The first matches of the reformed UEFA Champions League are upon us. A little over a month after Real Madrid captured their 15th UCL title, Europe’s premier club competition returns with 14 first-qualifying-round ties.
In previous years, there would have been a four-team preliminary round mini-tournament played in late June.
However, as part of the Champions League’s restructuring, UEFA decided to abolish it, putting an end to six years of mini-tournament play.
Just before the matches commence, The Sports Deck previews all 14 matches of the UCL first qualifying round, as well as provide predictions for each tie as to who will progress.
Tuesday Matches:
Panevėžys vs HJK
The first match of the 2024/25 Champions League season will get underway in Lithuania, as Panevėžys hosts HJK Helsinki.
It is a match of contrasts, as Panevėžys will be contesting in their maiden UCL match, while HJK have more UCL games under their belt than their opponents has in Europe altogether.
It was a 2023 to remember for Panevėžys, who won their first-ever Lithuanian title. That followed a third-place finish in 2022. In what is now their fourth consecutive season in European football, they are hoping to progress from a European tie for the second year in a row.
As for HJK, they have won the last four Finnish titles. They have also played European football in the fall in each of the last three seasons. But, their greatest continental campaign came 26 years ago, when they made the Champions League group stage.
While it would be an incredibly tall order to make it this year, they will surely be looking to go as deep as they can in UCL qualifying.
Prediction: HJK
Ħamrun Spartans vs Lincoln Red Imps
Maltese champions Ħamrun Spartans get their second successive UCL campaign underway at home to Gibraltar’s Lincoln Red Imps in what is a fascinating-looking tie.
Ħamrun held off Floriana to capture their 10th Maltese top-flight title. However, across 10 previous Champions League/European Cup games, they have won just once – a 2-1 victory over Albania’s 17 Nëntori in 1988/89.
This is a great chance to progress from a UCL tie – something the club has never done before.
Lincoln Red Imps was also involved in a dramatic title race last season, scoring an 89th-minute goal to earn a 1-1 draw against St. Joseph’s.
The result was them lifting the title for the 20th time in the last 21 years. In what is now their 10th foray into UCL qualifying, they will look to repeat the magic of the 2021/22 season, where they qualified for the Conference League group stage.
Prediction: Ħamrun Spartans
The New Saints vs Dečić
One of the biggest ties to take place in this round is between clubs from two countries ranked very low in UEFA’s five-year country coefficient ranking.
The New Saints of Wales meet Montenegro’s Dečić in what has to be seen as a wonderful opportunity for both teams to progress.
TNS is no stranger to playing in the Champions League qualifiers, as they have dominated Welsh football for the last decade. They have won 11 of the last 12 league titles and will look to advance past the first hurdle of the UCL for the first time since 2019/20.
After a couple of seasons of promise, Dečić won the Montenegrin title for the first time last term. This means that following two summers of Conference League play, the side will enjoy UCL football for the first time.
They have never won a European match in four previous attempts, so they will wish to change that in Wales.
Prediction: The New Saints
UE Santa Coloma vs Ballkani
In what should be a rather one-sided tie on paper, UE Santa Coloma of Andorra faces off against Kosovo’s Ballkani.
For all of their experience in Europe, this is UE Santa Coloma’s first time experiencing Champions League football, after having won the Andorran title last term as part of a domestic double. UESC has never progressed from a European tie but will hope to end that this summer.
Ballkani has won the last three titles in Kosovo and can be considered the new kid on the block. Despite playing in the Conference League group stage in each of the last two seasons, they have never gone farther than UCL Q1.
They have also lost both of their away games at this stage, something that could give UESC some hope.
Prediction: Ballkani
Víkingur Reykjavik vs Shamrock Rovers
Next is our choice for a tie of the round, as Icelandic champions Víkingur Reykjavik battles Shamrock Rovers. This will be a battle between two teams who have expectations of playing European football in the fall.
For the second time in three years, Vikingur Reykjavik won the Icelandic title. Their last appearance in the UCL came two years ago, where they won the preliminary round tournament before bowing out in a close tie against Malmö.
This time around, they will have a legitimate shot at moving on.
Shamrock Rovers clinched their fourth successive League of Ireland title last year, though the chances of them retaining the trophy this year look slim.
For the second year running, they face Icelandic opposition in this round. They lost home and away to Breiðablik last summer, and will look to avoid the same fate once more.
Prediction: Víkingur Reykjavik
Virtus vs FCSB
The last game on Tuesday will be the most lopsided one in this round, as Virtus of San Marino welcomes Romanian champions FCSB.
After winning their maiden Coppa Titano in 2022/23, Virtus followed it up with another trophy in 2023/24.
This time, it was the Campeonato Sammarinese title. They left it late, scoring an equalizer against Tre Penne. As the lowest-ranked team in this round, Virtus will have it quite tough to get even a result here.
FCSB won the Romanian title last term, looking very good while doing so. After falling in Conference League qualifying last summer, they will look to be part of one of the league phase draws come the end of August.
Winning this tie, as they are expected to do, will go a long way to ensuring that.
Prediction: FCSB
Wednesday Matches
Ordabasy vs Petrocub
We have a very intriguing tie here, as Ordabasy takes on Petrocub in a battle between two UCL first-timers.
The Kazakh side has gone from strength to strength in recent years, winning the cup title in 2022 before holding off FC Astana for the league crown in 2023.
