The Inver Reds are set to learn their fate in the UEFA Champions League today, with the First Qualifying Round Draw taking place this afternoon (Tuesday 20th).
This morning, UEFA announced our pre-draw grouping, meaning that we will face one of the following sides in July:
Qarabağ FK (AZE)
ŠK Slovan Bratislava (SVK)
Flora Tallinn (EST)
HJK Helsinki (FIN)
NK Olimpija Ljubljana (SVN)
Supporters will be able to stream the draw live on UEFA’s official website, beginning at 1pm (UK time).
Qarabağ FK (AZE)
Based in Azerbaijan’s capital city of Baku, Qarabağ enter the First Qualifying Round Draw having just won a record tenth Azerbaijani Premier League title. Last season, the club also competed in the UEFA Europa League group stages.
Qarabağ’s squad is primarily made up of players who represent the Azerbaijan national team. In 2017, they became the first club from the nation to reach the UEFA Champions League group stages, where they faced Chelsea, Roma and Atletico Madrid.
Last season, Qarabağ’s First Qualifying Round home leg was played at the 31,200 capacity Tofiq Bahramov Republican Stadium in Baku, which would be likely destination for a potential fixture against the Invermen.
The last time Qarabağ faced opposition from Northern Ireland was in 2019, when they drew 4-4 on aggregate with Linfield, progressing via away goals to the UEFA Europa League group stage.
ŠK Slovan Bratislava (SVK)
Based in Slovakia’s capital city of Bratislava, Slovan Bratislava’s European history goes back as far as 1969 when they defeated Barcelona 3-2 to lift the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup.
Last season, the club progressed through the group stages of the UEFA Europa Conference League to the Round of 16, where they were defeated on penalties by Basel.
Slovan Bratislava’s squad features a number of Slovakian-born players alongside others from all corners of Europe and North/South America. Notable names include former Aston Villa winger Andre Green and ex-Manchester City and Rangers winger Vladimir Weiss, who’s father currently manages the team.
Having won the Slovak Super Liga on 21 occasions, Slovan Bratislava play their home games in the 22,500 capacity Tehelné pole stadium, where they will host this season’s UEFA Champions League opponents. They last faced Northern Irish opposition in 1994, defeating Portadown 5-0 on aggregate in the UEFA Cup.
Flora Tallinn (EST)
Flora Tallinn, also known as FC Flora, are based in Estonia’s capital city of Tallinn. Founded in 1990, the club have won 14 league titles in their 33-year existence.
Flora’s squad is made up almost entirely of Estonian players, many of whom represent the national team on a regular basis. Last season, they represented Estonian football in the UEFA Europa Conference League group stages when they faced Partizan, Gent and Anorthosis.
A potential away leg against Flora would be played at the Lilleküla Stadium in Tallinn, which boasts a 14,300 capacity and is also the home of the Estonian national team. Flora have never faced Northern Irish opposition in Europe to date.
HJK Helsinki (FIN)
Another side from their nation’s capital city, HJK Helsinki have won their top division on 32 occasions. Regulars on the European stage, HJK reached the group stages of the UEFA Champions League during the 1998-99 season and have since competed in the group stages of the UEFA Europa League and UEFA Europa Conference League.
HJK’s squad is made up primarily of domestic players, most of which are capped at senior international level. Last season, they featured in group stages of the UEFA Europa League, facing Roma, Ludogorets and Real Betis before exiting the competition. HJK play their home matches at the 10,770 capacity Bolt Arena, which will be the destination for their European opponents this summer.
The Finnish league champions once faced Northern Irish opposition in consecutive seasons, defeating Glentoran 1-0 on aggregate in the 2003-2004 UEFA Champions League First Qualifying Round and Linfield 2-0 on aggregate in the same stage of UEFA’s elite competition in 2004-2005.
NK Olimpija Ljubljana (SVN)
Founded in 2005, NK Olimpija Ljubljana are the youngest of our potential opponents in this season’s UEFA Champions League First Qualifying Round Draw. In their 18-year history, the club have won the Slovenian First League on three occasions.
Olimpija Ljubljana’s squad is made up of players from a mixture of European nations. Club captain Timi Max Elšnik has been capped three times at senior level with Slovenia. The midfielder began his career at Derby County and had played in the English Football League for Mansfield Town, Swindon Town and Northampton Town prior to making the move to Slovenia’s capital city.
Olimpija Ljubljana made their debut on the international stage in 2010 but have never featured in the group stages of a UEFA competition. Their best run in Europe came in 2018, when they reached the Play-Off Round of the UEFA Europa League, having previously defeated Crusaders 6-2 on aggregate in the Second Qualifying Round.
