Ararat-Armenia vs Universitatea Cluj: Preview of the UEFA Conference League First Leg

On July 24, 2025, the Avan Academy Stadium in Yerevan will host the first leg of the UEFA Conference League second qualifying round for the 2025/26 season. Armenian vice-champions Ararat-Armenia will welcome Romanian side Universitatea Cluj.

Both teams are beginning their European campaigns from this round. Notably, the Romanian club has already gained competitive rhythm through domestic league matches, while for Ararat-Armenia, this will be the first official fixture of the new season — the Armenian Premier League kicks off only on August 2. Interestingly, this is the first-ever European encounter between the two clubs, and Universitatea is returning to continental competition after a 53-year absence.

Universitatea Cluj: New Season, Familiar Faces

Universitatea Cluj is well-known to Armenian fans thanks to forward Artur Miranyan, who played for the club last season. Although the Armenian international recently signed with a team in Israel, the emotional connection remains.

However, Universitatea’s squad has undergone significant changes. Departures include key right-back and defensive leader Radu Boboc, his backup Dorinel Oancea, top scorer Vladislav Blănuță, central defenders Lucas Masoero, and several midfielders — Vadim Rață, Ovidiu Popescu, and Artur Miranyan himself. These exits have forced a structural rebuild and have impacted team stability.

One figure remains central — captain Dan Nistor. The 37-year-old midfielder continues to lead the side. His long passes, set-piece deliveries, and vast experience are critical to the team’s style of play. Most of the attacking phases, especially transitions and set plays, originate through Nistor. Judging by the opening rounds of the Romanian SuperLiga, the veteran remains in top form.

The team also made several strong summer signings, notably 28-year-old Italian midfielder Alessandro Murgia, a former Lazio player with over 70 Serie A appearances.

Universitatea has already played two official matches this season: a 4–1 thrashing of newly promoted Metaloglobus and a 1–1 draw against UTA Arad. The team looks sharp in attack, largely due to French-Ivorian winger Issouf Macalou, who is in form with one goal and two assists. The forward line featuring Thiame and Lukic is also showing promise.

However, their defense has been unstable: the team has failed to keep a clean sheet in its last 11 matches. This is partly due to injuries to key centre-backs Jonathan Cissé and Jasper van der Werff. In their absence, the central defense is being improvised with Cristea and Capradossi.

Ararat-Armenia in the Midst of a Major Overhaul

The off-season brought sweeping changes to Ararat-Armenia. The club parted ways with head coach Vardan Minasyan and brought in Portuguese manager Jorge Casquilha, better known as Tulipa. A major squad overhaul followed, with key players leaving, including forwards Tenton Yenne, Noubissi, and Ocansey — responsible for more than half of the team’s goals last season.

To compensate, the club was active in the transfer market, bringing in ten new signings, mainly from Portuguese and South American leagues. Notable arrivals include goalkeeper Bruno Pinto, defenders Hugo Oliveira and Alexandros Malis, midfielders Balanta and Welton, and forwards Ayongo, Eloyan, and João Lima. However, the team’s cohesion is still a question mark, especially given the fact that most preseason matches were against mid-tier opposition.

Ararat-Armenia’s last official match was back in May, when they defeated city rivals Ararat 6–0. Since then, they’ve played several friendlies, winning against Van, Gandzasar, and Georgian clubs. Still, the lack of competitive matches makes Tulipa’s preparations somewhat unclear.

According to the coach, the players are fully ready for the start of the European campaign. The only injury concern is striker Paul Ayongo, who will miss the match.

What to Expect?

The first leg is likely to be a tightly contested affair, with both teams emphasizing tactical caution. Playing at home, Ararat-Armenia will look to take advantage of the crowd support, but their lack of match practice might be a disadvantage. The team has yet to build on-field chemistry, while Universitatea already looks cohesive and game-ready — though the element of surprise could work in the Armenians’ favor.

Bookmakers reflect this balance: the Romanian side are slight favorites with odds around 2.5 for a win, while Ararat-Armenia’s odds are approximately 2.9. Overall, Universitatea holds a minor edge — mainly due to their match fitness and attacking potential.