Champions League Quali, 3rd round, first leg, Wednesday, 07.09.2024 at 20:30
Of course, there are more dazzling and, above all, more illustrious encounters in this 3rd Champions League qualifying round. Nevertheless, a Slovan Bratislava APOEL Nicosia betting tip is a must.
Especially since it can win a penny or two with the Bet365 app and a certain amount of “fortune.”
I’m a little surprised that both opponents have made it this far at all.
However, I’ll show you straight away that their respective tournament trees didn’t pose any major challenges on the way to the upcoming 3rd qualifying round.
APOEL, meanwhile, have tried their hand at the less prestigious Conference League in the last two seasons, even if their path to the coveted draw pots always came to an abrupt end in the play-off round.
As Cypriot champions, APOEL have only faced one opponent so far in the 2024/25 season that has just begun – and that was Petroclub.
The Moldovans, meanwhile, were unable to recover from the 1-0 defeat they suffered in the first leg on the Mediterranean island, as the second leg only resulted in a 1-1 draw at home.
Meanwhile, there is no reason for me to believe that the Cypriots will grace the top flight with their presence for much longer.
After all, the first major challenge should not be long in coming…
APOEL have not made any notable transfers for the 2024/25 season. As usual, additions and departures were made on a transfer-free basis.
Only the signing of the very experienced Youssef El Arabi from Olympiakos Piraeus made me prick up my ears. Former Schalke player Max Meyer also comes from FC Luzern after a solid season.
But as I said, the squad doesn’t justify a leap into the Champions League draw.
However, as we all know, you are only as good as your opponent allows you to be. And in this context, it’s important to remember that this is a Slovan Bratislava APOEL Nicosia tip and that the opponent isn’t exactly Real Madrid
Slovan Bratislava is definitely a club on the rise and should be the clear favorite in this clash.
Fortunately, top bookmakers such as Merkur Bets don’t see it that way – at least not to the same extent – so it could be even more worthwhile to take a look at the Slovan Bratislava APOEL Nicosia odds and place a customized soccer bet here.
The home win odds for the Eastern Europeans in this first leg are 2.25, which for me is automatically a “must bet”
Bratislava have several advantages on their side, ranging from the quality of their squad to their experience on the international stage and the competitive experience they have already accumulated.
Cyprus are still waiting for the league opener, while Slovan already have four Champions League and two league games under their belts.
The clubs they have beaten so far in the UCL qualifiers were also not worth mentioning, but the games against Struga and Celje at least required an early start to their own pre-season preparations, which could now pay off…
Why I’m almost unabashedly clicking my tongue in view of the current Slovan Bratislava APOEL Nicosia odds has to do with the experience of the home side, among other things.
While it’s debatable whether the Eastern Europeans would actually be in such good hands in the top flight, they have proven several times in recent years that they at least belong on the European stage.
Watch out: Bratislava have not only reached the group stage of the Conference League every time in the last three years, but also found their way into the subsequent knockout phase in the 2022/23 and 2023/24 seasons.
“Last but not least”, Slovan Bratislava have already won a European Cup home match against a Cypriot club in the past season.
However, Aris Limassol only lost the away game (1-2). In contrast, the Mediterranean side won the other clash on the island.
This should be seen as an indication of the well-known theory that Cypriot clubs are generally much stronger at home than away…
Conclusion: The home win rate is simply too good not to accept.
Too many cooks spoil the broth and in this case too many betting options would spoil your Slovan Bratislava APOEL Nicosia betting tip.
Thanks to the generous Slovan Bratislava odds, with a simple home win bet you take relatively little risk for a great payout
My betting tip: Slovan Bratislava to beat APOEL Nicosia
