Kairat vs Sutjeska Niksic - prediction, team news, lineups

Taking their archetypal measurement connected a agelong travel towards the 2026-27 Champions League, some Kairat and Sutjeska Niksic volition question a first-leg pb erstwhile they conscionable successful Almaty connected Wednesday.

Drawn unneurotic successful the archetypal qualifying round, either broadside indispensable get done 4 ties to marque the prestigious league phase.

Match preview

While the World Cup continues successful North America, respective European teams are already getting a caller continental run nether way.

One specified nine is Kazakh champions Kairat, who qualified for the Champions League due for the archetypal clip successful their past past year, memorably beating Scottish giants Celtic successful the playoffs. 

Though they subsequently picked up conscionable 1 constituent - from a goalless gully with chap debutants Pafos - and finished last, glamour games against Real Madrid, Arsenal and Inter Milan made a bid of agelong journeys worthwhile.

As was the lawsuit past summer, Kairat indispensable commencement this term's run successful the archetypal qualifying round, opening with Wednesday's location limb astatine Ortalyq Stadion.

Having played 2 much games than Kazakhstan Premier League rubric rivals Ordabasy, Rafael Urazbakhtin's reigning champions presently beryllium 1 constituent down successful a two-horse contention for archetypal place.

They person precocious posted 4 consecutive wins portion scoring 15 goals, truthful assurance should not beryllium a occupation for their archetypal European crippled of the season.

Meanwhile, Montenegrin champions Sutjeska person yet to commencement their home rubric defence, which volition get nether mode aboriginal adjacent month.

Instead, caput manager Dejan Jelenic has led his broadside done 3 preparatory friendlies, each of which ended successful defeat.

Still, the Nikisic-based nine tin present get backmost to competitory action, with 1 of 7 Champions League qualifying spots successful their sights.

Even if they neglect to spell through, losing teams are transferred to the Conference League's 2nd qualifying round, and that mightiness connection a much realistic way into continental competition.

Sutjeska exited Europe's third-tier tourney astatine that signifier past play - going down 7-3 connected aggregate to Beitar Jerusalem - and they person ne'er earlier made the playoffs, fto unsocial a league phase.

So, lying 97 places beneath Kairat successful UEFA's latest co-efficient rankings, it would instrumentality a large upset to support distant Champions League dreams alive.

Kairat signifier (all competitions):

L D W W W W

Sutjeska Niksic signifier (all competitions):

L L L

Team News

Kairat volition beryllium without Chelsea-bound teen Dastan Satpaev, who is acceptable to formally articulation the English nine aboriginal this summer.

After his awesome Champions League displays past term, that leaves a large void which the likes of Jorginho and Edmilson indispensable fill; caller Spanish striker Marc Gual is different enactment up front.

Meanwhile, Sutjeska whitethorn crook to erstwhile Montenegro Under-21 planetary Balsa Toskovic arsenic their lone forward, with enactment from past term's apical scorer Vasilije Cavor.

Veteran skipper Vlado Giljen - who has been astatine the nine for a decennary - volition commencement successful goal, making his 28th European contention appearance.

Remarkably, successful this multinational age, lone 3 squad members are not Montenegrin by birth, including Jamaican winger Kenroy Campbell.

Kairat imaginable starting lineup:

Anarbekov; Tapalov, Martynovich, Kurgin, Mata; Sadybekov, Glazer; Mrynskiy, Jorginho, Zeballos; Edmilson

Sutjeska Niksic imaginable starting lineup:

Giljen; Golubovic, Dedic, Kopitovic, Raznatovic; Scekic, Simun; Cavor, Cadjenovic, Campbell; Toskovic

We say: Kairat 3-0 Sutjeska Niksic

Carrying overmuch much acquisition and prime successful their squad, Kairat should marque bully usage of location vantage this week.

Furthermore, the Kazakh nine are successful the heavy of a competitory home campaign, portion outsiders Sutjeska are conscionable backmost from a summertime break.

For information investigation of the astir apt results, scorelines and much for this lucifer delight click here.