A trip to one of the smallest nations in Europe awaits West Ham United for their UEFA Europa League first qualifying round tie.
The two-legged match against FC Lusitans will be West Ham’s first in continental competition since they were defeated by Palermo in the first round of the UEFA Cup in the 2006/07 season.
Lusitans might not have the same pedigree as Palermo, but Hammers fans will nevertheless be looking forward to this tie with relish and we take a look at the Andorrans here.
With potential match-ups in Azerbaijan, Macedonia and Bosnia-Herzegovina in the opening round, this 630-mile journey will be a far more comfortable one for the Londoners to contemplate.
Andorra, nestled in the Pyrenees mountains on the France-Spain border, possesses the highest capital in Europe with Andorra la Vella sitting at an elevation of 1,023m above sea level.
It is the sixth-smallest nation in Europe by area, with a population of around 85,000 – around a quarter of which is based in the capital.
FC Lusitans also hail from Andorra la Vella, with the club enjoying a close association with the country’s Portuguese community.
Their links with Portugal can be seen in the club’s name, crest and red kit, while several members of the playing squad are of Portuguese origin.
On the pitch, Lusitans have enjoyed great success since their foundation in 1999. They have twice won the domestic title, in 2011/12 and 2012/13, and were well placed to repeat the feat last term until a run of five points from their final five games meant they had to settle for second.
This will be their fifth campaign in Europe and they are still looking for their first win. Defeats to Macedonian outfit FK Rabotnicki and Croatia’s NK Varazdin marked their first forays into continental competition, while UEFA Champions League campaigns were ended at the first qualifying round stage by Valletta FC of Malta and EB/Streymur from the Faroe Islands.
Full fixture details are still to be confirmed so keep checking whufc.com for confirmation of dates and ticketing information.