Gives our players a good chance to acclimatise to Qatar in December the year before most of them go back for the World Cup, a free shot at winning a trophy we've never won before against teams we have a great chance beating as the sole European team taking part and will serve as a bit of a getaway in the midst of the season. It's alright, I'd much rather we be going there than City or Spurs! That means we've done something right!
Brazilian teams remaining in Libertadores: Cruzeiro, Paranaense, Palmeiras, Grêmio, Flamengo and Internacional; Argentine teams remaining: River, San Lorenzo, Boca and Godoy Cruz. Then six other unlikely winners from smaller nations.
Monterrey are already qualified from North America as the usual Mexican winner of the NACL (the wage-capped MLS teams stand no chance to be honest).
Espérance from Tunisia won the African Champions League a few days ago as well, so they're also a potential opponent and qualified for the tournament.
Asia isn't decided yet and as far as the Oceanian team (Hienghène from New Caledonia), they'll be knocked out before the defeat us, the Qatari champions Al-Sadd will also take part.
So right now:
Semi-finalists:
Liverpool
TBD
Quarter-finalists:
Monterrey
Espérance
TBD
Preliminary round:
Al-Sadd
Hienghène
That may change if Al-Sadd wins the AFC Champions League and then I'd assume Al-Duhail will take their place in the preliminary round. Those two are actually playing one another in the last 16 in the AFC CL in August. Yes, you read that right, in Qatar in August
Good job their stadiums have gigantic air-conditioners!