© fkzalgiris.lt
At the first stage of the UEFA Champions League qualifiers, the draw determined the opponent for "Žalgiris" from Northern Ireland. The team, which ended up in a higher-ranking group, could have faced teams from Iceland, Northern Ireland, Malta, or the winner of the preliminary round. However, the draw resulted in a match against the multiple-time champions of Northern Ireland, Belfast's "Linfield". This team has deep traditions, having won their country's championship 55 times and participating in European cups almost every year since 1959. Last season, "Linfield" advanced past the Champions League preliminary round but later lost to Warsaw's "Legia" (Poland) and "Floriana". The Northern Irish team made it through two rounds the season before last, coming close to a historic entry into the group stage - they beat "Qarabaq" 3:2 at home in the knockout stage, but lost 1:2 away and were eliminated on away goals rule. "Žalgiris" has faced Northern Irish representatives three times - in 1996, 2004, and 2005 - and won each time. The first round of the Champions League qualifiers will take place on July 6-7 and 13-14. The first match will be played at home by the residents of Vilnius. On Wednesday, June 16, the potential pairs for the second stage will also be determined by draw. In case of failure in the first stage of the Champions League qualifiers, "Žalgiris" will continue the fight in the second stage of the UEFA Europa Conference League. If they advance through the first stage, the players from Žalgiris will secure the opportunity to continue their European campaign in the Europa League even if they drop out of the Champions League at the beginning, and only later - in the Europa Conference League.
