Derry City between The Rock and a hard place with Copenhagen awaiting winners of Bruno's Magpies tie

Although he does 'feel positive' about the Gibraltarians' chances of progressing to the Uefa Conference League second round qualifiers next month based on their past experiences against Irish clubs.

Danish club Copenhagen await the winners of the Magpies’ first leg tie with Derry City and the Candy Stripes will be installed as favourites to meet the Danes who were dumped out of the Champions League at the last 16 stage last season after a 6-2 aggregate scoreline against Manchester City.

They also claimed the scalp of Man United in the group stages with a stunning 4-3 victory at the Parken stadium.

It will be a huge challenge for either Derry or Magpies but Dalli is optimistic his team can cause a shock in the first round against Ruaidhri Higgins' troops.

"Without disrespecting Derry City or Linfield, we did not want to go to Ireland or Northern Ireland again," he explained. "We've been there two consecutive years.

"So we wanted something different,” added Dalli whose role at the club since joining in 2019 is all-encompassing. "Whichever team you draw it was going to be a hard draw anyways but I would have wanted to go to Latvia, Lithuania or Estonia just to see something different."

Eliminated at the first round qualifying stage for the past two seasons at the hands of Crusaders in 2022 and Dundalk in 2023, the Magpies Sporting Director is expecting a similar 'physical' challenge from the Foylesiders.

When asked what lessons they learned from previous European experiences, Dalli responded: "If I tell you then Derry will know our new and improved secrets," he laughed.

"The physicality of the game is the only thing that changes. It's not rocket science. If we match the physicality of the game we are in for a very, very good two legs. I can guarantee you it will be shocking for most."Derry will no doubt consider the draw a favourable one both logistically and competitively but Dalli believes their recent experience against Irish sides will stand to them.

"Of course, if you had to choose between the teams in the draw, normally you would go for us. At the end of the day it's understandable. We've been here two years but people underestimate us in terms of Crusaders and Dundalk.

"If you see when the goals have been scored and the results we have obtained. Crusaders scored in minute 88th and minute 94th. And then Dundalk scored in minute two which was a foul on the goalkeeper and then minute 47.

"We've scored goals away so it's just the physicality. Crusaders' minimum height was 190cm. It's not that Crusaders were better than us, I don't think they were. I don't think Dundalk were better than us. But they maximised the moments.

"We now have three years experience and I feel quite positive. Whoever we would've got I would've spoken the same way, if we had got Linfield or Paide [Estonia] or whoever.

"So it doesn't really matter to me. The team I'm representing, I feel we are the best team in the world until we lose and then we'll say 'we weren't that good'," he smiled. "But anything can happen and we will face whatever we have to face."