Floriana, Ħamrun heading East as Gżira return to Andorra in Conference League

Floriana and Ħamrun Spartans will face Eastern opponents while Gżira United will return to Andorra following the draws of the first qualifying round of the UEFA Europa Conference League.

Winners of last season’s FA Trophy, Floriana will host Moldova’s Petrocub Hincesti. The Greens return to Europe after missing out last year as they will take on the 2019/2020 Moldovan Cup winners.

This will be the first time that Gianluca Atzori’s side will meet a Moldovan opponent in Europe. Floriana’s last appearance in the UEFA club competitions was in the 2020/2021 season when they were eliminated by Flora Tallinn in the third qualifying round of the UEFA Europa League.

On the other hand, Petrocub will make just their fifth appearance in Europe. Last season, they were knocked out in the second qualifying round of this competition by Turkey’s Sivasspor.

Ħamrun Spartans will travel to Armenia to face Alashkert in their first European game since their 1992/1993 UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup two-legged tie against Maribor.

The Spartans, who finished third last season, will play the first leg away from home. Alashkert, Armenian champions in 2020/2021, played in the Conference League group stages last season where they faced LASK, Maccabi Tel-Aviv and HJK Helsinki.

Meanwhile, Gżira United will return to Andorra after being drawn against Atletic Club D’Escaldes. The Maroons faced an Andorran opponent in this stage of the competition last season when they eliminated Sant Julia.

For Atletic Club D’Escaldes, who won the domestic cup, this will be their first ever appearance in European football.

The first legs of the first qualifying round will be held on July 7 while the second legs are scheduled for a week later.