It’s the week when European cups return, with the usual flurry of qualifying matches. As usual, the busiest schedule is that of the Conference League, the third most important continental competition, won by Chelsea last season. For the fourth consecutive year, Fiorentina will represent Italian football in this competition, but the Viola will only enter the fray in late August, in the play-off for a place in the group stage.
As we always point out in such contexts, teams playing in ongoing leagues have a significant advantage, especially from an athletic point of view. The Lithuanians of Kauno Zalgiris, for example, are dominating their league: they are six points ahead of the second-placed team and have won practically every game since May (12 wins in 13 games). This is an enviable state of form, which leaves little chance for the Welsh side Penybont: the top football league in the UK ended in April and since then the Bridgend club has only played friendly matches.
The Albanians of Vllaznia are also favorites against the Latvians of Daugavpils: the difference between the two teams is considerable, and for the team that finished second in the last Albanian championship—losing the playoff final to Egnatia—it will be essential to get off on the right foot so as not to complicate their lives ahead of the daunting trip to Latvia.
Finally, the atmosphere of European competition could reinvigorate the Irish side St. Patrick’s, who have not won in the league since the end of May and have picked up only three points in their last six games: the match against the Lithuanians of Hegelmann seems to be the perfect opportunity to get back to winning ways.
As for goals, keep an eye on the matches involving the two San Marino teams, La Fiorita and Tre Fiori, who are unlikely to limit the damage against North Macedonia’s Vardar and Armenia’s Pyunik.
The same goes for Andorra’s Santa Coloma, who are likely to be overwhelmed by Bosnia’s Borac Banja Luka, a team that reached the round of 16 in last season’s Conference League, holding their own against the more highly rated Austrian side Rapid Vienna. At least one goal per side is expected in the Finnish-Faroese doubleheader, SJK-Klaksvik and Runavik-HJK. Finally, two matches that are unlikely to produce a high number of goals are those between Urartu and Neman Grodno and between Birkirkara and Petrocub.
Conference League: possible winners
Kauno Zalgiris (in Kauno Zalgiris-Penybont)
Vllaznia (in Vllaznia-Daugavpils)
St. Patrick’s (in St. Patrick’s-Hegelmann)
Matches with at least three goals in total
Vardar-La Fiorita
Borac Banja Luka-Santa Coloma
Tre Fiori-Pyunik
Conference League: matches with at least one goal per team
NSI Runavik-HJK
SJK-Klaksvik
Matches with less than three goals in total
Urartu-Neman Grodno
Birkirkara-Petrocub
Odds comparison
St. Patrick’s victory is priced at 1.67 on Goldbet and Lottomatica and at 1.65 on Snai.
A “Goal” in Runavik-HJK is quoted at 1.50 on Goldbet and Lottomatica and at 1.47 on Snai.