Universitatea Craiova set for Champions League prelim match against Vitebsk

Universitatea Craiova will contest the first leg of the Champions League preliminary round against Belarusian side FC Vitebsk on July 7 or 8, playing away before a return fixture a week later at the Ion Oblemenco stadium in Romania. If the Romanian club progresses, it will meet the winner of the Levski Sofia‑Borac Banja Luka tie in the second preliminary round; a loss will drop Craiova into the second‑round preliminaries of the Europa Conference League, where it would face the loser of the Kairat Almaty‑Sutjeska Niksic match.

Vitebsk’s president described Craiova as a “very difficult opponent” and expressed confidence in his team’s effort despite the return leg being played on Romanian soil. Meanwhile, fellow Romanian side U Cluj is slated to play Dinamo Kiev in the Europa League first‑leg preliminary round on July 9, with the return fixture on July 16 at the Cluj Arena. Veteran Ukrainian forward Andriy Yarmolenko, 36, has announced he will not participate in European competitions for Kiev, focusing instead on domestic matches. The outcomes of these ties will determine whether U Cluj advances to face PAOK Saloniki or drops into the Conference League second round.