Wednesday's Champions League qualifying predictions: Hard to see past PAOK
- There are three Champions League second-round qualifying ties on Wednesday
- Recommended bets:
- Back PAOK to win and both teams to score
- Back Slovan Bratislava to win
Qualifying for the 2024-25 Champions League continues on Wednesday with three first-leg clashes from the second round of qualifiers.
The games kick off between 6.30pm and 7.15pm and we have two selections covering these fixtures ahead of the qualifying action.
PAOK Thessaloniki vs Borac Banja Luka (Wednesday, 6.30pm)
The stats
Seven of PAOK’s last 10 European games have seen both teams score.
Borac Banja Luka have lost seven of their last eight European away games.
Both teams found the net in five of PAOK’s last six competitive matches of last season.
Prediction
PAOK reached the quarter-finals of a European competition last season, winning 11 of their Conference League games in qualifying, the group stages and the early knockouts before being dumped out by Club Brugge 3-0 on aggregate in the last eight.
The Greek side reached the same stage two seasons previously before departing at the hands of Marseille so they have a solid recent European pedigree and look far too strong for Bosnian side Borac Banja Luka.
The visitors have never progressed beyond this round of any European qualifier and look vulnerable against a team of PAOK's standing.
Borac Banja Luka got the better of Albanian side Egnatia in the last qualifying round, edging them on penalties, and this is a big jump in class on those opponents.
However PAOK can be vulnerable at the back at times, with both teams having scored in seven of their last 10 European games, and the minnows could get on the scoresheet in defeat.
NK Celje vs Slovan Bratislava (Wednesday, 7.15pm)
The stats
Slovan Bratislava have won five of their last nine European away games.
NK Celje have never reached the group stages of a European competition.
Six of Slovan Bratislava’s last 12 European games have finished 2-1.
Prediction
Slovan Bratislava have reached the knockout stages of the last two editions of the Conference League and brushed aside Macedonian opponents Struga in the first round of Champions League qualifying, winning 6-3.
They should be able to follow that up with a win against Slovenian opponents NK Celje, who have never reached the group stages of a European competition.
The home team were beaten 5-2 on aggregate by Maccabi Tel Aviv in the Conference League play-off last season and may suffer further heartbreak here.
Slovan Bratislava have a solid squad including the likes of Juraj Kucka, Kevin Wimmer and Vladimir Weiss, and they can get the victory in this first leg.
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