Qualifications for the LK: Dečić is the seed, Mornar and Petrovac are not favored, these are potential rivals

Montenegro is represented by four teams in UEFA competitions this season - Sutjeska will play in the Champions League qualifiers, while Dečić, Mornar and Petrovac will play in the Conference League qualifiers.

You can read about Sutjeska's potential rivals in the first round of Champions League qualifying. here, while this text will discuss potential rivals of Dečić, Mornar and Petrovac in the Conference League qualifiers.

Of the three Montenegrin teams, only Dečić will be in the group of seeded teams in the draw for the first round of the Conference League qualifiers. Tuzani are playing in the qualifiers for European competitions for the fifth time in their history, and their greatest success was two summers ago, when they reached the third round of the Conference League qualifiers, where they were eliminated by Finnish Helsinki after penalties in the second leg in Nikšić. The previous season's maximum was the second round of the aforementioned competition, in which Rapid Vienna was better. In the first round, Dečić was better than Macedonian Sileks, who could be a potential rival this summer as well.

Decic's potential rivals in the first round of Conference League qualifiers this summer are: Velez (Bosnia and Herzegovina), Liepaja (Latvia), Virtus (San Marino), Ilves (Finland), Santa Coloma (Andorra), Konas Quay Nomads (Wales), Bohemians (Republic of Ireland), Stjarnan (Iceland), Evropa (Gibraltar), Inter Turku (Finland), Malysheva (Kosovo), Jelimaj (Kazakhstan), Dinamo Tirana (Albania), Una (Luxembourg), Hegelmann (Lithuania), Penibont (Wales), NSI (Faroe Islands), Sileks (North Macedonia), Glentoran (Northern Ireland), Marsaxlokk (Malta), Nome Kalju (Estonia), Elbasan (Albania), Caernarfon (Wales), Mondorf (Luxembourg).

Unlike Dečić, Mornar and Petrovac will be in the group of underprivileged teams. Barani won second place in the league this season, while they reached a historic trophy in the Cup. Mornar debuted on the European stage two years ago, when they reached the third round of the Conference League qualifiers, where they were eliminated by the Hungarian Paksi.

On the other hand, Petrovac, who finished the season in fourth place in the league, is playing in Europe for the second time in its history, and for the first time in the Conference League. Petrovac also gained the right to participate in European competitions last summer, but did not receive a license.

Petrovac made their debut on the European stage in the summer of 2009. Then, in the Europa League qualifiers, they started from the second round, in which they eliminated Anorthosis from Cyprus, who had played in the Champions League group stage the previous season and were in a group with Inter, Panathinaikos and Werder Bremen.

Petrovac lost 2:1 away in the first leg against the Cypriots, and then won 3:1 in the second leg in Nikšić after extra time. Luka Rotković became a hero then, scoring two goals, the second in extra time. A goal for the team, led by Aleksandar Miljenović, was also scored by today's Petrovac coach Zdravko Dragićević.

Interestingly, at that time, Greek defender Traianos Delas played for Anorthosis, who had won the European Championship with Greece five years earlier, and who, before Anorthosis, had worn the jersey of Roma, Sheffield United, Perugia, and AEK.

After Anorthosis, Petrovac faced Šturm from Graz in the third round, who won both times.

The potential rivals of Mornar and Petrovac this summer in the first round of the Conference League qualifiers are: Torpedo Kutaisi (Georgia), Zalgiris (Lithuania), Astana (Kazakhstan), RFS Riga (Latvia), Shkendija (North Macedonia), Pyunik (Armenia), Balkani (Kosovo), Linfield (Northern Ireland), Hamrun (Malta), Milsami (Moldova), Levadia (Estonia), Paide (Estonia), Differdange (Luxembourg), Dinamo Minsk (Belarus), Neftchi (Azerbaijan), Vikingur (Faroe Islands), La Fiorita (San Marino), Dila Gori (Georgia), BATE Borisov (Belarus), Sarajevo (Bosnia and Herzegovina), Atlético Escaldes (Andorra), St. Joseph (Gibraltar), Dinamo Tbilisi (Georgia), Alashkert (Armenia) and Vlasnia (Albania).

The draw for the first round of qualifying for the Conference League is on June 16th, and ahead of the draw, UEFA will, as it does every year, shorten the list of potential opponents and create groups.

The first round of qualifying is scheduled for the 9th, and the second leg on July 16th.