The 2016 season is FK Žalgiris 7th consecutive season in the top flight of Lithuanian football and 3rd consecutive as A Lyga title defenders. They also participated in the Lithuanian Cup, the SuperCup and entered the UEFA Champions League at the second qualifying round stage.
After winning the 2015–16 Lithuanian Football Cup, the club has achieved the longest active consecutive domestic cup run in Europe with five victories in a row. After another consecutive win in the 2016 LFF Cup, they extended the record to six victories, while also setting a new Lithuanian record – winning two domestic cups in a single calendar year.
Žalgiris were crowned champions for the fourth year in a row on 30 October after a 2–0 win against Atlantas.
After the season, club leaders received multiple personal awards. Long time club servant Mantas Kuklys was included among the final seven candidates to win Lithuanian footballer of the year award and remained fourth overall. Furthermore, he was elected as the best player in Lithuania, managing to beat teammates Andrija Kaluđerović and Vytautas Lukša, who respectively remained in second and fourth places. Despite joining only in the summer, Kaluđerović was also declared Fans Player of the Year – traditional award given by club supporters group Pietų IV. According to the fans, club defender Mamadou Mbodj remained in 2nd and 3rd place was taken by Kuklys. Justas Lasickas and Daniel Romanovskij remained respectively 3rd and 5th in the most promising player of the season elections; midfielder Matija Ljujić received the prize for the best goal of the season; and head coach Valdas Dambrauskas also received the coach of the year award.
The 2016 season concluded with a special event where the film "„Žalgiris-2016“. The year of triumph", about a historical season highlighted with the victory of four domestic titles was premiered.
Players
Squad No. Name Nat. Position(s) Date of Birth (Age) Signed from Signed in Goalkeepers 1 Armantas Vitkauskas GK FK Sūduva 2012 12 Karolis Čirba GK Academy 2016 55 Saulius Klevinskas GK Torpedo Moscow 2015 Defenders 2 Linas Klimavičius CB FK Trakai 2016 5 Donovan Slijngard LB SC Cambuur 2015 6 Mamadou Mbodj CB Red Star Belgrade 2016 8 Egidijus Vaitkūnas RB FK Tauras 2010 18 Aldas Korsakas RB Academy 2014 20 Dominykas Barauskas DF Academy 2015 26 Marius Žaliūkas CB Rangers F.C. 2016 71 Jonas Skinderis DF FK Panevėžys 2016 Midfielders 4 Marin Matoš CM NK Istra 1961 2016 7 Slavko Blagojević DM / CM RNK Split 2016 9 Jorge Chula RW / LW C.D. Aves 2015 21 Vytautas Lukša RW / LW FK Trakai 2015 22 Justas Lasickas LW Academy 2014 23 Saulius Mikoliūnas RB / RW / LW FC Shakhtyor Soligorsk 2016 27 Matija Ljujić CM / AM FK Rad 2016 75 Ernestas Stočkūnas MF Academy 2015 77 Linas Pilibaitis CM / AM / CF Győri ETO FC 2014 88 Mantas Kuklys CM / AM KFC Turnhout 2012 Forwards 19 Edvinas Baniulis CF Academy 2013 28 Julius Momkus ST Academy 2016 33 Bahrudin Atajić AM / LW / RW / CF / SS SJK Seinäjoki 2016 80 Elivelto CM / AM / LW / RW / SS FK Ekranas 2015 99 Andrija Kaluđerović CF FK Rad 2016
Transfers
Winter 2016
In Player Moving from Notes Source Elton FC Voluntari Free Marius Žaliūkas Rangers F.C. Free Simonas Stankevičius Leicester City F.C. Undisclosed Marin Matoš NK Istra 1961 Free Mamadou Mbodj Red Star Belgrade Free Bahrudin Atajić SJK Seinäjoki Free Linas Klimavičius FK Trakai Free Saulius Mikoliūnas FC Shakhtyor Soligorsk Free Tautvydas Eliošius FK Kruoja Pakruojis Free
Out Player Moving to Notes Source Yury Kendysh FC BATE Borisov €150,000 Deividas Šemberas - Retired Georgas Freidgeimas FC Irtysh Pavlodar On loan until 2017 Darvydas Šernas Alanyaspor Free Semir Kerla FC Irtysh Pavlodar Free Andro Švrljuga FK Sūduva Free Algis Jankauskas FK Sūduva Free Paulius Janušauskas FK Sūduva Free Serge Nyuiadzi 1461 Trabzon Free Kristis Andreou Ayia Napa F.C. Free Eliandro Batatais Futebol Clube Free Darius Kazubovičius FK RFS On loan until 2017
Summer 2016
In Player Moving from Notes Source Andrija Kaluđerović FK Rad Free Matija Ljujić FK Rad Free Slavko Blagojević RNK Split Free Jonas Skinderis FK Panevėžys Undisclosed
Out Player Moving to Notes Source Lukas Valvonis FK Utenis On loan until December 2016 Daniel Romanovskij FK Utenis On loan until 2017 Elton Pandurii Târgu Jiu Free Lucas Gaúcho Thespakusatsu Gunma Free Tautvydas Eliošius FK Lietava On loan until 2017 Simonas Stankevičius HNK Šibenik On loan until 2017
Pre-season and friendlies
Competitions
Lithuanian Supercup
A Lyga
Results summary
Results by round
Regular season
League table
Matches
Championship round
League table
Matches
LFF Taurė
2015–16 LFF Taurė
All previous rounds were played during the 2015 FK Žalgiris season.
