By Titas Teiten
Football in Kaunas is set to enter a new era on Tuesday. After winning the Lithuanian championship for the first time in the club’s history last season, FK Kauno Žalgiris will make its long-awaited debut in the UEFA Champions League. Despite an unexpectedly turbulent domestic campaign so far, expectations remain high. Across Lithuania, football fans are united by one hope: to see another Lithuanian club reach the European group stage.
Kaunas is no stranger to memorable European nights. While the city is best known for its basketball tradition, it also enjoyed remarkable football success during the 2000s through FBK Kaunas. Although that club no longer exists, FK Kauno Žalgiris has emerged as the city’s new standard-bearer, and perhaps the greatest hope for Lithuanian football on the international stage.
Winning the Lithuanian title in 2025 marked a significant step forward for the club, both in terms of sporting ambition and credibility. Today, FK Kauno Žalgiris is widely regarded as one of the fastest-growing and most professionally run sports organizations in the Baltic region. Yet despite that progress, the 2026 season has been anything but smooth. Instead of building on last year’s success, the club has found itself in the midst of an unexpected crisis.
Everything initially pointed in the right direction. Kauno Žalgiris lifted the Lithuanian Super Cup and collected 22 points from their opening eight TOPLYGA matches, looking every bit like reigning champions determined to defend their crown. Then the momentum disappeared. A draw against Banga Gargždai at the beginning of May marked the start of a disastrous winless run. The club then recorded eight consecutive league matches without a victory, recording five draws and three defeats.
The poor run of form ultimately led to a major change on the sidelines. Following another defeat to Banga Gargždai on June 17, head coach Eivinas Černiauskas announced his departure, prompting the club to begin its search for a new manager. That search ended with the appointment of experienced Croatian coach Željko Sopić. His mission is clear: restore Kauno Žalgiris to winning ways and guide the club to a successful European campaign.
As the club sits third in the TOPLYGA with 28 points from 18 matches, attention now turns to the European stage. In the first qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League, Kauno Žalgiris will face Kosovo champions Drita, with the first leg taking place in Kaunas on July 7 and the return leg in Gjilan a week later. The challenge will be significant. Last season, Drita reached the knockout phase of the UEFA Conference League, something no Lithuanian club has ever achieved, before eventually being eliminated by NK Celje, featuring Lithuanian internationals Artemijus Tutyškinas and Armandas Kučys.
Nevertheless, Kauno Žalgiris has every reason to believe qualification is within reach. Unlike Drita, who are still in pre-season and preparing through friendly matches, the Lithuanian champions are already deep into their domestic campaign and should benefit from greater match sharpness. With so much at stake, overcoming the first hurdle could transform the club’s European ambitions into a genuine opportunity.
Ahead of this historic tie, Baltic Football News spoke with Kauno Žalgiris winger Fabien Ourega, who reflected on the team’s difficult season, the arrival of a new coach, and the European dreams that remain very much alive.
Your season has been full of ups and downs. As a player, how do you explain such a dramatic change in form?
I don’t think there’s one main reason that explains everything. After the opening matches, which were excellent, I think we took our foot off the gas a little. Maybe we started believing we were better than we actually were. Opponents also had more time to analyze our game and became much more prepared to face us. Overall, I’d also say we were unlucky.
How did that lack of luck show up at that particular stage of the season?
Honestly, I don’t know. When I look back at our matches, I see that we were still creating plenty of chances, the difference is that early in the season we were converting them. Maybe it came down to confidence. Once you go one game without winning, then another, it starts to build up. We probably rushed things a bit too much and weren’t as composed in front of goal.
When did you find out that head coach Eivinas Černiauskas was leaving? What was your first reaction?
Looking back, that’s football. When the results aren’t there, it’s usually the coach who pays the price first, not the players. That was the case for us. I don’t really have anything more to add. It’s a decision that was made by the club’s management.
What are your first impressions of the new head coach? Have you had the chance to speak with him? What has stood out to you so far?
He only arrived recently. He’s come in with his own ideas, and I think he has a good football philosophy. In terms of personality and character, he’s completely different from the previous coach. A new manager always brings fresh energy to the group. Everyone is fighting for their place again in training, and you can definitely feel that there’s a new dynamic within the squad.
Changing coaches just before European matches – can that give the team a boost, or does it make preparation more difficult?
You can’t really know until you see the results. Overall, I think it can give the team fresh energy. A new coach is always positive because everyone is fighting to earn their place again. For players who weren’t getting many minutes before, this could be an opportunity to impress. At the same time, the regular starters also want to prove they deserve to keep their place in the starting eleven. In a way, it feels like the beginning of a new season.
The club has seen several departures and arrivals in recent weeks. Does it feel like a new cycle is beginning?
I think the departures had already been planned and weren’t related to the arrival of the new coach. As for the new signings, I believe they’re quality players. They’ve been training with us and are gradually settling in. They’re the type of players we needed to strengthen the squad.
Your former teammate in Vilnius, Renan Oliveira, has joined the club. How did you react when you heard the news, and what qualities can he bring to the team?
I was really pleased when I heard he was joining. He’s a player I already know well, and we’ve enjoyed success together in the past. He brings experience to the squad, and his quality on the pitch will definitely help us. He’s capable of scoring goals, and he already showed that against TransINVEST. He’s a different type of player compared to what we had before, and I think that’s something that can really benefit the team.
In the UEFA Champions League, you’ll face Drita, a team that enjoyed an impressive European campaign last season. Have you already started analyzing them? What kind of challenge are you expecting?
I know the club because of their recent European performances. But I don’t think it’s the right approach to focus entirely on that match just yet. We need to take things one step at a time. No matter who the opponent is, you have to expect a difficult game because it’s still Champions League football. Any team at that level has quality.
What will need to be different in your game to succeed in Europe?
I think everything comes down to the small details. Experience is important, but in football you also need a bit of luck. Expectations will be high, so if we want to go far we’ll have to stay even more focused. We need to be clinical when our chances come, and we also have to be solid defensively.
Starting your European campaign in the Champions League gives you more possible paths to continue in Europe. Despite the difficulties you’ve faced this season, do you feel qualifying for a European competition is essential?
Absolutely. It’s always better to start in the Champions League because it gives you more opportunities. The club has high expectations of us as players, and we’ll do everything we can to meet them. If we get through the first round, I think we’ll have a great chance of enjoying a successful European campaign. But first, we have to play the matches, and we’ll give absolutely everything.
What message would you like to send to the supporters ahead of these two European matches?
I’d like to tell them to come to the stadium because these are not matches this club gets to play every day. It will be the first time in the club’s history that we’ll play in the Champions League qualifiers. It’s a special moment, and we’ll need our supporters behind us. Getting a good result in Kaunas will be crucial, and their support can make all the difference.
