Preview: Kairat vs Sutjeska Niksic - prediction, team news, lineups

Taking their first step on a long journey towards the 2026-27 Champions League, both Kairat and Sutjeska Niksic will seek a first-leg lead when they meet in Almaty on Wednesday.

Drawn together in the first qualifying round, either side must get through four ties to make the prestigious league phase.

Match preview

While the World Cup continues in North America, several European teams are already getting a new continental campaign under way.

One such club is Kazakh champions Kairat, who qualified for the Champions League proper for the first time in their history last year, memorably beating Scottish giants Celtic in the playoffs.

Though they subsequently picked up just one point - from a goalless draw with fellow debutants Pafos - and finished last, glamour games against Real Madrid, Arsenal and Inter Milan made a series of long journeys worthwhile.

As was the case last summer, Kairat must start this term's campaign in the first qualifying round, beginning with Wednesday's home leg at Ortalyq Stadion.

Having played two more games than Kazakhstan Premier League title rivals Ordabasy, Rafael Urazbakhtin's reigning champions currently sit one point behind in a two-horse race for first place.

They have recently posted four straight wins while scoring 15 goals, so confidence should not prove a problem for their first European game of the season.

Meanwhile, Montenegrin champions Sutjeska have yet to start their domestic title defence, which will get under way early next month.

Instead, head coach Milorad Pekovic has led his side through three preparatory friendlies, all of which ended in defeat.

Still, the Nikisic-based club can now get back to competitive action, with one of seven Champions League qualifying spots in their sights.

Even if they fail to go through, losing teams are transferred to the Conference League's second qualifying round, and that might offer a more realistic route into continental competition.

Sutjeska exited Europe's third-tier tournament at that stage last season - going down 7-3 on aggregate to Beitar Jerusalem - and they have never before made the playoffs, let alone a league phase.

So, lying 97 places below Kairat in UEFA's latest co-efficient rankings, it would take a major upset to keep distant Champions League dreams alive.

Kairat form (all competitions):

L D W W W W

Sutjeska Niksic form (all competitions):

L L L

Team News

Kairat will be without Chelsea-bound teenager Dastan Satpaev, who is set to formally join the English club later this summer.

After his impressive Champions League displays last term, that leaves a big void which the likes of Jorginho and Edmilson must fill; new Spanish striker Marc Gual is another option up front.

Meanwhile, Sutjeska may turn to former Montenegro Under-21 international Balsa Toskovic as their lone forward, with support from last term's top scorer Vasilije Cavor.

Veteran captain Vlado Giljen - who has been at the club for a decade - will start in goal, making his 28th European competition appearance.

Remarkably, in this multinational age, only three squad members are not Montenegrin by birth, including Jamaican winger Kenroy Campbell.

Kairat possible starting lineup:

Anarbekov; Tapalov, Martynovich, Kurgin, Mata; Sadybekov, Glazer; Mrynskiy, Jorginho, Zeballos; Edmilson

Sutjeska Niksic possible starting lineup:

Giljen; Golubovic, Dedic, Kopitovic, Raznatovic; Scekic, Simun; Cavor, Cadjenovic, Campbell; Toskovic