FK Panevezys take on the visitors HJK in the first leg 1/8-finals of UEFA Champions League qualification. The match will be played on Tuesday, July 9th at Aukstaitijos Stadium (Panevėžys).
Panevezys likely can't afford to seriously invest in European competitions right now. The Red and Blues are in a difficult situation. On one hand, they are making their debut in the Champions League, and it’s a home game. Prior to this, the Lithuanians had started in the Conference League three times from 2021 to 2023, but only managed to advance past Moldovan Milsami. However, last season they outperformed all competitors—this young project (founded in 2015 and playing in the A-Lyga since 2019) that previously only won the national cup in 2020, became champions. On the other hand, the team is currently teetering on the brink of relegation, averaging about one point per match. They did manage to beat the underdog Sūduva in June, as well as Dainava before that, but they ended with a 0-1 home loss to Banga. This negative scoreline was repeated against Hegelmann Litauen.
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HJK determined not to relinquish their dominance in Finnish football. Klubi has been the most successful football project in its northern country. Even now, it remains its flagship. It's worth noting that after reclaiming the championship title in 2020 after a one-year hiatus, they haven't given it up since. However, this might change in the current season. A challenging period is beginning, with the schedule tightening due to European competition matches. No substantial lead over competitors has been established. Despite this, the favorite continues to win the majority of their matches. Although they had a setback in the last round, losing 0-3 to Ilves. Regardless, a team with experience in the Champions League group stage is determined to advance as far as possible. They reached the Europa League group stage in 2022 and played in the main round of the Conference League last autumn.
The Finnish giant has never traveled to their neighbors in Lithuania, not even for a friendly match—no record of any matches. The Finns received a wake-up call in their domestic league and will be highly motivated. We expect an away win for them.
Prediction for the match: HJK to win.
