Who are Vikingur Reykjavik? Shamrock Rovers European opponents
Shamrock Rovers travel to Iceland tomorrow night to face Icelandic Champions Vikingur Reykjavik in the UEFA Champions League First Qualifying Round First Leg.
Who will the Irish Champions be facing in a huge clash in the Icelandic Capital?
A side based mainly with Icelandic players, Vikingur also boast Faroese and El Salvador internationals in Gunnar Vatnhamar and Pablo Punyed as well as Danish striker Nikolaj Hansen.
Icelandic international Daniel Djuric is a key player who has impressed after moving from FC Midtjylland in2022.
Vikingur have won seven league titles with the first coming in 1920 and latest in 2023 leading to this year’s Champions League appearance.
Their 2021 title was a first since 1991 and have also won the Icelandic Cup for the past three seasons.
Central defender Oliver Ekroth is a mainstay in the Icelandic defence and the Swedish defender has played for the Club since 2022.
Managing the Icelandic Champions is Arnar Gunnlaugsson who played as a forward for Iceland 32 times as well as enjoying a career with Leicester City, Stoke City, Bolton Wanderers and Feyenoord.
He has previous League of Ireland experience as he was part of the KR Reykjavik side that were the first side that Shelbourne faced in 2004 on their famous European journey going out on away goals to the Dublin side.
Gunnlaugsson has won four Icelandic Cups and the Úrvalsdeild twice in 2021 and 2023 as a manager.
At left-back is Jón Guðni Fjóluson who has played 18 times for Iceland and has played with Brann, Krasnodar and Hammarby where he’s also gained large European experience.
The opening clash will take place in Víkingsvöllur located at 'Traðarland' in Fossvogsdalur, south-east of the city centre.
* UEFA Champions League
* First Qualifying Round First Leg
* Vikingur Reykjavik (ISL) v Shamrock Rovers
* Vikingsvollur
* 19:45 (Irish time)
* Live on LOITV
Shamrock Rovers will take on Iceland Champions Vikingur Reykjavik live on LOITV at 19:45 on Tuesday, July 9.
The fixture is available here - https://www.loitv.ie/en-int/livestream/vikingur-reykjavik-iceland-v-shamrock-rovers/1768990
