Preview: Pyunik vs Győr in the UEFA Europa Conference League – The Armenia vs Hungary Rivalry Continues

The first leg of the UEFA Europa Conference League second qualifying round tie between Pyunik and Győr will take place on Thursday, July 24, at 20:00 local time at the Vazgen Sargsyan Republican Stadium in Yerevan. This is a home match for Pyunik, who comfortably defeated San Marino’s Tre Fiori in the first round (0–1 away, 5–0 at home). The return leg will be played on July 31 in Hungary at Győr’s brand-new 16,000-seat stadium.

Armenia vs Hungary: A New Football Rivalry in 2025

The Pyunik–Győr match is part of a growing series of football encounters between Armenia and Hungary in 2025. Earlier, FC Noah faced Ferencváros in the Champions League qualifiers, and this fall, the national teams of Armenia and Hungary will meet in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.

In recent years, football ties between the two nations have strengthened. Several Armenian internationals play in the Hungarian league: Edgar Sevikyan (Ferencváros), Georgi Harutyunyan (Puskás Akadémia), Varazdat Haroyan (Kazincbarcika), and until recently, Zhirayr Shagoyan (Debrecen). Young Armenian talents like Vardan Tovmasyan, Erik Ter-Mkrtchyan, and Abov Avetisyan have also played there. Armenian Hayk Hovakimyan, who began his career at FC Noah, served as sporting director of Debrecen, while Zsolt Hornyák, former coach in Armenia, now manages Puskás Akadémia.

This context makes the Pyunik–Győr clash particularly symbolic — a continuation of the Armenian-Hungarian rivalry on the club level.

What We Know About ETO Győr

ETO Győr returned to Hungary’s top division in 2024 after a nine-year absence and had a highly successful 2024/25 season. Promoted just a year ago, the team finished in an impressive 4th place in NB I, securing a European berth. Coincidentally, both Győr and Pyunik finished 4th in their respective domestic leagues. In the national cup, Győr reached the Round of 16, losing only to powerhouse Ferencváros. This season marks Győr’s debut in the UEFA Conference League.

In their first season back in the top flight, Győr showed discipline and consistency, losing only 8 of 33 league games and recording the longest unbeaten streak in the league (15 matches). Since April 2024, the team has been managed by 45-year-old Slovak coach Balázs Borbély, who has brought balance and organization. The team scored a modest 49 goals but maintained a strong defense (37 goals conceded), producing results. Notably, Győr has lost just twice in its last 23 official matches — a remarkable feat for a newly promoted side.

To prepare for the European season, Győr played several friendlies in June and July: a 1–1 draw with Czech side Artis Brno, wins over Serbian TSC Bačka Topola (3–1) and Ukrainian Karpaty (2–1), and a 0–2 loss to Israeli champions Maccabi Haifa. These results suggest that Győr arrives in good form.

Győr Squad: Who’s Coming to Yerevan?

Győr’s 25-man squad for the round features nearly half foreign players, representing 12 different nationalities: 12 Hungarians, 3 Romanians, 2 Serbs, and one each from Slovakia, Sweden, Algeria, Gambia, Togo, Ukraine, Croatia, and Austria.

Key figures include experienced foreign players like 31-year-old Romanian playmaker Claudiu Bumba (one of the club’s top scorers), Algerian striker Nadir Benbouali, and 23-year-old Hungarian international Milan Vitalis. Over the summer, Győr made strategic additions: 25-year-old Swedish defender Alexander Abrahamsson, 2-meter-tall Ukrainian striker Oleksandr Pyshchur, and 19-year-old Austrian winger Jovan Zivkovic, captain of Austria’s U19 team.

Győr’s transfer activity increased after Slovak club DAC Dunajská Streda was excluded from the Conference League due to shared ownership with Győr. Following this decision, Győr welcomed back Milan Vitalis (market value: €750,000) and Serbian winger Zeljko Gavric, both previously preparing for the season with DAC. Additionally, Győr secured the permanent transfer of Benbouali from Belgian club Charleroi for €400,000.

Head coach Borbély is expected to adopt a cautious approach in the away match — often using a 4-2-3-1 formation with solid defensive structure, or switching to a three-center-back setup (5-3-2) for added protection. Offensively, the Hungarians rely on the pace and strength of their front line.

The team includes two active internationals: Samsidine Ouro (Togo) and Milan Vitalis (Hungary), as well as former internationals Claudiu Bumba and Paul Anton (Romania), Zeljko Gavric (Serbia), Balázs Megyeri (Hungary), and Waide Saheli (Tunisia).

Interestingly, in Yerevan, Gyor is preparing for a match against Pyunik at the historic Hrazdan stadium, which has not hosted official matches for a long time, but is suitable for training.

Pyunik’s Chances

The reigning Armenian champions face a tough challenge, but Pyunik have advantages. First, they have greater European experience: the Yerevan side regularly competes in UEFA qualifiers and reached the Conference League playoff round last season, narrowly losing to Slovenia’s Celje. Győr, on the other hand, returns to European football after a decade — their last appearance was in the 2014/15 Europa League (eliminated by IFK Göteborg).

Second, Pyunik have already played competitive matches this season and are in rhythm. In the first round, they bounced back from an unexpected away loss to Tre Fiori with a dominant home win. For Győr, this will be their first official game of the new season, so they are likely to play cautiously in Yerevan — consistent with their overall style.

At home, Pyunik will try to capitalize on the home advantage and secure a favorable result before the away leg. Given the strong form of the opponent, it’s difficult to name a clear favorite — the odds appear even. Still, Pyunik’s experience and support from local fans give them a slight edge in the first match. Supporters have reason to believe the reigning Armenian champions can showcase their strengths against a solid Hungarian opponent.

Since the first round, Pyunik have made one significant reinforcement: Ghanaian forward Eric Okansi, one of the best players in last season’s Armenian Premier League with Ararat-Armenia, has joined the club. He’s registered for the Győr matches and could debut soon.

Recent clashes between Armenian and Hungarian clubs show that teams from Armenia can hold their own: Noah’s narrow loss to Hungarian giants Ferencváros, last season’s 4–3 thriller between Ararat-Armenia and Puskás Akadémia, Alashkert vs Debrecen in 2023 (where Debrecen advanced only on penalties), and Ararat Yerevan’s confident 3–1 win over Fehérvár in 2021.

Possible lineups for the game Pyunik – Gyor:
“Pyunik”: Avagyan - Alemao, Vakulenko, Almeida, Kainurgios - Kulikov, Islamovich, Agbalyan - Javi Moreno, Nubissi, Otubanjo.

Gyor: Patras - Steful, Abrahamsson, Krpic, Biro - Vitalis, Anton - Bumba, Gavric, Banati - Benbouali.