Conference League League Phase, Matchday 3, Thursday, 07.11.2024 at 15:30
Vikingur vs Banja Luka? No, I’m not going on a geographical digression with you! In our UEFA Conference League tips, even more teams will have their international chance from 2024/25, especially the underdogs are eager to showcase themselves.
Two of them will meet on Icelandic soil on Thursday. I think the visitors from Bosnia have the slight edge and in my Vikingur Reykjavik betting tip, I’ll tell you why I don’t think the home side will be allowed to keep all three points.
Have you never heard the name Vikingur Reykjavik and are wondering when this club last appeared in the European Cup? The answer is simple: Not yet, 2024/25 will be a real premiere!
The small club from Iceland may have been eliminated directly in the Champions League qualifiers, but two levels further down, things were going great. Egnatia, Flora and Santa Coloma were eliminated, and three wins from these six games were enough
At the start of the main competition, however, Vikingur immediately felt that a different wind was blowing. They were beaten 4-0 at Omonia Nicosia, with three of the four goals conceded in the final ten minutes.
So was there a noticeable loss of concentration, or was the debutant simply unlucky? The Icelanders were not significantly worse, they just lacked that famous bit of luck that it takes to be successful in Europe in the end.
But: It only took a few days for the club to strike back, and in front of their own fans! They won 3:1 at home against Cercle Brugge, this time scoring two relatively late goals themselves.
So even for the neutral spectator, the two matches were anything but boring. It is of course also interesting that Vikingur play at a different rhythm, as darkness falls quickly in their home country in November.
This is of course also the reason why the game against Banja Luka kicks off at 3.30 pm. The Icelandic league was already over in mid-September, it was just not enough to win the title!
The disappointment has been digested and the players, many of whom are playing their very first international matches, probably don’t need any extra motivation. So the long break shouldn’t be too much of an issue.
Vikingur haven’t played quite as many qualifying matches in recent years, with one against a club from Bosnia never having been included. Logically, that means: There will be a premiere against Banja Luka, the very first duel ever.
The odds offered by our bookmakers are an average of 2.20 to 3.25 in favor of the home side. Banja Luka will therefore have to stretch themselves to be able to wrap up points in beautiful Iceland.
Do the visitors have more international experience? Let me put it this way: a little, and I’m not even going to mention the last 16 of the European Cup Winners’ Cup in 1976!
A qualifier here, a qualifier there, hopes for the top flight, then Europe and the Conference League again, Banja Luka have tried their luck more than once in recent years
They almost made it to the Europa League this time, but were beaten on penalties by Ferencvaros at the last moment. Just like Vikingur, they reached the group stage of the European Cup for the first time!
The Bosnians drew 1:1 against Panathinaikos to open the competition, followed by a 1:0 win against APOEL Nicosia. Both times the goals came after the break.
With only one goal conceded, the focus naturally shifts to the defense, as Panathinaikos and Nicosia are much more experienced on the international stage. The fact that seven of their eleven league games have ended with a clean sheet is of course also interesting.
I’ll therefore take a quick look at Winamax and find out for you what the odds are for the bet “Vikingur won’t score”. The value jumps to 3.80, which is high! If this bet is too risky for you, simply use the Winamax free bet
Admittedly, Banja Luka and Vikingur Reykjavik do not stand for the best soccer, the most spectacular combinations and the most experience – it is not for nothing that they are competing in a group stage for the first time.
In my opinion, the team from Bosnia made the better impression after two rounds. Banja Luka conceded a total of one goal against Panathinaikos and APOEL Nicosia, and these two teams are not that inexperienced!
In the end, I expect a very close game in which small details will decide who comes out on top after 90 minutes plus X. That’s why I’ve decided on the following bet:
Banja Luka scores against Vikingur
