Former Armenian Premier League players in the 2025/26 UEFA qualifiers: First round roundup

The new European club season has kicked off, and already in the first qualifying round of UEFA tournaments — the Champions League, Europa League, and Conference League — dozens of footballers who once played in the Armenian Premier League have appeared on the field. Some played only a few minutes, others became match-winners or goal-scorers. We’ve gathered the most interesting appearances of former APL players in the opening round of the 2025/26 European qualifiers.

Champions League
Comoros international and former Ararat Yerevan midfielder Kassim Hadji played for Lithuania’s Žalgiris in both legs against Malta’s Hamrun. Hadji scored in the first match, which Žalgiris won 2–0. However, Hamrun fought back with a 3–0 win in the second leg and advanced to the next round. Žalgiris dropped to the Conference League.

Former Noah striker Alexandre Llovet played for Andorran side Inter Escaldes against Romanian giants FCSB. The 27-year-old Frenchman scored the winner in the second leg, which ended in a shock 2–1 win for Inter. Still, FCSB advanced on aggregate (3–1).

Former Ararat-Armenia defender David Humanes also featured for Inter Escaldes in the same match.

Europa League
Shirak academy graduate Vahan Bichakhchyan started both matches for Poland’s Legia Warsaw against Kazakhstan’s Aktobe. He scored the only goal in the first leg, which proved decisive. Legia won both matches 1–0 and progressed confidently.

Former Ararat-Armenia midfielder Artur Serobyan scored in the return leg against Kosovo’s Prishtina. His team, Moldovan champions Sheriff, won 5–2 on aggregate and advanced to the next round.

Former Ararat-Armenia forward Hilary Gong featured once for Slovakia’s Spartak Trnava against Sweden’s Häcken. The Swedish side went through with a 3–2 aggregate win, while Spartak dropped into the Conference League.

Conference League
Ex-Ararat-Armenia defender Thibaut Lesquoy played both legs for Luxembourg’s Racing against Georgia’s Dila. The Georgian side won 3–1 on aggregate.

Former Pyunik striker Stephen Alfred scored in both legs for Belarusian club Torpedo-BelAZ against North Macedonia’s Rabotnicki. His team won both matches — 1–0 and 3–0.

Another former Pyunik forward well-known in Armenia, Luka Juricic, couldn’t help Bosnian club Borac avoid a shock elimination against Andorra’s Santa Coloma. The Andorrans advanced 4–3 on aggregate. Juricic only played in the second leg.

In the same match, Borac’s goalkeeper was former Ararat-Armenia shot-stopper Damjan Siskovic.

Former Urartu defender Isaac Barry, who joined Lithuania’s Hegelmann this summer, stayed on the bench in both matches against Ireland’s St Patrick’s Athletic. His team lost both games.

Former Urartu midfielder Lukman Gilmore, who left in the winter, played both legs for Estonia’s Paide against Gibraltar’s Magpies. He provided an assist in the second leg, and Paide advanced with a 7–3 aggregate win.

Also appearing for Paide was ex-Pyunik defender Nikita Baranov, who played only 4 minutes.

Former Noah and Ararat-Armenia striker Danu Spataru played a few minutes for Moldova’s Petrocub against Malta’s Birkirkara. Petrocub won 3–1 on aggregate.

Former Urartu defender Milos Nikolic played both matches for North Macedonia’s Sileks against Montenegro’s Decic. The Montenegrin side progressed with a 3–2 aggregate victory.

Finally, Alexander Pavlovets, who left Ararat-Armenia this summer, played both legs for Belarusian side Dinamo Brest against Montenegro’s Sutjeska. The Montenegrins advanced 3–2 on aggregate.

Let’s not forget that three Armenian clubs also played in the first round: Noah defeated Montenegro’s Budućnost (3–2) in the Champions League, Pyunik crushed San Marino’s Tre Fiori (5–1) in the Conference League, while Urartu suffered a heavy loss to Belarusian side Neman (1–6). Ararat-Armenia will enter in the second round of Conference League qualification.