Except that in recent years we've fallen to our fair share of these Euro underdogs. Who can forget the lows of Viktoria Zizkov and FC Kaunas? The shock wins for Grasshoppers Zurich and AEK Athens are still within recent memory and if we're to progress from what would appear at first glance to be a favourable group then we surely mustn't take any sides for granted. What do we know about FC Unirea Urziceni? Are they fodder to boost our goal difference or can they inflict the kind of hurt that Scottish clubs know so well in years gone by?
FC Unirea Urziceni were formed in 1954. A relatively young club at the grand old age of 55, they were shock winners of the 08/09 Liga 1. Hosting opponents at their 7000-capacity Stadionul Tineretului (a ground that wouldn't look out of place in the Scottish 1st division) they managed a 1-1 draw with fallen giants Steaua to finish three points clear of their nearest rivals. The 17,000 people of the town face an approximate 100-mile round trip to follow their heroes in the Champions League as the club will play their group games at the Steaua Stadium. Whilst this is nothing compared to the upheaval of playing Anzhi at a neutral ground due to the volatile nature of Russia's outlying states, we could certainly benefit from playing in a stadium that may offer a bigger playing surface and a more volatile atmosphere.
Players capable of enduring a trip across the city to the screaming hordes of an Old Firm game at Celtic Park certainly shouldn't fear a trip to eastern Europe and Fortress Ibrox rocking to its very foundations with typical European night thunder should give us a massive advantage in the home leg. It's important that as a support we do all we can: the Romanians will have known nothing like it and I'd fully expect us to take maximum advantage of the home game.
The real problem that we face is that whilst we know their manager, we know very little about their players. Dan Petrescu was a capable player, equally adept at defending and attacking down his flank, and enjoyed a distinguished career: 95 caps and a CV encompassing the Romanian, Italian and English top flight - he's certainly no footballing nobody. Unsuccessful spells in charge of Rapid in his homeland and Wisla Krakow in Poland suggested that he may not be cut out for management but strong performances with his unfancied side since being appointed in 2006 have gone some way to redeeming his reputation. Linked with the Steaua job last Autumn, a return to his first club at some time in the future can not be ruled out.
But can we really expect much from a side whose manager rates Morton's Jim McAllister as a player worth adding to his squad? Unirea currently employ 6 foreign players – There's the eastern European neighbour (Lithuanian keeper Giedrius Arlauskis), the Balkan (Mehmedović), the Portuguese (Semedo), The African (Bruno Fernandes) and the South Americans so in vogue in Eastern European football at the moment – a list of real footballing usual suspects. Neither Brazilian Ricardo Gomes nor Argentinian Pablo Brandan boast impressive track records in Europe although Brandan was once considered good enough to sign for the likes of Hurican and Independiente back home.
The Unirea players lack the more impressive pedigree of their domestic rivals (A few clubs in Romania enjoy healthy financial backing and can afford to bring better foreigners to the league) and Petrescu's squad is made up of mostly Romanian journeymen. Club captain George Galamaz managed 60 games between spells with Rapid and Dinamo in the Romanian capital but has no experience outside of his homeland. Sorin Parashiv represented Steaua 168 times during an 8-year period and was capped four times but managed only to earn himself a move to modest Rimini in Italy. Marius Onofras scored 14 goals in all competitions last term, not bad for a player rarely featuring as an out and out striker, but having scored 15 goals in total between 2000 and 2008, the 28 year-old can hardly be considered prolific. Defender Vasile Maftei was capped five times whilst making 200 appearances with Rapid and Petrescu's side will undoubtedly rely on him to keep the Gers strike force quiet.
Unirea won the 08-09 title on the back of a mean defence. They were 3rd in the scoring charts but by conceding a mere 20 goals they finished the season with the league's best goal difference. Their only international experience is in defence and defensive midfield, they achieved a 13-game unbeaten run last season and they'll fancy their chances of making it difficult for us. Bougherra and Weir have the class and experience to keep them quiet and we must hope that with Miller's work rate, Novo's running and determination and Naismith's developing class we have enough about us to score both at Ibrox and in Romania. We host Unirea on October 20 following a weekend game away to St Johnstone and face the away leg sandwiched between a trip to Tanadice and a home game against St Mirren. If we emerge from a bruising encounter with Celtic relatively fit and healthy then there's no reason why our best eleven can't secure all six points against a side that should find the Champions League too difficult.
We avoided potentially troublesome trips to Belgium and Russia, the logistical nightmare of a trip to Israel and the threat of humiliation at the hands of the German champions. If we're serious that 2nd spot is a fight between ourselves and Stuttgart then we must do all we can to ensure that our games against Unirea are not only won but won with conviction. Our ability to break down a determined back line and the resulting boost to our goal difference may just be the key factor in making it with the Champions League big boys or being turfed out with the Europa also-rans.