Birkirkara will face a stern test in Europe as the Women’s Champions League qualifying draw was held yesterday.

The Malta champions will be travelling to Slovenia as they take on home side ZNK Olimpija Ljubljana, Belarus champions FC Minsk and experienced FC Zurich Fraeun, of Switzerland, in Group 6.

The matches will be played between August 22 and 28 with the winner of each group and the second-ranked side with the best record against the teams placed first and third in their section claiming a berth in the round of 32.

Olimpia Ljubljana will be taking part in this competition for the first time having won last season’s Slovenian league, halting Pomurje’s run of five championships in a row.

FC Minsk, winners of the last four leagues in Belarus, have a lot of experience at this stage of the competition and last season they even topped their group before being dumped out by Spanish giants Barcelona 5-1 on aggregate.

The Belarusians currently are leading the domestic table on 21 points, after winning all their first seven matches.

The other opponents are Zurich, considered the favourites in the group.

The Swiss clinched the domestic double last season and earned another spot in the European competition, having reached the last 16 in the previous campaign.

After qualifying from the group stage, they hammered Austrian champions Sturm Graz 9-0 on aggregate before falling to the eventual champions Olympique Lyon in the round of 16.

Zurich boast various international players who featured in the European Championships and World Cups, including midfielder Lara Keller and forward Fabienne Humm

This will be the fifth participation for Birkirkara, who will be guided by newly-appointed coach Melania Bajada who replaced championship-winning coach Shawn Meilak.

Their previous participation were in 2009, 2012, 2013 and in 2007 when it was still recognised as UEFA Women’s Cup before the rebranding.