THE COUNTDOWN BEGINS......

RHYL v PARTIZAN BELGRADE
UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE SECOND QUALIFYING ROUND FIRST LEG
TUESDAY, JULY 14, 7.45pm
PEOPLE can argue whether next week's Champions League clash at Belle Vue is the biggest game in Rhyl's history but surely it cannot be disputed that it will be the most prestigious.
Never in the Welsh Premier League club's 126-year existence has it faced a team of the stature of Partizan Belgrade in a competitive match.
In many ways, it is a pity Rhyl have drawn such difficult opponents as a first hurdle.
Meeting a lesser foe would have given the Lilywhites a better chance of progression, thus offering potential of increased financial reward, a possible massive name in the third qualifying round, plus the opportunity to enter the lower-regarded Europa League on elimination from the Champions League.
So how good are Partizan Belgrade? Like many of Europe's best known names, the Serbians live more on past reputation than current ability.
They may have once been European Cup finalists, but that was back in 1966 in the year England won the World Cup.
More worrying, though, is the fact they dumped former Premiership giants Newcastle United out of the Champions League as recently as 2003/04.
That put them into the group stages where they went undefeated at home, drawing 0-0 with mighty Real Madrid and 1-1 against Olympique de Marseille and eventual competition winners FC Porto.
But FK Partizan are not among Europe's current elite by any means, otherwise they would not find themselves put into the second qualifying round draw, albeit as third seeds.
Serbia are not the strongest of footballing nations either, although Partizan do draw their players from other countries.
Serbian Superliga title winners for the past two seasons, they have been crowned national league champions 21 times in their history
The big draw in their current squad is attacking midfielder Adem Ljajic, who is due to join Manchester United in January 2010. His former team-mate at Partizan, Zoran Tosic, is already with the Premiership champions.
Partizan also boast two Brazilian strikers named Washington da Silva and Cleverson Gabriel Cordova (better known as Cleo).
The recent signing of Cleo from arch-rivals Crvena Zvezda (Red Star Belgrade) has proved controversial as he is the first player to switch Belgrade clubs in 21 years.
Just the name Brazil is enough to strike fear into the opposition, but neither of these players has represented their country, so how good are they?
In terms of history, success, resources and, it has to be said, ability there is no comparison between Rhyl and Partizan.
The Serbians are vastly more experienced in Europe.
Their UEFA club competition record reads: Played 155 Won 62 Drawn 30 Lost 63, whereas Rhyl's is: Played 12, Won 2 Drawn 1 Lost 9.
So everything points to a comfortable Partizan victory over two legs, but as Llanelli proved in recently beating Scottish Premier League favourites Motherwell in the Europa League, anything is possible.
If Rhyl can succeed in keeping the tie alive going into next week's return in Belgrade, then that will be some achievement.
* This preview also appears in the latest edition of the Denbighshire Visitor.