They have continued where they left off, as they currently lead the league. Winners of their last four games, Ordabasy will fancy their chances in this tie.
After partaking in the Conference League qualifiers in each of the last three seasons, Petrocub won their first Moldovan title last year.
The side from Hîncești has progressed from a European tie three times and will look to do the same at their first attempt in the UCL.
Prediction: Petrocub
Flora Tallinn vs Celje
Estonian side Flora Tallinn, who played in the 2021/22 UECL group stage, takes on Slovenia’s Celje. This tie presents a massive chance for both teams to take a key step towards league-phase football.
For the second summer in a row, Flora can count themselves as unlucky. They received Raków a year ago at this stage, losing both ties.
Once again, they are pitted against what many would consider the most difficult unseeded side in the draw. Since that previously mentioned UECL group stage appearance, they have won just once in six European games, failing to win any of the three ties.
Celje made waves in UECL qualifying last summer, making the competition’s playoff round before bowing out to Maccabi Tel Aviv.
They impressed in the league as well, winning the title with a few games to spare. They will be a side to watch in the early round of UCL qualifying as the club looks to pull off some more impressive wins.
Prediction: Celje
Slovan Bratislava vs Struga
Another tie that has a heavy favourite, Slovan Bratislava takes on Struga in Wednesday’s first leg.
Slovan has won the last six titles in Slovakia, running away with the league in 2023/24. They are one of just three teams to have taken part in the Conference League proper in all three years of the competition’s existence, alongside AZ and Gent.
Slovan is also the highest-ranked team in UCL Q1 and will be a side looking to go very far in UCL qualifying this summer.
This is a tie of contrasts, as Struga won the North Macedonian title on the final day, after an enthralling title race with Shkëndija and Shkupi.
It was their second successive title and will see them return to this round, where they fell to Žalgiris.
Prediction: Slovan Bratislava
RFS vs Larne
Another side that has been in the UECL proper – RFS – plays the first leg of their tie at home to Northern Irish champions Larne.
Having finished in the top three of the Virslīga in each of the last six years, RFS won the league on the final day last year.
Currently, in the middle of their league campaign, the capital club has dominated, holding a seven-point lead over rivals Riga FC. They are looking to play European football in the fall for the second time in three seasons.
For the second summer in a row, Larne will partake in UCL qualifying. They held off Linfield to win their second straight league title.
In what is now their fourth European season on the spin, Larne will look to end a dreary run of six continental matches without a win.
Prediction: RFS
KÍ Klaksvík vs Differdange 03
In what looks like a 50/50 tie, KÍ Klaksvík, one of last summer’s darling teams, takes on Luxembourg’s Differdange. A great opportunity for both teams to get past this round and near a league phase spot.
KÍ did the unthinkable last summer, stunning Ferenćvaros and Häcken in the first two rounds of UCL qualifying.
That led them to a spot in the Conference League group stage, where they were competitive in each match despite finishing bottom. Will they be able to kick on from last summer’s success, or will it be a hangover for the Klaksvík-based outfit?
For Differdange, they managed to win their seventh league title, and first in 45 years. While this is their fourth continental run in five years, they have not successfully negotiated a two-legged tie since 2015/16, when they defeated Bala Town in the Europa League.
This may be their best chance to improve such a dreary run of form.
Prediction: KÍ Klaksvík
Ludogorets vs Dinamo Batumi
Bulgarian regulars Ludogorets will have Georgian opposition in their UCL Q1 tie, as Dinamo Batumi makes the trip to Razgrad for the first leg of this one.
Ludogorets has had a stranglehold on Bulgarian football over the last 12 years, winning the title in every one of those seasons.
They have become group-stage regulars and should be considered the team most likely to make the Champions League proper of the 28 first-round entrants.
Their opponent Dinamo Batumi has become a force in Georgian football in recent times, finishing in the top two for five consecutive years, winning the league twice in that run.
After losing at the first hurdle in the Conference League last summer, they will hope to at least win one tie this time around.
Prediction: Ludogorets
Dinamo Minsk vs Pyunik
Another fascinating tie awaits us, as Belarusian champions Dinamo Minsk hosts Armenia’s Pyunik in this Q1 opener.
Dinamo is one of Belarus’ most successful teams, having won the league for the eighth time last calendar year.
While that was their first domestic title in 19 years, they have made the group stages in Europe a couple of times since. Former European quarterfinalists, do not count this side out.
Pyunik has made some headway in Europe, playing in the Conference League proper two years ago.
They have made at least Q3 in each of their last four continental journeys, with the side from Yerevan showing strong performances in recent times.
Prediction: Dinamo Minsk
Borac Banja Luka vs Egnatia
We conclude this preview with a regional matchup between Borac Banja Luka of Bosnia, and debutants Egnatia from Albania.
Borac claimed their third Bosnian title last season, allowing them to return to the UCL after 11 years away.
They will have a tall order in attempting to recreate Zrinjski’s impressive performances from last summer. After all, Borac, despite having had several continental appearances, has never gone past the second qualifying round in Europe before.
Egnatia won their maiden league title in 2023/24, completing a domestic double in the process. They performed admirably last summer in their European club competition bow, losing on penalties to Ararat-Armenia after two draws.
That leaves them looking quite dangerous heading into this tie and should have a more than decent chance at progressing.
Success here would put them that much closer to becoming the second Albanian side to make the main round in Europe.
Prediction: Egnatia