Champions League Predictions > Aug 25th & 26th

[StevieDay1983]

It's relentless isn't it. The Champions League Final has only just concluded and we're already well into the qualification phase for the next edition of the competition. Check out the odds above and then let us know your bets for these games down below. 

[sicario7]

Simple 1x2 for today's games:

Tirana - Red Star: 2

PAOK - Besiktas: 1x

[chris666]

I have already take Celtic - 1 for tonights game after the 6-0 demolition in their last game.

Price has since dropped from 2.2 (6/5) to 1.91 (10/11)

 

 

[StevieDay1983]

Dynamo Brest vs FK Sarajevo

The first preview for the 2nd qualification round of the Champions League that I'm going to cover is between Belarus Premier League side Dynamo Brest and Bosnia and Herzegovina Premier League club FK Sarajevo in a 7pm BST kick-off tonight at the Regional Sports Complex in Brest. Both sides have the opportunity to set up a money-spinning tie in the next round with a win here.

Dynamo Brest might have won the Belarus Premier League title last season but their current campaign isn't going quite as positively. Manager Sergey Kovalchuk's side have struggled to find consistency with the team loitering down in 10th place. Just 2 wins from their last 7 matches across all competitions isn't the best form but one of those two victories did come in this competition in a spell-binding 6-3 win over Kazakhstan Premier League team Astana. A fast start with 3 goals scored by Dynamo in the opening 17 minutes set the tone for the game and they'll be keen to get a similar quick start in this one.

FK Sarajevo are the team that disposed of the only hope Wales had in this competition when they defeated Cymru Premier side Connah's Quay by a 2-0 score-line. A brace from the clinical Benjamin Tatar was enough to get the job done for the Bosnians. Head coach Vinko Marinovic has seen his team start their title defence with an unbeaten opening 4 games but with 2 wins and 2 draws the team is down in 5th place and already 4 points off the title pace. Team captain Krste Velkoski will need to inspire his team to another resilient performance if they're to get something from this game.

It was a pleasure covering the Belarus Premier League during the covid-19 suspension of the major European leagues and it gave me a chance to become quite familiar with Dynamo Brest. They may well be a team that are failing to defend their league title with any real substance but they remain a side that can deliver results against the so-called "weaker teams". This is a game they should get done on home turf but it could be a tricky one against an opposition that know what is needed to succeed.

Dynamo Brest to Win @ 1.85 with BetVictor

BTTS @ 1.97 with VBet

[Charon84]

EDIT: SEE POST FURTHER DOWN FOR NEW IMPORTANT INFO

AZ - Plzen: can't see AZ winning this one. They had a hard time scoring in recent friendlies against weak opponents and their best attacking player Stengs isn't likely to start. Also Vlaar, the most experienced player, is doubtful to start. Plzen looks better here and certainly at these odds (@3.89). Weather is stormy, empty stadium. So the Under 2.50 (@1.98) is strong alternative/second bet.

Edited August 26, 2020 by Charon84

[StevieDay1983]

Celtic vs Ferencvaros

The second of our Champions League 2nd Qualification Round previews this week is the match-up between Scottish Premiership club Celtic and Hungarian OTP Bank Liga side Ferencvaros in a 7:45pm BST kick-off at Celtic Park. This match is between two teams that are covered in European history so this will be one game that will delight fans of an older age.

Celtic are aiming to win a 10th Scottish league title in a row and before the season started it looked like it was almost inevitable. However, Neil Lennon's team have endured their issues already with a suspension being forced on the club due to players breaking covid-19 lockdown guidelines. The club started the campaign well with a dominant 5-1 win over Hamilton but they were then held by a 1-1 score-line away to Kilmarnock. A narrow 1-0 win away at Dundee United on the weekend with the winner scored 7 minutes from time by Albian Ajeti suggested not everything is going as smoothly as the Hoops hierarchy would like. Still, in this competition it was a convincing 6-0 hammering of Icelandic representatives KR in the last round.

Ferencvaros were once one of the biggest teams in European football. The club won the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup in 1964/65 and reached the Final of the Cup Winners' Cup in 1974/75. Things haven't been quite as glorious for the club over recent years but last season's title win was their second successive domestic championship leading many fans to feel the club is back where it belongs. Manager Sergei Rebrov was a decorated player and is making a name for himself as one of the best young managers in Europe. A 2-0 win over Swedish side Djurgardens in the previous round was business-like but with the club having only played one domestic league game this season, a disappointing 1-1 draw away to newly promoted MTK Budapest, there are question marks about how they'll cope against a sharper opposition in Celtic.

This is a match for the purists between two clubs that have passionate fan bases. I'm struggling to see anything other than a Celtic win but it depends just how emphatic it is. Ferencvaros have the potential to be a banana skin for their opponents and it wouldn't be the first time the Glaswegians had suffered a shock defeat in this competition. Just last season they were eliminated by CFR Cluj in the 3rd Qualifying Round. AEK Athens, Malmo, Maribor, and Artmedia Bratislava have also killed Celtic's Champions League hopes in recent years. They should get past this one but I wouldn't be surprised to see them make hard work of it.

Celtic HT/FT @ 1.95 with Betfred

Ferencvaros +2 @ 1.91 with Gentingbet

[sicario7]

Celtic - Ferencvaros: 1

CFR - Zagreb: 1

Legia - Omonia: 1

Let's see what happens

[Charon84]

5 hours ago, Charon84 said:

AZ - Plzen: can't see AZ winning this one. They had a hard time scoring in recent friendlies against weak opponents and their best attacking player Stengs isn't likely to start. Also Vlaar, the most experienced player, is doubtful to start. Plzen looks better here and certainly at these odds (@3.89). Weather is stormy, empty stadium. So the Under 2.50 (@1.98) is strong alternative/second bet.

Stengs and Vlaar are both in the lineup. Will make a difference so now my advice is 'avoid match'. Can go both ways but still Under looks great.

Edited August 26, 2020 by Charon84

[Magic0024]

Football Facts and Streaks regarding Champions League

AZ Alkmaar have failed to win their last 7 matches in Champions League.
There have been over 2.5 goals scored in Benfica’s last 6 games in Champions League.
AZ Alkmaar have drawn 83% of their last 6 matches in Champions League.
There have been over 2.5 goals scored in 80% of PAOK Thessaloniki FC’s last 10 games in Champions League.

You can find interesting 12 Football Betting Facts and Streaks for 15.09.2020 on this link ... https://eurofootballrumours.com/football-facts-and-streaks-15-09-2020-20674