Hibernians were drawn with FC Flora Tallinn of Estonia in the first qualifying round draw of the UEFA Champions League. The draw was held on Tuesday at the House of European Football in Nyon, Switzerland.
Hibernians, who will be playing the first leg away from home, are representing Malta in the competition as champions Hamrun Spartans were declared ineligible to participate by the UEFA Appeals Body “for being directly/or indirectly involved in activity aimed at arranging or influencing the outcome of a match” in the Premier League 2012/13.
FC Flora were drawn with Floriana last year in the third qualifying round of the UEFA Europa League, defeating the Greens on penalties following a goalless draw in the single leg played at Ta’ Qali.
FC Flora Tallinn are one of two clubs which have never been relegated from the Estonian top division. They have won more trophies than any other club in Estonian football, with a record 13 league titles, eight Cups and a record eleven Super Cups.
Last season, FK Flora were eliminated from the first qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League after losing on penalties to FK Suduva of Lithuania but then eliminated KR Reykjavik of Iceland and Floriana in the second and third qualifying rounds of the UEFA Europa League, exiting the competition following a 1-3 defeat to Dinamo Zagreb in the play-off round.
This will be the second time, the Paolites will be travelling to Estonia as they had eliminated FCI Tallinn from the first qualifying round of the Champions League in 2017, defeating them 2-0 at home and 1-0 away from home.
Ties take place on 6/7 and 13/14 July, with extra time and a penalty shoot-out if required. Winners advance to the UEFA Champions League second qualifying round; all losing sides, except for the loser of Slovan Bratislava vs Shamrock Rovers, progress to the UEFA Europa Conference League Champions Path second qualifying round.
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