Europa League: Ajax and Dinamo Zagreb have “booked” a pass to the group stage. Everything in the balance between Aberdeen and Hacken.
In or out. All in one night. Those who make it through the round will have a chance to play in the group stage of the Europa League, while those who don’t will have to settle for the “parachute,” relegating to the Conference League.
Already has one and a half feet in the second-largest international competition Ajax, which scrambled Bulgarians Ludogorets at home a week ago. A 4-1 that leaves virtually no room for interpretation. The Lancers this time will have to do without the goals of Ghanaian Kudus – author of a hat-trick in Bulgaria and just bought from West Ham – but they remain clear favorites over the green-and-whites, in a match in which both teams should score at least one goal on each side. Dinamo Zagreb, which managed to drown out the disappointment of being eliminated from the Champions League preliminaries by beating Sparta Prague 3-1, is also one goal away. The Croatians cannot lower the bar yet but will most likely avoid defeat in the Czech Republic as well. Olympia Ljubljana, after losing 2-0 at home, seems to have no chance of overturning the result in Azerbaijan against Qarabag. Olympiacos, along the lines of the Azerbaijanis, will have to defend a two-goal deficit at home to Cukaricki Serbs, who – as was widely predictable – surrendered 3-1 in Greece.
The predictions on the other matches
The Sheriff Tiraspol, now coached by Italian Roberto Bordin, is no longer the team that two years ago put Real Madrid and Inter in trouble in the Champions League.
Aberdeen fans
Anyway, the Transnistria team should be able to end the “fairy tale” of Klaksvik, a small club in the Faroe Islands that is pulling off a real miracle. The Faroese snatched a draw (1-1) in the first leg, but at home to Sheriff it will not be obvious to avoid defeat again. Slavia Prague is another team that has already booked a place in the group stage of the Europa League thanks to a 2-0 success in their challenge with Ukrainians Zorya Luhansk. For those on the hunt for goals, they can instead “make a stop” in Scotland, where the match between hosts Aberdeen and Swedes Hacken is staged: the first leg ended in a pyrotechnic 2-2. The match between Lugano and Union Saint-Gilloise will not be poor in goals either, with the Swiss called upon to overturn a severe 2-0 loss.
Europa League: likely winners
- Qarabag or draw (in Qarabag-Olimpia Ljubljana, 6 p.m.)
- Sheriff Tiraspol (in Sheriff Tiraspol-Klaksvik, 7 p.m.)
- Dinamo Zagreb or draw (in Sparta Prague-Dinamo Zagreb, 7 p.m.)
- Slavia Prague (in Zorya Luhansk-Slavia Prague, 7 p.m.)
- Olympiacos (in Cukaricki-Olympiacos, 8:00 p.m.)
The games by at least one goal per team
- Aris Limassol-Slovan Bratislava, 7 p.m.
- Ajax-Ludogorets, 8:00 p.m.
- Aberdeen-Hacken, 8:45 p.m.
Europa League, matches with at least three total goals
- Sparta Prague-Dinamo Zagreb, 7 p.m.
- Ajax-Ludogorets, 8:00 p.m.
- Lugano-Union Saint Gilloise, 8:30 p.m.
- Zrinjski Mostar-LASK Linz, 9:00 p.m.
