On Tuesday, August 26, 2025, a crucial night in the UEFA Champions League play-off round will take place as seven matchups reach their exciting conclusion with the second legs. This part of the tournament decides which teams will earn a spot in the highly sought-after group phase of Europe’s top club competition.
Everyone will be watching games like Kairat Almaty vs Celtic, where the first leg ended in a 0-0 tie, setting up a thrilling “winner-takes-all” battle in Kazakhstan. Other important matches include Pafos vs Red Star Belgrade, and Sturm Graz vs Bodo/Glimt, each with their own stories and importance, as teams from all over the continent fight for their chance to continue in the tournament.
:
:
Kairat Almaty : Celtic
Kairat’s victories happened in earlier Champions League qualifiers against Milsami, KuPS, and Slovan Bratislava, but recent losses in their domestic games show some ups and downs. The draw in the first leg was a solid away result.
They have won all five of their home European matches in recent seasons, including all three home games in this season’s qualifiers, and they kept clean sheets in each of those. Their strength at home is a big reason for their success, but they have lost their last two matches overall.
Celtic is still unbeaten this season, with wins in their domestic league. The draw in the first leg was an unusual slip-up, but they bounced back with a win in their next game.
In the first leg, Celtic had most of the ball and made a lot of chances, but they couldn’t get past Kairat’s strong defense.
Kairat’s home ground and solid defense might lead to a game with few goals, possibly going into extra time, but Celtic’s experience in European qualifiers and their attacking skills should help them win.
2 (Celtic to Win)
Odds:1.63
:
:
Pafos : Crvena zvezda
Pafos shocked Crvena Zvezda with a 2-1 win in Belgrade, scoring first with Joao Correia and then adding to their lead in the 51st minute when Pepe converted a penalty. They had some great wins against Maccabi Tel Aviv and Dynamo Kyiv. In their last 5 matches, they scored 7 goals, showing they have a strong offense led by Jairo da Silva.
We think Pafos will focus on solid defense, quick counterattacks, and key players like Correia, Jairo, or Anderson Silva to score goals.
Crvena Zvezda has had a great start to their domestic season, winning four out of their first five league matches and earning 13 points. Previously, In the UCL qualifiers, they beat Lech Poznan with a 4–2 aggregate score.
Even with this success, Crvena Zvezda’s defense at home and away has shown some weaknesses, especially in the first leg away match, where they lost and ended a five-match unbeaten streak in all competitions.
Get ready for an exciting game full of goals as Crvena Zvezda attacks, leaving openings for Pafos to counter. This is all based on how both teams have been playing lately, the stats, and what happened in the first match.
GG (BTTS-Yes)
Odds:1.58
:
:
Sturm Graz : Bodo/Glimt
Sturm Graz heads into this game feeling a bit uncertain. They’ve been doing well in the Austrian Bundesliga at home, but their performance in Europe shows some weaknesses in defense. They’ve let in 13 goals in their last five games, including a tough loss in the first leg, which makes people wonder if they can handle Bodo’s fast-paced attack. William Boving, the Danish winger, brings some creativity and might be their best shot at scoring.
On the other hand, Bodo/Glimt comes in with a lot of confidence. They haven’t lost since July and have scored 18 goals in their last five matches. They are known for their aggressive pressing and quick attacks, so they probably won’t just sit back even though they have a lead. Albert Gronbæk is in great scoring form, and his late runs from midfield were key in the first leg.
Sturm Graz will try to regain their pride and might score in front of their home crowd, but coming back from a five-goal deficit against a team like Bodo/Glimt seems almost impossible.
3+ (Over 2.5)
Odds:1.42
Published:
:
:
Kindly be advised that all odds are accurate as of the publication date and time indicated, and they may be subject to alterations.
