Champions League Quali, 1st round, first leg, Wednesday, 10.07.2024 at 21:00
The EURO 2024 is still in full swing and things are already back to normal at club level.
Because the Bosnian and Albanian champions are facing each other in the first qualifying round for the Champions League – if that’s nothing!
No, but seriously: I think we can expect a decent game here. But my Banja Luka Egnatia tip sees the home side with the advantage
It’s somehow refreshing that the ball is already rolling again in club soccer during this European Championship.
It’s not yet the huge top duels that the reformed premier league promises from September, but the early qualifying rounds still have their very own charm
Football nations that are otherwise more popular with absolute connoisseurs of soccer or groundhoppers cross swords here.
This includes Bosnian champions FK Borac Banja Luka and KF Egnatia from Albania. And the latter in particular showed at the European Championship that they are a national team to be reckoned with.
There was an unpleasant issue with the visitors last season, however. Their striker Raphael Dwamena collapsed on the pitch and died there and then.
It was a tragedy for the club and everyone involved. However, it brought the club from Rrogozhina even closer together
Despite a 3-0 defeat on the final matchday of the regular season, they became champions thanks to winning the head-to-head tie with FK Partizani! With 51 goals, the offense was the showpiece.
Will they try their luck going forward again this time? The bookmakers at Tipwin have odds of around 1.60 in the Banja Luka Egnatia betting tip if they score at least once
But where does the pessimism come from? Are the home side an overpowering team and many outside the bookmakers just don’t know it yet?
Well, after all, Crveno-plavi were relatively surprising champions in Bosnia. And they did so ahead of Zrinjski Mostar, who were last in the Conference League.
In any case, the Bosnians’ defense speaks for itself. With just 26 goals conceded, they had the best defense in the Premijer Liga. The 68 goals they scored are also impressive.
And so it’s no surprise that top betting providers such as Bet3000 are predicting odds of around 2.70 for your Banja Luka Egnatia bet if only the hosts score.
The question will also be how much risk both teams want to take here. After all, it is only the first of two games that the two will play against each other.
Last season, the Albanians stood out for being extremely difficult to beat in the final stages of the season and for holding on to narrow victories
In seven of their last eight matches of the pre-season, fewer than 1.5 goals were scored. Neither team scored during this phase.
Accordingly, the bookmakers at Interwetten, among others, disagree on the Banja Luka Egnatia betting tip in terms of the number of goals. If less than 2.5 goals are scored, the odds are around 1.70.
This match should promise more than the packaging suggests. Both teams played a great pre-season, but now have to prove themselves again.
Crveno-plavi have the better preparation on their side. They have scored exactly twice in each of their three games. Their offense will be the key again this time.
And so my Banja Luka Egnatia tip is: The Bosnians won’t lose and at least two goals will be scored
