Preview: Larne vs Saburtalo Tbilisi - prediction, team news, lineups

Dropped into the Europa League qualifying rounds after a heavy Champions League exit at the hands of Red Star Belgrade, Larne now face a Georgian side in similarly bruised circumstances when Saburtalo Tbilisi visit Inver Park on Tuesday evening in the first leg of the third qualifying round.

Both clubs arrive having been eliminated from Champions League qualifying in the second round, and with Europa League group-stage football the prize for whichever side progresses, Tuesday’s first leg carries enormous significance for both clubs.

Match preview

Larne’s Champions League campaign ended heavily, with a 4-0 first-leg defeat at home to Red Star Belgrade followed by a 5-0 loss on the road in the second leg - a 9-0 aggregate hammering that left Gary Haveron with significant defensive questions to address before Thursday’s first leg.

The Northern Irish side did show resilience in the earlier rounds, however, defeating Tre Fiori across both legs of the first qualifying round - winning 1-0 away and 2-1 at home - their only wins across 90 minutes in their last eight European fixtures.

Larne won the Irish Premiership last season and will be eager to combine a successful domestic title defence with a meaningful European run, and the Europa League third qualifying round represents the deepest they have ever progressed in this particular competition.

Tuesday’s match will be the first-ever meeting between Larne and Saburtalo, and both managers will spend considerable time preparing their squad since their respective Champions League exits.

Saburtalo arrive having also been eliminated from the Champions League in the second qualifying round, losing 3-1 on aggregate to Slovan Bratislava - a result that dropped them into the Europa League path and set up Tuesday’s first leg in Northern Ireland.

Andrey Demchenko’s side are in strong domestic form, sitting top of the Erovnuli Liga with 34 points from 19 matches - two points clear of second-placed Rustavi, and having won the Georgian top flight in each of the last two seasons, they arrive in Larne targeting a third consecutive title alongside a deep European run.

Their recent form across all competitions has been inconsistent, with two wins, two draws and one defeat from their last five outings, their most recent result being a 1-1 draw with Slovan Bratislava in the second leg.

The last time Saburtalo competed in the Europa League qualifying rounds was in the 2020-21 season, when they were eliminated at the first round stage by Apollon Limassol, losing 5-1 on aggregate.

With Haveron expected to make adjustments to a defensive setup that was exposed heavily against Red Star Belgrade, Larne will be looking to establish a more organised and compact structure at Inver Park.

Larne Europa League form:

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Saburtalo Tbilisi Europa League form:

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Saburtalo Tbilisi form (all competitions):

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Team News

Haveron is expected to make changes to his setup following the two heavy defeats against Red Star Belgrade.

Tomas Cosgrove, Dan Bent, Matt Ridley and Aaron Donnelly are all in contention to start at the back.

Ronan Doherty, Christopher Gallagher and Sean Graham are set to feature in midfield, providing a competitive and energetic engine room for the hosts.

Montel Gibson, Jordan McEneff and Matthew Lusty are expected to lead the Larne attack, with the trio carrying the primary goalscoring responsibility for Haveron’s side on Tuesday evening.

For Saburtalo, Giorgi Makaridze is expected to start in goal, with Aleksandre Amisulashvili and Vahid Selimovic forming the central defensive partnership.

Bakar Kardava and Giorgi Kutsia are set to feature in midfield, providing the creative link between defence and attack for Demchenko’s side.

Nika Sikharulashvili, Lucas Cafe and Zviad Nachkebia are expected to provide the attacking threat for the visitors.

Larne possible starting lineup:

Ferguson; Cosgrove, Bent, Ridley, Donnelly; Doherty, Gallagher, Graham; McEneff, Gibson, Lusty

Saburtalo Tbilisi possible starting lineup:

Makaridze; Kobuladze, Amisulashvili, Selimovic, Jinjolava; Dadiani, Kardava, Kutsia; Sikharulashvili, Nachkebia, Cafe

We say: Larne 1-1 Saburtalo Tbilisi

Both sides arrive in Northern Ireland having endured bruising Champions League exits, and that shared sense of wounded pride could produce a tight, competitive first leg in which neither side is willing to overcommit.

Larne will take confidence from their home record and the significance of the occasion, while Saburtalo have quality to threaten; Demchenko’s side may also be cautious given the importance of the second leg on home soil, and a goal-scoring draw looks the most likely outcome on Tuesday evening.

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