Saburtalo welcome Larne for this Champions League qualifier with both sides coming off goalless stalemates in their previous European outings. The Georgian hosts are at full strength while Larne are significantly weakened, missing four regular starters, which should blunt their…
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Sign inSaburtalo host Larne at their Mikheil Meskhis Stadioni home in Tbilisi on 11 August 2026 for the second leg of their UEFA Europa League third qualifying round tie, with the aggregate score locked at 0-0 after a goalless first leg at Inver Park a week earlier.
Larne were unable to break down a disciplined Saburtalo defence in the opening encounter, held to a stalemate on their own turf despite dominating possession. Both clubs arrived in the Europa League qualifying rounds after earlier Champions League exits — Larne were eliminated heavily by Red Star Belgrade, while Saburtalo edged past Slovan Bratislava, with a 1-1 draw in the second leg enough to progress. That result, recorded just before the first leg, left Saburtalo's recent form at two wins, two draws and one defeat from their last five outings.
No fresh injuries have been reported for either side, and both managers are expected to name similar lineups to those fielded in Northern Ireland. For Saburtalo, Giorgi Makaridze will continue in goal behind a central-defensive pairing of Aleksandre Amisulashvili and Vahid Selimovic. Bakar Kardava and Giorgi Kutsia are set to supply creativity from midfield, with Nika Sikharulashvili, Lucas Cafe and Zviad Nachkebia providing the attacking threat.
Larne boss Gary Haveron is likely to stick with the XI that kept a clean sheet at Inver Park: Rohan Ferguson in goal; a back four of Cosgrove, Bent, Ridley and Donnelly; Doherty, Gallagher and Graham in midfield; and McEneff, Gibson and Lusty leading the line. The squad also features recently-signed striker Kevin O'Hara, who joined from Hamilton Academical and could offer a different option from the bench.
Saburtalo are competing at this stage of Europa League qualification for the first time since 2020-21, when they were thrashed 5-1 on aggregate by Apollon Limassol. They will be eager to avoid a repeat and, with the tie delicately poised, a clean sheet in Tbilisi would at least force extra time. Their recent 1-1 draw with Slovan Bratislava demonstrated an ability to compete against experienced European opponents, even if consistency has been elusive across their last five matches.
Larne have claimed three Irish Premiership titles in the past four seasons and are desperate to translate that domestic success into a European group-stage appearance. Haveron admitted before the first leg that the prospect of a playoff meeting with Rangers was "impossible" to ignore, but insisted his side must first complete the job in Georgia. A defence that was ruthlessly exposed by Red Star Belgrade will need to stay compact again, while the forwards must find the cutting edge that was missing at Inver Park.
Much of Saburtalo's attacking threat flows through midfield duo Bakar Kardava and Giorgi Kutsia, who are tasked with linking defence to a mobile front three. Larne's midfield trio of Doherty, Gallagher and Graham covered plenty of ground in the first leg and will need to disrupt Kardava's passing lanes if they are to protect their back line. If the Georgian creator is given time on the ball, Saburtalo possess the movement in wide areas — notably through Sikharulashvili — to stretch the visitors.
The second leg remains wide open. Should the sides again fail to score, extra time and penalties will determine who advances to face Rangers in the playoff round — a prize that adds an extra layer of urgency to an already tense tie.
FC Iberia 1999
Coach: Andriy Demchenko
Larne
Coach: Gary Haveron
