Inter Escaldes are back on home soil at Andorra’s national stadium with a simple goal: earn their first-ever European points when they host Universitatea Craiova in the UEFA Conference League.
That would mark an important milestone for the Andorran side, who are the first club from Andorra to reach the main draw of one of UEFA’s top three competitions. They opened this stage with a 2-0 loss to Mjällby on matchday one, so they remain without a point in the competition.
The challenge is a difficult one, but Inter Escaldes have at least created some momentum domestically. On Sunday, they beat their cross-town rivals 4-2 and stayed unbeaten in the Andorran top flight this season. Their earlier European history also points to the size of the task ahead: before this match, they had met Romanian opposition four times and lost qualifying ties to CFR Cluj and FCSB.
Universitatea Craiova arrive in strong form
Universitatea Craiova, meanwhile, are looking to keep their European start on track after drawing 1-1 with Getafe on matchday one. In league play, they beat Inter Escaldes 5-0 on Sunday and extended their unbeaten run across all competitions to eight matches after a fifth straight league victory.
That run gives Filipe Coelho’s team a steady base heading into another away trip, and they also have a boost with Carlos Mora set to return from suspension. Even so, Craiova know the setting is unusual, with Inter Escaldes playing their home matches in the lofty conditions of Andorra’s national stadium.
The matchup also raises a broader question: can Inter Escaldes finally get off the mark in Europe, or will Universitatea Craiova continue their unbeaten stretch and leave the Andorran side still chasing that first continental point?
