Ferencváros to Meet Faroese Team in Champions League Qualifiers

Hungary Today 2023.06.22.

KÍ Klaksvík from the Faroe Islands will be Hungarian champion Ferencváros’ (FTC) opponent in the first round of the Champions League qualifiers. It was announced at Tuesday’s draw in Nyon, Switzerland that the Hungarian team will start away from home on either July 11 or 12. The home return leg will take place the following week.

FTC’s sporting director Tamás Hajnal said that the Faroe Islands are in the midst of a busy tournament, with KÍ on top of the league-table after 14 matches with a clean sheet.

We are clearly taking the match seriously, as our goal is to qualify for the next round, but for that to happen, it is essential that everyone gives their best,”

he added.

KÍ Klaksvík have previously played four matches against Hungarian opponents, all against Újpest in the UEFA Cup. In 1997, the Hungarian side won 6-0, then 3-2, and in 2002, they drew 2-2, then won 1-0 against the Faroese side.

Fact

An interesting fact about the Faroese team is that the goalkeeper coach is a Hungarian professional, Géza Turi, who recently made the news with a compelling achievement: he became the oldest active goalkeeper in terms of front-rank leagues. This could happen due to the fact that he was forced to play because the club’s number one goalkeeper fell ill and the reserve player was injured. Turi was 49 years and 64 days old when he played for his team, and did well not to concede a goal.

According to Stanislav Cherchesov, head coach of Ferencváros, the team will start their preparations immediately. “Our goal is to win the Hungarian championship again and be more successful in the Hungarian Cup than last season,” he said.

As for the European competition, we will do our best to qualify for the Champions League and reach the group stage. Last season we played in the Europa League, this season we want to go one better.”

Ferencváros is the clear favorite in the first qualifying round, since the Hungarian team’s most valuable footballer, Kristoffer Zachariassen, is worth roughly twice as much as all the players of KÍ Klaksvík put together.

The draw in Switzerland also decided that Ferencváros will face either Sweden’s BK Häcken or Wales’ New Saints FC in the second round of the Champions League qualifying round.

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Ferencváros won its 34th title overall and fifth in a row and could make another attempt to reach the Champions League main draw this summer.Continue reading

Featured photo via Facebook/Ferencvárosi Torna Club