Will a poor opening round continue to haunt Flora?
The first round of the Estonian Premium League is coming to an end alongside April. The opening quarter of the season has brought tight point gaps at the top of the table, one team’s unexpectedly strong run, and the reigning champion’s underwhelming form. Will this disappointing start continue to define FC Flora’s season?
Last season, Flora didn’t carry the burden of being clear favourites. Still, they managed to outperform FCI Levadia—who looked like the undisputed title contender early on—and ultimately secured the championship. Konstantin Vassiljev won the Estonian title in his very first season as head coach.
While Flora wasn’t considered a likely champion in most predictions last year, this season they entered with much higher expectations, despite losing several key players—Markus Poom, Kristo Hussar, and Nikita Mihhailov.
Unfortunately for Flora—but to the delight of neutral football fans—those predictions were quickly turned upside down. After the opening round, the green-and-whites lost three consecutive league matches. Things improved only slightly for two rounds before suffering a heavy 0–4 defeat to rivals Levadia in the Tallinn derby.
As a result, after eight rounds—just one match before the end of the first cycle—Flora find themselves in a situation where they’ve lost half of their games. You could say the glass is half full, since they’ve also won half—but for a club like Flora, a 50–50 record definitely feels more like half empty.
With Paide Linnameeskond up next—and far from an easy opponent—there’s a real possibility that the reigning champions will lose more than half of their matches in the opening round.
Can Andrejev’s Kalju keep the momentum?
Nõmme Kalju FC have been steadily improving over the past three seasons. They no longer look like just another third- or fourth-place contender—they are becoming a team that Flora and Levadia must take seriously.
Under head coach Nikita Andrejev, Kalju secured silver two seasons ago and bronze last year, but never truly felt like title contenders. This season, however, looks different—after eight rounds, Kalju sit at the top of the table, and their youthful squad is causing real problems for opponents.
Mattias Männilaan has rediscovered his form, scoring five league goals and adding three more in the Super Cup. Mihhail Orlov and Rommi Siht have both contributed three assists. Kalju started the season with five straight wins, and despite a 1–1 draw with Levadia and a 0–1 loss to Paide, they remain top of the table.
Kalju currently lead by a single point over Levadia, who, notably, are the only unbeaten team so far. However, the 2024 champions have drawn quite a few matches—three draws alongside five wins.
A surprising standout for Levadia has been 18-year-old Maksimilian Skvortsov, with three goals and three assists. Beyond the stats, his influence on the pitch is clear—after limited opportunities under Curro Torres, he has earned full trust from Vjatšeslav Zahovaiko.
A surprise from the outskirts
Last season’s newcomers, Harju JK Laagri, are turning more and more heads. Their fourth-place position is no fluke—their performances on the pitch fully justify it.
Harju have already beaten Flora and taken a draw from title-chasing Paide. If they manage to beat Tartu Tammeka in their final match of the round, they will have only one real slip-up—a 2–3 away loss to FC Kuressaare.
Their youthful squad plays fast, cohesive football. The core of the team works like clockwork, and while they were expected to fight relegation last season—as newcomers typically do—those expectations are now completely gone.
As Paide’s head coach Vladimir Vassiljev noted after their draw, Harju have become a very strong mid-table team. Homegrown talents like Karel Eerme and Kristjan Kriis are performing as if they’ve been in the league for years.
Meanwhile, another newcomer, Nõmme United, is also making a statement. Dacosta Owusu has found his scoring form, while 35-year-old Zakaria Beglarišvili continues to shine—already scoring two Olympic goals (directly from corners), along with three goals and four assists.
What comes next?
Before the first round concludes, fans are in for another major test. The upcoming clash between Paide and Flora is set to push tensions to the limit.
For Paide, the league title has been a goal for several seasons, yet they’ve never truly challenged for it. This year could be different, especially given their strong individual quality and sharp start. Aside from an opening loss to Pärnu Vaprus, they have scored in every match.
If Flora lose again, signs of a deeper crisis may begin to emerge. Could Konstantin Vassiljev’s position be under threat? Knowing Flora’s approach, it seems unlikely—but in football, nothing can be ruled out. At the same time, a turnaround could quickly change everything, and the title race is far from over.
The first eight rounds of the Premium League have created the feeling that this could be an exceptionally competitive season. Kalju, Levadia, and Paide—all likely top-four teams—have hit their stride and are ready to compete for the title. For Flora, it’s time to prove themselves.
You can check out the best sports odds in Estonia on the Vivatbet platform. On June 13, Flora and Levadia will meet again, and Vivatbet will also be present at the stadium, where fans can test the height of their headers and take on Cristiano Ronaldo’s heading record. There will also be a chance to spin a prize wheel and win exclusive rewards.
