Zalgiris Vilnius, who finished the last season as champion in front of Kauno Zalgris, qualified to compete in the 1st qualifying round of the Champions League.
Established in 1947 and reaching the 10th championship in its history, the green-and-white team was able to go up to the 3rd qualifying round at most in the Champions League, where it played 8 times in the qualifying rounds and could not stay in the groups.
Zalgiris Vilnius, who did not pass the UEFA Champions League and Europa League qualifications last season, and remained in Group H of the Conference League, finished the group in the last place with 5 points. The representative of Lithuania achieved his only victory against Armenia’s Pyunik team.
The green-whites, whose coach has been coached by Kazakh Vladimir Cheburin since 2021, got 29 wins, 19 draws and 45 losses in the 93 matches they played on the European lane so far.
Playing 18 games so far in the 2023 season, Zalgiris Vilnius ranks second with 37 points, 6 points behind the leader Penevezys.
The top scorer of the Lithuanian team this season was Nigerian striker Mathias Oyewusi, who lifted the opponent’s nets 7 times. Icelandic Arni Vilhjalmsson scored 5 goals.
STRUGA’S FIRST “GIANTS LEAGUE” EXCITEMENT
Struga, which was founded 8 years ago and has been fighting in the North Macedonian First League for 4 years, enjoyed its first championship in its history last season.
The top scorer of the Macedonian representative, who was eliminated in the 1st qualifying round of the UEFA Conference League last season, was Besart İbraimi with 18 goals.
Coached by Albanian coach Shpetim Duro, Struga plays its matches at the 800-seat Gradska Plaza Stadium.