Partizani Tiranë vs BATE

Partizani Tirana, fresh off their thrilling victory in the Albanian title fight, are set to host the formidable BATE Borisov from Belarus in the first leg of their Champions League first-round qualifying clash at Arena Kombetare on Tuesday evening.

The winners of this tie will compete in the third round against the mighty Cypriot giants Aris Limassol, while the losing team will move on to the Europa Conference League Champions Path second qualifying round.

Match Preview

Partizani Tirana and KF Tirana, both hailing from Tirana, have been the dominant forces in Albanian football in recent years. As the 2022-23 Kategoria Superiore reached its climax, both clubs found themselves level on points at the top of the division.

Partizani seized the opportunity when KF stumbled in the penultimate gameweek, taking the lead on the 36th matchday. They maintained their composure and secured a crucial 2-0 victory over Teuta Durres, ending their four-year wait for another top-flight title.

With both Partizani and KF finishing the season with 67 points, the Red Bulls had a slightly inferior goal difference of +19 compared to their rivals' +23. However, their head-to-head results proved decisive as they had defeated KF 2-0 in March and drew 1-1 with them two months later.

Following his successful tenure, manager Giovanni Colella stepped down, allowing Croatian Zoran Zekic to take charge of Partizani. Zekic faces a challenging debut match in his new role at the helm of the team.

Although the Red Bulls competed in the first round of Europa Conference League qualifying last season, they were eliminated on penalties by Saburtalo. Their track record in the Champions League qualifying rounds is not much better, with only one successful progression to the third round in 2016-17 before being eliminated by Red Bull Salzburg.

In the midst of a match-fixing scandal that tarnished the reputation of Belarusian football last year, BATE Borisov, who finished third in the 2022 top flight behind Shakhtyor Soligorsk and Energetik-BGU Minsk, benefited from their rivals' misdeeds and secured the sole spot in the Champions League qualifying rounds.

However, BATE Borisov's dominance in Belarus has waned. Despite winning an impressive 13 consecutive Premier League titles between 2006 and 2018, they have failed to add to their trophy cabinet in recent years and have struggled to regain their former glory.

In the current 2023 season, Kirill Alshevskiy's side has won only six of their opening 14 league matches, placing them fourth in the table, a substantial 10 points behind Neman Grodno, who lead the league. Nonetheless, BATE has shown signs of life in their recent matches.

After an astonishing 13-0 victory over Miory in the Belarusian Cup, BATE secured a 1-0 win against Neman in the top-flight action on July 1. They followed up this success with a 2-0 triumph over Shakhtyor Soligorsk, with goals from Denis Laptev and Valeriy Gromyko.

Since their last appearance in the Champions League group stage in 2016, BATE Borisov has suffered consecutive second-round eliminations in the Europa Conference League qualifiers. However, Alshevskiy's men are on an upward trajectory as they prepare to face Partizani Tirana for the first time in history.

BATE Borisov's recent form across all competitions has been encouraging, showcasing their potential to perform at a high level.

While Zekic takes charge of Partizani Tirana, striker Klevis Dragaj has moved in the opposite direction. Dragaj, who scored an impressive 10 goals in 13 games during the 2022-23 campaign, has departed Partizani to join NK Lokomotiva.

In conclusion, Partizani Tirana and BATE Borisov are set to clash in an exciting first-round qualifying tie for the Champions League. Both teams have experienced recent successes and challenges, making this match a highly anticipated encounter. The victors will advance to face Aris Limassol, while the losers will continue their European journey in the Europa Conference League.

PARTIZANI TIRANË VS BATE!