A historic evening awaits Lithuanian champions Kauno Žalgiris on Wednesday as they host Faroese champions KI Klaksvik in the second leg of their UEFA Champions League second qualifying round tie. Victory would send the Lithuanian side into the third qualifying round for the first time in the club’s history while also guaranteeing European league phase football this autumn. Kick-off at Jonava Stadium is scheduled for 19:00 Baltic time.
The first meeting between the two sides in the Faroe Islands ended in a goalless draw last week, a result Kauno Žalgiris were more than satisfied with given KI’s formidable home record and the notoriously difficult conditions in Klaksvik.
Despite playing at home, Kauno Žalgiris will not feature at their usual Darius and Girėnas Stadium. With a Pitbull concert set to take place in Kaunas later this week, the match has been moved around 33 kilometres away to Jonava Stadium.
Speaking ahead of the decisive encounter, head coach Željko Sopic yesterday admitted he expects a very different match compared to the first leg.
“It won’t be the same game as it was in the Faroe Islands. They know how to play on that small pitch, but here the conditions are different. We will do everything to make sure we face Dinamo Zagreb or Thun in the next round,” said the Croatian coach.
Although disappointed not to be playing in Kaunas, Sopic expressed confidence that the temporary venue would still provide strong support.
“Jonava is a good stadium. Of course, we’d prefer to play at our own ground, but I’m convinced the stadium will be full. If we were playing in Kaunas, I’m sure more than 10,000 fans would have attended.”
“In countries like Lithuania and Croatia, every next game is described as the biggest in decades. The important thing is how we prepare, and I know my players are 100 percent ready.”
Should Kauno Žalgiris progress, they would become only the second Lithuanian club after FK Žalgiris Vilnius to secure European league phase football by guaranteeing at least a place in the UEFA Conference League. They would also set up a Champions League third qualifying round clash with Croatian champions Dinamo Zagreb, who overturned their tie against Swiss champions Thun after extra time on Tuesday.
If eliminated, Kauno Žalgiris would continue their European campaign in the UEFA Europa League third qualifying round, where Danish side AGF Aarhus are the likely opponents, who to avoid dropping to the Europa League have to overturn a 1-4 first-leg deficit against Polish champions Lech Poznan.
