# 2021 A Lyga

The 2021 A Lyga, for sponsorship reasons also called Optibet A lyga is the 32nd season of the A Lyga, the top-tier football league of Lithuania. The season began on 5 March and concluded on 28 November 2021.

## Teams

FK Žalgiris started the season as defending champions. None of the 6 last year's teams were relegated, and 4 teams were promoted to A lyga.

### Licensing process

In addition to sporting principles of promotion and relegation, the teams and clubs need to pass rigorous licensing process. Because of this, promotion and relegation does not always follow the rights achieved by sporting principle. A total of 12 teams applied for A lyga license:
The 6 previous season's teams:
    FK Žalgiris, FK Sūduva Marijampolė, FK Kauno Žalgiris, FK Panevėžys, FK Banga Gargždai and FK Riteriai met licensing criteria and received a straight pass to their licenses.
Top 4 2020 LFF I Lyga teams:
    FK „Nevėžis“ (Kėdainiai), FC „Hegelmann Litauen“ (Kaunas), FK „Jonava“ (Jonava), FC „Džiugas“ (Telšiai) have all applied. FK Nevėžis and FC Hegelmann Litauen got their licenses straight away. FC Džiugas has been granted a license after an appeal. FK Jonava failed to meet all licensing criteria and were not issued a license. The club appealed, the appeal was rejected, then the club requested participation by exception — a method used by Lithuanian Football Federation to make up numbers in the league after licensing fails. The request was also rejected by LFF council's vote in favour to 6th placed DFK Dainava.
Other 2020 LFF I Lyga teams:
    FA „Šiauliai“ (Šiauliai), DFK „Dainava“ (Alytus). FA Šiauliai later withdrew from licensing process, claiming that the team is not yet ready for top division football. DFK Dainava failed licensing criteria, however after FK Jonava's failure to meet licensing criteria, DFK Dainava were invited to request participation by exception, and were ultimately promoted to the A lyga.
The controversial decision to drop FK Jonava and promote DFK Dainava was justified by the fact that FK Jonava have pending investigation to allegations of match fixing in the 2020 season. The LFF have issued sanctions and fines against three players and the club, however FK Jonava deny allegations of involvement in match fixing in the three matches that are being investigated and have appealed. The LFF have also revealed that a warning letter has been issued to FK Jonava in relation to the team's coach, who has been reportedly involved in match fixing in his previous career.

### Changes

FK Nevėžis (Kėdainiai), FC Hegelmann Litauen (Kaunas), FC Džiugas (Telšiai) and DFK Dainava (Alytus), the latter three teams promoted to the top-flight for the first time in their history, were promoted from the 2020 LFF I Lyga.
2021 A Lyga competitors :
| Club | Location | Stadium | Surface | Capacity | Seasons in A Lyga | 2020 position |
| Banga | Gargždai | Gargždai Stadium | Artificial | 2,323 | 8 | 4th |
| Banga | Gargždai | — | — | — | 8 | 4th |
| Dainava | Alytus | Alytus Stadium | Natural | 3,790 | 1 | 6th in LFF I lyga |
| Dainava | Alytus | Dainava Progymnasium Stadium | Artificial | — | 1 | 6th in LFF I lyga |
| Dainava | Alytus | Marijampolė Football Indoor Arena (Hikvision FIA) | Artificial | 2,660 | 1 | 6th in LFF I lyga |
| Džiugas | Telšiai | Telšiai Central Stadium | Natural | 2,400 | 1 | 4th in LFF I lyga |
| Džiugas | Telšiai | Ateitis Progymnasium Stadium | — | — | 1 | 4th in LFF I lyga |
| Hegelmann Litauen | Kaunas | LFF Kaunas training center stadium | Artificial | 500 | 1 | 2nd in LFF I lyga |
| Hegelmann Litauen | Kaunas | — | — | — | 1 | 2nd in LFF I lyga |
| Kauno Žalgiris | Kaunas | SM Tauras Stadium | Natural | 500 | 7 | 3rd |
| Kauno Žalgiris | Kaunas | NFA Stadium | Artificial | 500 | 7 | 3rd |
| Nevėžis | Kėdainiai | Kėdainiai Stadium | Artificial | 3,000 | 6 | 1st in LFF I lyga |
| Nevėžis | Kėdainiai | Central Stadium of Jonava | Natural | 2,000 | 6 | 1st in LFF I lyga |
| Panevėžys | Panevėžys | Aukštaitija Stadium | Natural | 6,600 | 3 | 5th |
| Panevėžys | Panevėžys | Žemyna Progymnasium Stadium | Artificial | 500 | 3 | 5th |
| Riteriai | Vilnius | LFF Stadium | Artificial | 5,067 | 8 | 6th |
| Riteriai | Vilnius | Sportima Arena | Artificial | 3,157 | 8 | 6th |
| Sūduva | Marijampolė | Sūduva Stadium (Hikvision Arena) | Natural | 6,250 | 19 | 2nd |
| Sūduva | Marijampolė | Marijampolė Football Indoor Arena (Hikvision FIA) | Artificial | 2,660 | 19 | 2nd |
| Žalgiris | Vilnius | LFF Stadium | Artificial | 5,067 | 20 | 1st |
| Žalgiris | Vilnius | Sportima Arena | Artificial | 3,157 | 20 | 1st |

