The battle for Champions League football starts this Tuesday night with a host of first-round qualifying games taking place across the continent, including a tasty clash between Levadia Tallinn and Rigas Futbola Skola.

In this battle of the Baltics, Estonia’s Levadia will be looking to reach the second qualifying round for just the sixth time in their history, while Latvia’s RFS will be looking to quench their thirst for European action following a historic run in last year’s Europa League.

Match preview

Levadia are enjoying another strong domestic season, with the Tallinn club sitting six points clear at the top of the Meistriliiga at the halfway mark of the 2025 campaign.

Curro Torres and his men are looking to defend their league crown after romping to the title last season with a 15-point advantage – a success that sealed their place in these upcoming Champions League qualifiers.

While things are going well domestically, the one thing which the club really yearns for is some kind of success on the European stage.

Levadia enjoyed a smattering of impressive results in the early 2000s and 2010s, including match wins over Slavia Prague, Wisla Krakow and even FC Twente. However, it has been a while since the club last celebrated a significant victory.

Last season, for instance, Levadia powered past Lithuania’s Siauliai in the first qualifying round of the UEFA Europa Conference League, only to go out in the following round courtesy of a 6-1 aggregate drubbing to Croatia’s NK Osijek.

RFS, on the other hand, have spent the last three years pushing the boundaries and making history for Latvian clubs on the continent.

Just two seasons ago, the club became the first side from their country to qualify for the Europa Conference League group stage, losing four of their six games but picking up a couple of notable draws against Fiorentina and Istanbul Basaksehir.

Last season, RFS went a step further as they became just the second Latvian club to qualify for the Europa League and the first to win a game in a major UEFA competition.

That victory arrived last January as Adam Markhiyev’s goal helped RFS to a historic 1-0 win over Ajax Amsterdam – arguably one of the biggest shocks in the competition’s history.

Levadia Tallinn form (all competitions):

Rigas Futbola Skola form (all competitions):

Team News

Levadia captain Brent Lepistu returned from injury on Friday and helped his side to a 3-0 victory over Paide Linnameeskond.

Influential attacker Frank Liivak is fit but started Friday’s fixture on the bench, which suggests he was being rested for Tuesday’s big European fixture.

RFS boss Viktors Morozs has a full squad at his disposal, with top scorer Darko Lemajic set to lead the line.

Robert Savalnieks recently returned from injury and featured in their last domestic match against FK Liepaja.

Levadia Tallinn possible starting lineup: Vallner; Tur, Peetson, Lepistu, Schjonning-Larsen; Ainsalu, Mavretic, Alexandre; Liivak, Tambedou, Agyiri

Rigas Futbola Skola possible starting lineup: Steinbors; Savalnieks, Prenga, Lipuscek, Mares; Jatta, Zelenkovs, Ikaunieks; Odisharia, Lemajic, Porsan-Clemente

We say: Levadia Tallinn 1-2 Rigas Futbola Skola

It has been almost a year since Levadia last suffered a defeat at home, but keeping RFS at bay will be a challenge.

The Latvian side proved last season they can hang with the big boys, and we are backing them to get the win away in Estonia.

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

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