Polish champions Jagiellonia Białystok will face FK Panevėžys in the Champions League 2nd round qualifiers following the Lithuanian champions 4-1 aggregate victory over HJK Helsinki.
FK Panevėžys drew 1-1 with the Finnish side on Tuesday night, but having won the first leg easily 3-0, they were strong favorites to advance into the next round.
This season is Panevėžys’ first ever appearance in the Champions League. They have featured in the Europa Conference League in each of three seasons but never got further than the second-round qualifiers.
Jagiellonia won the Ekstraklasa on the final day of the season back in May, clinching the league title for the first time in the club’s 104-year history.
The team’s success was all the more remarkable given the fact they have such an experienced manager at the helm. Adrian Siemieniec is the youngest manager in the Polish top flight, aged just 32, and when he was appointed last year, he became the youngest ever in Ekstraklasa.
This season is Panevėžys’ first ever appearance in the Champions League. They have featured in the Europa Conference League in each of three seasons but never got further than the second-round qualifiers.
Jagiellonia won the Ekstraklasa on the final day of the season back in May, clinching the league title for the first time in the club’s 104-year history.
The team’s success was all the more remarkable given the fact they have such an experienced manager at the helm. Adrian Siemieniec is the youngest manager in the Polish top flight, aged just 32, and when he was appointed last year, he became the youngest ever in Ekstraklasa.
Siemieniec led the club from north-eastern Poland to a deserved title, having won the most, lost the fewest, and scored the most goals in 2023/24. Even more impressively, they had finished 14th (two places above the relegation zone) in the season prior.
Despite earning 32.5 million złoty (€7.47 mln) in prize money for winning the league, Jagellonia were not able to hold onto all of their title-winning squad.
Serbian goalkeeper Zlatan Alomerović has moved to the Cypriot league, and Polish international Bartłomiej Wdowik, the Ekstraklasa Defender of the Season, will be sorely missed at left back.
Former Polish youth international Maksymilian Stryjek has been brought in from the English third-tier side Wycombe to compete with youngster Sławomir Abramowicz to be the new number one in the goal. Portuguese defender João Moutinho has joined from Italian club Spezia to likely fill Wdowik’s boots.
France-born forward Lamine Diaby-Fadiga has been brought in to add firepower, although he has not particularly impressed in the French second division in recent years.
Diaby-Fadiga is probably best known for stealing a luxury watch from his then-Nice teammate Kasper Dolberg in 2019. He subsequently confessed to the crime and was sacked by the club.
While integrating new players can be challenging, Siemieniec’s biggest test will be juggling July and August's intense fixture list.
“We will play every three days in the near future. August will be crazy for us; everyone has to be ready and take responsibility for results. We are still looking for reinforcements for offensive positions,” the manager said.
The first leg between Jagiellonia and Panevėžys will take place on Tuesday or Wednesday, July 23–24, in Lithuania. The decisive leg is scheduled for a week later in Białystok.
Despite earning 32.5 million złoty (€7.47 mln) in prize money for winning the league, Jagellonia were not able to hold onto all of their title-winning squad.
Serbian goalkeeper Zlatan Alomerović has moved to the Cypriot league, and Polish international Bartłomiej Wdowik, the Ekstraklasa Defender of the Season, will be sorely missed at left back.
Former Polish youth international Maksymilian Stryjek has been brought in from the English third-tier side Wycombe to compete with youngster Sławomir Abramowicz to be the new number one in the goal. Portuguese defender João Moutinho has joined from Italian club Spezia to likely fill Wdowik’s boots.
France-born forward Lamine Diaby-Fadiga has been brought in to add firepower, although he has not particularly impressed in the French second division in recent years.
Diaby-Fadiga is probably best known for stealing a luxury watch from his then-Nice teammate Kasper Dolberg in 2019. He subsequently confessed to the crime and was sacked by the club.
While integrating new players can be challenging, Siemieniec’s biggest test will be juggling July and August's intense fixture list.
“We will play every three days in the near future. August will be crazy for us; everyone has to be ready and take responsibility for results. We are still looking for reinforcements for offensive positions,” the manager said.
The first leg between Jagiellonia and Panevėžys will take place on Tuesday or Wednesday, July 23–24, in Lithuania. The decisive leg is scheduled for a week later in Białystok.
Source: TVP Sport, Wirtualna Polska, Gol24
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