Premiership

LINFIELD OFF TO LITHUANIA IN CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

15 Jun 2021
football
Linfield have been paired with Lithuanian side Zalgiris Vilnius in the First Qualifying Round of the 2021/22 UEFA Champions' League.
 
The Blues will be away in the first leg, to be played on either 6th or July, before hosting Vilnius in the return the following week (13th/14th July). Exact dates and kick-off times for both games have yet to be confirmed.
 
This will be the first time Linfield have faced Lithuanian opposition, but for Vilnius it will be a return to Northern Ireland after having previously played Crusaders, Portadown and Lisburn Distillery over the years.
 
In 1996/97 they defeated the Crues 3-2 on aggregate in the UEFA Cup Preliminary Round (winning 2-0 at home but losing 2-1 at Seaview).
 
They were back on these shores in 2004/05 for the UEFA Cup First Qualifying Round game against Portadown. That ended 2-2 at Shamrock Park but they progressed thanks to a 2-0 home win.
 
Then, the following summer, a third trip to Northern Ireland brought them face to face with Lisburn Distillery in the UEFA Intertoto Cup, winning both legs 1-0.