal with Bohemians, joining them as a free agent from another Czech team, FK Mladà Boleslav.
He has exclusively told Bolanews that he has high aspirations for his new club.
“I hope for a top five finish and to play in any of the three European competitions,” Sakala said when asked about his aspirations with the club.
UEFA organizes three major club competitions: the Champions League, which brings together Europe’s top clubs; the Europa League, a second-tier competition featuring clubs that excel domestically but fall short of Champions League qualification; and the Conference League, a third-tier competition providing opportunities for clubs from lower-ranked leagues or those who miss out on the top two to shine on the European stage.
According to the Czech league format, to stand a chance of vying for a European place, a team needs to finish in the top six of the regular season and advance to the championship pool that has six clubs.
In the Championship pool, a top-two finish sends a team to the Champions League, while finishing third and fourth earns them a Europa League place. A team that finishes fifth qualifies for the Conference League.
Bohemians finished 10th in the main season and are out of contention for European football next season.
Meanwhile, Sakala revealed that he had other offers but decided to remain in the Czech Republic because he believed in the Bohemians project.
“Yes, I had other offers from different clubs in Czech and also other parts of Europe but I chose this club because it has a good sportive project for me… returning to the Super League was not among the options.”
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