Conference League, Qualification 2025/26, 2nd Round, Wednesday, 07/23/2025, 5:30 p.m.
A whole host of teams are entering the second qualifying round of the Conference League. Personally, I have opted for what I consider to be one of the most interesting matchups.
In my Zira Hajduk Split tip, which will be submitted in conjunction with the Bet-at-home voucher, I’m going way ahead of the game! I’m assuming that the Azerbaijanis will advance to the next round after the first and second legs.
Zira FK is no longer a penniless club. Year after year, more and more money is flowing into the football department of the Azerbaijani club – and it almost made it to its first European competition in the 2024/25 season.
It was only in the Conference League playoffs that Omonia put an end to their run.
However, the road to get there gives cause for hope: in the qualifiers, they beat Croatian representatives NK Osijek, who are league rivals of their upcoming opponents Hajduk Split.
That should give the fans courage ahead of Wednesday evening, as Zira have long made a name for themselves internationally – especially as an unpleasant newcomer.
Personally, I don’t see Hajduk Split in a better position for the current season than they were in the 2024/25 season. Even then, the Croatians were knocked out of the Europa Conference League qualifiers at an early stage, losing unexpectedly to Slovakian club Ružomberok.
Everything therefore suggests that they will once again fail to qualify for the Conference League group stage.
A major setback is the loss of coach Gennaro Gattuso, who left the club by mutual agreement at the beginning of June to take over as head coach of the Italian national team in preparation for the 2026 World Cup.
Even though I’m not a big fan of Gattuso personally, he was a stable presence at Hajduk. His absence will be felt in the team.
However, the departures of two key players weigh heavily: Luka Vuskovic and Dominik Prpic. Both recently defended the center of the defense and left Hajduk Split for renowned European clubs.
Vuskovic moved to Tottenham for around €11 million, Prpic to Porto for around €4.5 million. Two extremely talented center backs who are difficult to replace and are likely to have a massive impact on the stability of the defense.
In addition, Hajduk Split is currently going through an extremely difficult phase in European competition.
They have now gone seven international away games in a row without a win – and not only against top opponents, but also against comparatively weaker teams such as HB Tórshavn (0-0) and Tobol (1-3).
This negative run shows that the team lacks consistency and punch on the international stage.
Overall, Hajduk Split does not currently look competitive enough to take the next step in Europe.
Without their Italian coach and with a weakened defense, qualification for the Conference League group stage is likely to remain out of reach once again.
It remains to be seen whether the team and the club can overcome the challenges and better position themselves for the tasks ahead. However, things are looking rather bleak at the moment.
Unsurprisingly, I have opted for a Zira Hajduk Split tip at a betting provider with fast payouts, who sees the motivated home side at an advantage.
A “Zira win” with no additional conditions at odds of around 4.40 would already satisfy me.
Furthermore, I can recommend the option “1st goal: Zira” to the more cautious among you. Even if the Azerbaijanis don’t win, there’s a good chance that they’ll at least start the game with more enthusiasm!
Conclusion: Zira is a strong home team that has strengthened its squad with two players from Qarabag, Ibrahimli Ismayil and Ahmadzada Rustam. These transfers significantly strengthen the team and provide more stability and punch.
In contrast, Hajduk lost two of the Croatian league’s strongest defenders in the summer. These departures are likely to leave noticeable gaps in the defense and ensure that the team will not be able to live up to the already high expectations.
Therefore, Split is expected to disappoint again this season in the UEFA Conference League qualifiers.
My Zira Hajduk Split tip: The hosts will win.
