Wednesday's Champions League qualifying predictions: Wins likely for KI Klaksvik and Ludogorets
- Wednesday's Champions League qualifying features eight first-leg ties
- Recommended bets:
- Rigas FC to win
- KI Klaksvik to win
- Ludogorets to win to zero
The curtain raises on the first round of 2024/25 Champions League qualifiers this week and Wednesday’s fixture list includes eight first-leg ties.
Northern Irish side Larne are the only UK-based interest, but there are plenty of well-known names among the 16 teams playing on Wednesday.
The action gets underway at 4pm with Ordabasy vs Petroclub in the far reaches of Kazakhstan and ends in Bosnia-Herzegovina at 8pm with Borac BB vs Egnatia.
Rigas FC vs Larne (Wednesday, 6pm)
The stats
Rigas FC have won 18 of their 22 domestic matches this season.
Larne have not won any of their last six European ties.
Prediction
Larne made their Champions League debut last season as they lost 3-2 on aggregate against HJK and they could be made to wait for their first win at this level when they face Rigas FC.
The hosts are also winless in Europe’s top competition, but they did reach the Europa Conference League group stages a couple of years ago and took points off Istanbul Basaksehir and eventual finalists Fiorentina.
They have won nine and drawn one of their last 10 home games, the most recent of which was a 7-0 drubbing, and they should easily get the better of a Larne side that has not played competitive football since April.
KI Klaksvik vs Differdange (Wednesday, 7pm)
The stats
KI are unbeaten in their last five Champions League home games.
Differdange have not won a European tie since their 2011/12 Europa League campaign.
Prediction
Differdange are returning to the Champions League for the first time since Red Boys Differdange took part in the 1979/80 European Cup, but they have not won any European tie since 2011 and that is unlikely to change against KI Klaksvik.
The hosts have won the last three Faroe Islands Meistaradeildin titles and are regulars at this stage of the competition, with recent results suggesting a win should be within reach on Wednesday.
They beat Norwegian giants Molde 2-1 at home in last season’s qualifying and are unbeaten in five home games in the Champions League.
This includes victories over Molde, Bodo/Glimt and Slovan Bratislava, while they reached the Europa Conference League group stage last season, too.
Ludogorets vs Dinamo Batumi (Wednesday, 7pm)
The stats
Ludogorets won all three of their Europa Conference League group games at home last season.
Ludogorets have only lost one of their last nine home games in the Champions League.
Prediction
Ludogorets are regulars in European competition and can get an easy win over Dinamo Batumi on Wednesday.
The hosts made it to the Europa Conference League group stage last season and won all three of their home games without conceding.
They have lost just two of their last 10 European home fixtures and have six clean sheets to show for it, while Dinamo Batumi have only appeared in the Champions League once before and were eliminated at the first time of asking by Slovan Bratislava.
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