### 2021 competitors
#### Personnel

| Team | Coach | License |
| FK Banga | David Afonso | Not sure. |
| DFK Dainava | Tomas Ražanauskas | UEFA A |
| FC Džiugas Telšiai | Marius Šluta | UEFA B |
| FC Hegelmann Litauen | Andrius Skerla | Not sure. |
| FK Kauno Žalgiris | Rokas Garastas | UEFA Pro |
| FK Nevėžis | Darius Gvildys (on temporary basis) | UEFA A |
| FK Panevėžys | João Luís Martins | UEFA A |
| FK Riteriai | Miguel Moreira | UEFA Pro |
| FK Sūduva | Víctor Basadre | UEFA Pro |
| FK Žalgiris | Vladimir Cheburin | UEFA Pro |

#### Managerial changes

| Team | Outgoing manager | Manner of departure | Date of vacancy | Incoming manager | Date of appointment |
| FK Panevėžys | — | addition to coaching team | — | Luís Olim | 22 December 2020 |
| FC Hegelmann Litauen | Artūras Ramoška | reassigned as goalkeeping coach | 2 January 2021 | Andrius Skerla | 2 January 2021 |
| FK Sūduva | Saulius Širmelis | end of contract | November 2020 | Víctor Basadre | 3 January 2021 |
| FK Žalgiris | Aleksey Baga | resigned | December 2020 | Vladimir Cheburin | 11 January 2021 |
| FK Riteriai | Tommi Pikkarainen | new manager appointed | 8 February 2021 | Sergei Gurenko | 8 February 2021 |
| DFK Dainava | Fabio Mazzone | resigned | 12 April 2021 | Tomas Ražanauskas | 21 April 2021 |
| FK Nevėžis | Vitalijus Stankevičius | by mutual consent | 17 May 2021 | Darius Gvildys (on temporary basis) | 18 May 2021 |
| FK Riteriai | Sergei Gurenko | end of probationary contract | 31 May 2021 | Valdas Trakys (on temporary basis) | 9 June 2021 |
| FK Banga | Tomas Tamošauskas | sacked | 3 June 2021 | David Afonso | 3 June 2021 |
| FK Riteriai | Valdas Trakys | permanent manager appointed | 3 August 2021 | Miguel Moreira | 3 August 2021 |

## Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic

As soon as 2020 A Lyga season has completed, on 7 November 2020 COVID-19 quarantine was reintroduced in Lithuania, and extended several times. At the beginning of February, at the time LFF were building fixtures calendar, the quarantine was set to last until 28 February.
It is expected that at the beginning of the championship the matches will take place without spectators. Under the government's proposal, the matches can be attended by 100 spectators when the rate of COVID-19 infections per 100,000 inhabitants in 14 day period will drop below 50. The matches can be attended by 200 spectators when COVID-19 cases will drop below 25. On 4 February infection rate was 395.3.
Approaching the start date of the championship, scheduled for 5 March 2021, the clubs performed mandatory COVID-19 testing. Three clubs have reported infections among the players and their fixtures have been postponed. FK Žalgiris reported 7 positive cases of COVID-19, FK Panevėžys - 6, FK Riteriai initially did not reveal the number, but it was later revealed that 19 players and staff were tested positive.

## Regular season

The season has kicked off as scheduled on 5 March. Each team will play four matches with all other teams this season.