Semifinals
Final
2016 LFF Taurė
UEFA Champions League
Second qualifying round
Statistics
Appearances and goals
! colspan=14 style=background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center| Goalkeepers
! colspan=14 style=background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center| Defenders
! colspan=14 style=background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center| Midfielders
! colspan=14 style=background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center| Forwards
! colspan=14 style=background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center| Players transferred out during the season
Goalscorers NameA LygaSupercupLFF TaurėUEFA CLTotal199FWAndrija Kaluđerović2003023277MFLinas Pilibaitis914014321MFVytautas Lukša51309433FWBahrudin Atajić8000880FWElivelto30418688MFMantas Kuklys5110776DFMamadou Mbodj60006823MFSaulius Mikoliūnas3020527MFMatija Ljujić30205104MFMarin Matoš30104112DFLinas Klimavičius10203128DFEgidijus Vaitkūnas2000228FWJulius Momkus00202147MFElton100019MFJorge Chula0010110FWLucas Gaúcho1000111FWSimonas Stankevičius1000117MFTautvydas Eliošius0100122MFJustas Lasickas1000126DFMarius Žaliūkas10001Own goal10001Totals744251104
Clean sheets NameA LygaSupercupLFF TaurėUEFA CLTotal11GKArmantas Vitkauskas1004014255GKSaulius Klevinskas30216312GKKarolis Čirba00101Totals1307121
Disciplinary record PlayerA LygaSupercupLFF TaurėUEFA CLTotal2DFLinas Klimavičius314004MFMarin Matoš22005DFDonovan Slijngard22006DFMamadou Mbodj3126007MFElton111107MFSlavko Blagojević415008DFEgidijus Vaitkūnas426009MFJorge Chula110017MFTautvydas Eliošius110021MFVytautas Lukša311160022MFJustas Lasickas220023MFSaulius Mikoliūnas7290027MFMatija Ljujić330033FWBahrudin Atajić330055GKSaulius Klevinskas220077MFLinas Pilibaitis3140080FWElivelto31131188MFMantas Kuklys4260099FWAndrija Kaluđerović11200Totals521120012102006821
Awards
A Lyga Player of the Year Mantas Kuklys2nd Andrija Kaluđerović4th Vytautas Lukša
Fans' Player of the Season Andrija Kaluđerović2nd Mamadou Mbodj3rd Mantas Kuklys
A Lyga Goal of the Year Matija Ljujić
Lithuania Coach of the Year Valdas Dambrauskas
A Lyga Team of the Week The following players were named in the A lyga Team of the Week.
Player Position(s) Week(s) Ref. Name Andrija Kaluđerović FW 18, 19, 20, 22, 29, 31, 32 Armantas Vitkauskas GK 14, 15 Bahrudin Atajić MF/FW 1, 2, 7, 21, 26 Donovan Slijngard DF 1, 4, 13, 26, 28, 30 Egidijus Vaitkūnas DF 9, 16, 19, 20, 29 Elivelto MF 2 Elton MF 4 Linas Klimavičius DF 1, 12, 20 Linas Pilibaitis MF/FW 7, 15, 16, 18 Mamadou Mbodj DF 3, 13, 15, 19, 31 Mantas Kuklys MF 9, 12, 13, 16, 19, 22, 25, 30, 31 Matija Ljujić MF 28, 29 Saulius Klevinskas GK 22 Saulius Mikoliūnas DF/MF 24, 26, 28 Slavko Blagojević MF 20, 31 Vytautas Lukša MF 1, 9, 11, 15, 21
Fans' Player of the Month MonthNationalityPlayerPositionRefMarchBahrudin AtajićFWAprilVytautas LukšaMFMayLinas KlimavičiusDFJuneVytautas LukšaMFJulyAndrija KaluđerovićFWAugustVytautas LukšaMFSeptemberAndrija KaluđerovićFWOctoberVytautas LukšaMF
External links 2016 FK Žalgiris - Triumfo metai
References