Second legs of the UEFA Champions League, Europa League, and Europa Conference League play-offs take place. Teams from all over Europe are ready to fight for their chance to move on to the next stage of their leagues, with high stakes and lots of excitement expected.
On Wednesday, the UEFA Champions League play-off round will come to an end: Qarabag will face Ferencvaros, Copenhagen will take on Basel, Benfica will go against Fenerbahce, and Club Brugge will compete with Rangers.
In the UEFA Europa League, AEK Larnaca will play against Brann, and Brann is hoping to make a comeback after losing in the first leg at home.
For the UEFA Europa Conference League, Riga FC will be up against Sparta Prague.
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Champions League
Qarabag : Ferencvaros
Qarabag, the champions from Azerbaijan have been really strong in the European qualifiers this season, staying unbeaten with five wins out of five matches in Europe. They moved past Shelbourne and Shkendija, showing great attacking skills with an average of 2.31 goals scored each game while only allowing 0.64 goals against them. However, in their home league, Qarabag faced a 1-0 loss to Sumqayit.
Ferencvaros, the team from Hungary, has had a bit of an up-and-down season. They got through Noah and Ludogorets but have faced two losses in a row recently, including a 3-1 defeat at home against Qarabag. They are currently in fourth place in the NB I league, with three wins in their last four domestic games, but they have been weak defensively, letting in at least one goal in six out of nine games this season and five goals in their last two matches.
Ferencvaros needs to focus on attacking, which might result in goals for both teams, but Qarabag’s better form and lead make it likely that they will win at home. We expect at least one goal from both sides.
GG (BTTS-Yes)
Odds:1.63
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Champions League
Benfica : Fenerbahce
Benfica, the big team from Portugal, has kicked off the 25-26 Primeira Liga season really well. They are close to the top with two wins and a strong defense. In Europe, they have been doing great too, staying unbeaten in qualifiers with three wins and one draw in four games. Recently, Benfica won against Tondela 2-0 on August 23, keeping their unbeaten streak alive.
Fenerbahce, the team from Turkey, has shown they can bounce back in Europe. They moved on past Feyenoord with a 5-2 win in the second leg after losing 1-2 in the first leg. In the Süper Lig, they haven’t lost yet, with one win and one draw. Fenerbahce has also managed to keep clean sheets in two of their last three games.
Benfica’s strong home performance, their unbeaten record against Turkish teams, and Fenerbahce needing to play catch-up put Benfica in a good spot to move forward. But, Mourinho’s smart tactics might lead to extra time.
1 (Benfica to Win)
Odds:1.61
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Champions League
Club Brugge KV : Rangers
Club Brugge KV, the champions of Belgium, have made a strong comeback after losing early in the league. They have achieved 7 victories in their last 8 matches across all competitions, which includes winning the Belgian Super Cup and a 1–0 win against Waregem, marking their fourth win in a row.
In European qualifiers, they remain unbeaten with three wins out of three games. At home, Club Brugge has triumphed in their last three competitive matches, scoring seven goals and keeping one clean sheet.
On the other hand, Rangers have faced difficulties under their new manager, Russell Martin, winning only three out of their first nine games overall, and they have yet to secure a victory in the Premiership. In qualifiers, they have recorded two wins, two draws, and two losses, managing to get past Viktoria Plzen with a 4-2 aggregate after almost losing a 3-0 lead in the first leg.
Rangers’ away performance has been poor, with no wins in their last two European away games, and they have conceded goals in 6 away matches this season.
With a two-goal lead, Club Brugge is expected to play a tight, possession-focused game at home, taking advantage of Rangers’ defensive weaknesses with quick counterattacks.
1 (Club Brugge to Win)
Odds:1.59
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Champions League
FC Copenhagen : Basel
FC Copenhagen, the Danish team, has been really strong in European qualifiers, staying unbeaten with three wins and two draws in six matches. In their domestic league, they tied 1-1 with Odense but are still at the top of the Superliga with solid stats backing them up. At home, Copenhagen has convincingly won both of their qualifier matches, including a huge 5-0 victory over Malmo, and they’ve kept clean sheets in three of their last five home games across all competitions.
On the other hand, Basel has shown some attacking skills in qualifiers, moving forward with a 4-1 win against Young Boys, but their defense has been pretty weak. In the Swiss Super League, they are in the middle of the table after a mixed start, which includes a recent 4-1 win at home, but they’ve lost some games when playing away. Their away performance is worrying, as they haven’t won in their last three European away games and have let in goals in each of those matches.
With Copenhagen’s unbeaten run in qualifiers, their strong home performance, and Basel’s struggles on the road, it looks like the hosts are set to move forward. We expect at least 3 goals during the match.
3+ (Over 2.5)
Odds:1.81
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Europa League
AEK Larnaca : Brann
AEK Larnaca, the team from Cyprus, is only focusing on European qualifiers this season because their first game in the domestic league against Omonia Nicosia got postponed. Their performance in the Europa League has been a bit up and down, with three wins at home in the qualifiers, including a big 4-1 win against Legia Warsaw, but they have some weaknesses when playing away. Each of their last four European matches has had at least three goals.
Brann, who is currently in third place in the Norwegian Eliteserien, has won four out of their last six games in all competitions, including a 2-1 victory in the league against Tromso. In Europe, they have two wins and one draw. When playing away, they have won three out of their last six games, but they showed some defensive issues against Salzburg and Hacken.
AEK Larnaca’s strong home performance and their need to attack might help them win a high-scoring game, but Brann’s toughness could lead to extra time or penalties.
1 (AEK Larnaca to Win)
Odds:2.09
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Conference League
Riga FC : Sparta Prague
Riga FC, the champions of Latvia, are leading the Virsliga with a great home record, having not lost any league games at home and scoring an average of 2.36 goals per game overall.
In European qualifiers, Riga FC took part in the UEFA Conference League, where they got past Dila Gori and Beitar Jerusalem but were knocked out by Sparta Prague in the playoff round. Recently, they faced some tough losses, including a 0-2 defeat against Sparta.
On the other hand, Sparta Prague is at the top of the Czech Chance Liga with a perfect start, having won their last nine matches in all competitions. They have started the season perfectly with 6 wins and no losses, averaging 2.17 goals scored and only 1 goal conceded per game.
In European qualifiers, they moved past Ararat-Armenia and Aktobe, winning both matches with a strong overall score. Their away performance has been impressive, winning their last three games on the road.
Sparta’s great form, winning streak, and strong performance in the first leg make them the favorites to move on easily, but Riga’s strength at home could lead to a surprising comeback.
2 (Sparta Prague to Win)
Odds:1.80
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Kindly be advised that all odds are accurate as of the publication date and time indicated, and they may be subject to alterations.
