Žalgiris Vilnius top scorer Nikola Petkovic leaves club after three seasons

Serbian striker Nikola Petkovic has departed Lithuanian side FK Žalgiris Vilnius following the expiration of his contract, bringing an end to his three-year spell at the club. The forward leaves after finishing as Žalgiris’ leading goalscorer in 2026, scoring 17 goals across all competitions and helping the team secure third place in the Toplyga.

Petkovic joined Žalgiris in February 2024 and enjoyed immediate success, winning the Lithuanian championship in his debut season. However, his time in Vilnius was also marked by a serious injury that kept him sidelined for almost the entire 2025 campaign.

While preparing for the 2025 season, the Serbian suffered a serious knee injury and did not return to competitive action until the final match of that year.

The 2026 campaign marked an impressive comeback for the 30-year-old striker, who made 36 appearances across all competitions, scoring 17 goals and providing three assists. Eleven of those goals came in the Lithuanian Toplyga, while the remaining six were scored during UEFA Conference League qualifying.

“Žalgiris helped me through the most difficult moments. I’m very happy that this season I was able to repay the trust they showed in me with my goals,” Petkovic said in his farewell message.

His final appearance for the club provided a fitting conclusion to his time in Vilnius. Coming off the bench in Žalgiris’ last league match against Banga in Gargždai, Petkovic scored the winning goal in a 2-1 victory that secured third place and the bronze medals.

“I’m very happy that my story at Žalgiris ended this way, with a goal. I wanted to thank everyone, and this ending means a lot to me,” the Serbian explained.

Across his three seasons at Žalgiris, Petkovic made 65 appearances in all competitions, scoring 25 goals and registering six assists.

Source: https://fkzalgiris.lt/trejus-metus-vilniuje-praleides-petkovicius-atsisveikina/