Vikingur defeated Inter Club d’Escaldes from Andorra 1-0 in the qualifying final late on midsummer evening and thus goes on to the first regular qualifying round.
The first meeting will be played in Malmö on 5 July, the return in Reykjavik on 12 or 13 July.
MFF’s coach Milos Milojevic is thus set against the club in which he began his coaching career. The Serb spent four years in Vikingur, 2013–2017, both as assistant coach and head coach. Prior to that, the 39-year-old made a short stay as a player.
– It’s like my home. I was there for eight to nine years. Has been in all possible leadership roles there: U12, U16, academy director, assistant coach, coach. I know all the people there, Milos Milojevic told Sydsvenskan earlier in June.
Milos Milojevic is not the only connection between Malmö FF and Vikingur. Skåne team’s former midfielder Kari Arnason is now sports manager at the Icelandic club.
If Malmö FF wins the double meeting, the winner awaits from the match between Ballkani, Kosovo, and Zalgiris, Lithuania. Those matches will be played on 19–20 July with a return in Malmö on 26 or 27 July.
In order for MFF to get to group games in the tournament, the team must later get past another qualifying round and a playoff game. Malmö FF has reached the Champions League three times before: the seasons 2014–2015, 2015–2016 and 2021–2022.