### League table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Žalgiris (C) | 36 | 23 | 10 | 3 | 76 | 28 | +48 | 79 | Qualification for the Champions League first qualifying round |
| 2 | Sūduva | 36 | 21 | 7 | 8 | 64 | 33 | +31 | 70 | Qualification for the Europa Conference League second qualifying round |
| 3 | Kauno Žalgiris | 36 | 18 | 9 | 9 | 55 | 39 | +16 | 63 | Qualification for the Europa Conference League first qualifying round |
| 4 | Panevėžys | 36 | 16 | 12 | 8 | 55 | 40 | +15 | 60 | Qualification for the Europa Conference League first qualifying round |
| 5 | Hegelmann Litauen | 36 | 14 | 11 | 11 | 53 | 38 | +15 | 53 | |
| 6 | Riteriai | 36 | 10 | 16 | 10 | 49 | 37 | +12 | 46 | |
| 7 | Banga | 36 | 10 | 6 | 20 | 40 | 71 | −31 | 36 | |
| 8 | Džiugas | 36 | 8 | 12 | 16 | 47 | 60 | −13 | 36 | |
| 9 | Dainava (R) | 36 | 9 | 11 | 16 | 39 | 56 | −17 | 35 | Relegation to I Lyga |
| 10 | Nevėžis (R) | 36 | 2 | 4 | 30 | 15 | 91 | −76 | 10 | Relegation to I Lyga |
* ↑ DFK Dainava started the season with 3 points deducted as the club had not met licensing criteria but were granted participation under the rule of exception.

### Fixtures and results
#### Rounds 1–18

| Home \ Away | BAN | DAI | DZI | HEG | KAU | NEV | PAN | RIT | SUD | ZAL |
| Banga | — | 2–0 | 1–0 | 0–2 | 1–5 | 5–2 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 1–2 | 1–3 |
| Dainava | 3–1 | — | 1–1 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–4 |
| Džiugas | 1–1 | 2–3 | — | 2–1 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 0–2 | 1–4 | 2–1 | 0–3 |
| Hegelmann Litauen | 0–1 | 0–1 | 1–1 | — | 2–3 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 2–1 |
| Kauno Žalgiris | 1–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2–2 | — | 5–0 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 0–1 |
| Nevėžis | 0–2 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 1–2 | — | 0–1 | 0–0 | 0–2 | 0–3 |
| Panevėžys | 4–2 | 3–0 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 4–2 | — | 1–1 | 0–0 | 0–2 |
| Riteriai | 3–0 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 1–2 | 4–0 | 2–0 | — | 1–1 | 1–1 |
| Sūduva | 4–0 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 2–0 | — | 0–2 |
| Žalgiris | 2–0 | 5–1 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 1–2 | — |

#### Rounds 19–36

| Home \ Away | BAN | DAI | DZI | HEG | KAU | NEV | PAN | RIT | SUD | ZAL |
| Banga | — | 1–1 | 2–1 | 1–4 | 2–3 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–3 |
| Dainava | 3–1 | — | 3–2 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 0–2 |
| Džiugas | 1–1 | 1–1 | — | 2–1 | 1–5 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 2–3 | 2–1 |
| Hegelmann Litauen | 4–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | — | 1–2 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 1–1 |
| Kauno Žalgiris | 0–1 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 2–1 | — | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 0–2 |
| Nevėžis | 0–3 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 0–6 | 1–1 | — | 1–3 | 0–6 | 0–3 | 1–3 |
| Panevėžys | 3–1 | 0–0 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 3–0 | — | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 |
| Riteriai | 0–0 | 2–1 | 3–2 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 4–0 | 1–2 | — | 1–3 | 0–0 |
| Sūduva | 4–0 | 0–1 | 3–1 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 3–0 | 1–1 | — | 2–2 |
| Žalgiris | 3–0 | 2–2 | 3–2 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 6–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–2 | — |

## Statistics
### Top goalscorers

| Goals | Assists | Player | Club |
| 17 | 12 | Hugo Videmont | FK Žalgiris |
| 16 | 5 | Nauris Petkevičius | FC Hegelmann Litauen |
| 16 | 2 | Saïd Hamulic | DFK Dainava |
| 12 | 1 | Mindaugas Grigaravičius | FK Riteriai |
| 11 | 2 | Nasko Milev | FC Džiugas |
| 11 | 2 | Simonas Urbys | FK Banga Gargždai |
| 10 | 5 | Josip Tadić | FK Žalgiris |
| 10 | 2 | Jorge Elias | FK Panevėžys |
| 10 | 2 | Linas Pilibaitis | FK Kauno Žalgiris |