Europa League, Qualification, 2nd Round, Second Leg, Thursday, 07/31/2025, 7:30 p.m.
A 0-0 draw in the first leg, or as you could also say: Everything is still up for grabs here! Our Europa League qualification tips now focus on the second-round second legs, with a particular focus on the Swiss representative.
On Thursday, they face a club that already has some experience in the current competition. So, in my CFR Cluj Lugano tip, I have my work cut out for me to tell you why I’m against a Swiss victory and why I think the home team will advance!
Was it a 0-0 of the better kind? Cluj and Lugano couldn’t agree on a winner a few days ago and played to a draw. One real shot on goal for Switzerland, two for the opposition – it was more of a 0-0 draw that spectators won’t be eager to see repeated.
But Lugano must ask themselves why they didn’t win in the end. The team had a whopping 78% possession and played 735 passes (their opponents only managed 211).
The disappointment in Lugano at the result must have been palpable, as they have now lost their home advantage. On top of that, the team knows that it has messed up its start to the Super League season.
They lost 1-2 at home to FC Thun. Although the opponents fired 21 shots at the opposition’s goal, only two were on target – and both went in.
So, the Swiss teams put in two really strange performances. In one game, they dominated their opponents but failed to score, while in the other, they were more convincing but still allowed several counterattacks.
Last year, in a memory that fans would rather forget, Lugano also drew the first leg of their Europa League qualifying tie (albeit in the play-offs).
A 3-3 draw against Besiktas was followed by a wild 1-5 defeat, and just like that, they were out. This time, the Swiss will have to live with the fact that they are not the favorites to advance to the third qualifying round. This becomes clear when we open one of our sports betting apps.
When it comes to the question of who will advance – whether after 90 or 120 minutes – we end up with an average of 1.60 to 2.20. A difference that is, of course, relatively small.
At the same time, it is of course also possible to bet directly on a winner of the match. Here we are looking at odds of 2.20 to 3.30. So you can see that even the bookmakers don’t have a clear favorite.
CFR Cluj somehow managed to get through the first leg without conceding a goal. Three qualifying games, three clean sheets – defensive enthusiasts among you will have noticed this impressive statistic.
In the first round, the Romanians faced Paksi FC. The first leg ended 0-0, so the club already has experience in this situation. And lo and behold: back then, too, the first leg was played away.
The following home game was won 3-0, and every Cluj fan would of course welcome this result against Lugano on Thursday with open arms. However, I must point out that two of the three goals were scored shortly before the final whistle.
Nevertheless, the positive impression remains, although things look a little different in the domestic league. Three rounds have been played here, and after a narrow 2-1 win in the opener, there was a draw and then a defeat.
Cluj last participated in the Europa League group stage in 2020/21, which is now a long time ago. However, when it comes to international qualification, the Romanian representative definitely has more experience than Lugano.
Does a team that has almost 80 percent possession and fails to score deserve to win? I can’t really answer that question with a resounding “yes.” FC Lugano has not had the start to the 2025/26 season it had hoped for.
They lost to Thun in the league, and their home advantage did not help them significantly in the Europa League qualifiers. Cluj, on the other hand, may not always dictate the game, but they have yet to concede a goal in qualifying.
In my opinion, the Swiss side are not in good enough form to go into the second leg as favorites. I have therefore decided to give the opposition a slight edge and predict:
Cluj will reach the third qualifying round!
