Ħamrun Spartans have been drawn to face Lithuania’s FK Žalgiris in the first qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League.
The Maltese champions were the second team selected in Tuesday’s draw, which means they will travel to Lithuania for the first leg of the two-legged tie, with the return match scheduled to take place in Malta.
The Spartans had hoped for a favourable draw to help them progress beyond the first qualifying round and enhance their chances of reaching the group stages of the UEFA Conference League.
When UEFA released the list of potential opponents on Tuesday morning, it became clear that Ħamrun faced a tough challenge. They were placed in a group including experienced teams such as Swedish champions Malmö, FK Žalgiris, Latvia’s FC RFS, Finland’s KuPS, and Wales’ The New Saints—all clubs with prior experience in UEFA group stages.
Ultimately, the Spartans were paired with Lithuanian champions Žalgiris, who present a strong test as they are currently mid-season domestically and likely in better physical condition than Ħamrun.
A key advantage for Ħamrun is that they will play the first leg away in Lithuania and host the decisive second leg on home soil.
Looking at Žalgiris’ current form, there is some optimism for Ħamrun. Despite winning last year’s league title, Žalgiris are struggling this season and sit eighth in their ten-team league, with only 18 points—13 points behind the leaders FK Kauno Žalgiris.
Žalgiris’ best European performance came in the 2022-23 season when they reached the UEFA Conference League group stages, facing Swiss club Basel, Slovakia’s Slovan Bratislava, and Armenian side Pyunik.
They nearly repeated this success the following season but were eliminated by Ferencváros. Last summer, Žalgiris suffered a disappointing exit, losing 4-2 on aggregate to Cypriot side Pafos.
Despite this, Ħamrun Spartans will need to raise their European game if they want to overcome the Lithuanians and reach the second qualifying round, especially following last year’s setbacks.
Last season, Ħamrun were knocked out in the first qualifying round of the Champions League by Gibraltar’s Lincoln Red Imps, and later eliminated by Montenegro’s Balkani in the second qualifying round of the Conference League.
