Tuesday, July 8

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Sports Mole previews Tuesday's Champions League clash between Drita and FC Differdange 03, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.

As the 2025-26 Champions League qualifiers get underway, Kosovan Superliga side Drita are set to host the Luxembourg National Division's FC Differdange 03 at Stadiumi Fadil Vokrri for the first leg of their first qualifying round tie on Tuesday.

The Intelektualet will be looking to make it five games unbeaten this week, while the visitors are hoping to build on their cup win in their last competitive match.

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Match preview

Zekirija Ramdani's Drita became the first Kosovar club to win a Champions League fixture back in 2018, and they have made it into the first qualifying round of the competition for the first time in five years.

The Intelektualet reached this stage by clinching their fourth top-flight title in 2024-25, ending the campaign a dominant 12 points clear of second-placed Ballkani.

Since the league wrapped up in May, Ramdani's side took a break before returning to prepare for this week by playing a number of friendlies, drawing 2-2 with North Macedonia's FK Sileks and beating Romania's Farul Constanta most recently.

With those clashes under their belt, the hosts have now lost two of their last eight matches in a stretch going back to April, and they will take confidence from the fact that they have won all but three of their home games since last summer.

That being said, Drita lost home and away in their most recent European tie, a 3-0 aggregate defeat against Legia Warsaw during their quest for Conference League football in August 2024, and it remains to be seen how they may fare in a higher tier competition.

Meanwhile, Pedro Resende's Differdange are dreaming of reaching the league phase of the Champions League, a commendable achievement that would mark the furthest they have ever made it in any European competition.

The visitors also qualified for this tie by winning their domestic title, retaining their crown and lifting the National Division trophy for just the second time since Red Boys Differdange and AS Differdange merged in 2003-04.

Having last played a competitive fixture back in May when they won a sixth Luxembourg Cup, Resende's men sought to build fitness by taking part in three friendlies, including a 2-1 triumph over UNA Strassen on June 26 and a 0-0 draw with RAAL La Louviere two days later on June 28.

Notably, Tuesday's visitors were the away side in both of those clashes, and they could take heart from their exceptional travelling record that features nine wins, one draw and one defeat in 2025.

However, Differdange were beaten 2-0 by Faroe Islands Premier League club Klaksvikar Itrottarfelag in 2024-25's first qualifying round, and they could struggle against the Kosovar champions this week.

Drita form (all competitions):

FC Differdange 03 form (all competitions):

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Team News

Drita are set to be without goalkeeper Eron Isufi due to a back injury, so expect to see Faton Maloku line up between the sticks in midweek.

In front of him, centre-halves Egzon Bejtulai and Juan Camilo Mesa are likely to be flanked by Besnik Krasniqi at right-back and Raddy Ovouka at left-back.

As for Differdange, striker Andreas Buch will be hoping to give his team a lead to protect in the second leg, and he could be supported by Rafael Ribeiro, Arthur Abreu and Adham El Idrissi.

In the backline, centre-back Juan Bedouret has been dealing with an adductor injury, and there are doubts about the fitness of left-back Dylan Lempereur, so Kevin D'Anzico and Geoffrey Franzoni may be joined by Gianluca Bei on Tuesday.

Drita possible starting lineup:

Maloku; Krasniqi, Bejtulai, Mesa, Ovouka; Dabiqaj, R Broja; Zulfiu, Kostyshyn, Ajzeraj; Manaj

FC Differdange 03 possible starting lineup:

Felipe; Franzoni, Bei, D'Anzico, Lempereur; Leandro, Silva; Ribeiro, Idrissi, Abreu; Buch

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We say: Drita 2-1 FC Differdange 03

 

Drita were dominant in their domestic league, and their impressive home record could give them a boost for this clash.

That being said, Differdange also won their league title, and having been strong on the road in 2025, they are likely to pose a threat.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.

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