Crvena zvezda (Srb) vs Bodo/Glimt (Nor) prediction: EUROPE: Champions League – Qualification betting tips on match 2024-08-27 19:00.
[p]Red Star Belgrade are only one match away from back-to-back UEFA Champions League main-draw campaigns for just the second time this century. To achieve that goal however, the Serbian giants must overturn a 2-1 deficit against Bodø/Glimt in their qualification play-off, but with a distinctly average record of two wins in their last seven continental home games (D2, L3), they’ll seemingly have their work cut out. [/p]
[p]Although that certainly doesn’t provide much hope, the club do have a decent pedigree on the continent, memorably winning the European Cup in 1991. While that’s ancient history now, some impressive league form to open the season will give them belief that they can turn this tie around – Red Star have scored 18 times in the first five matches of the season (W4, D1) and sit top of the Serbian Super League.[/p]
[p]Unlike Red Star, Bodø/Glimt have never qualified for the Champions League proper, but having fallen at the play-off round two years ago after establishing a one-goal first-leg advantage, the Yellow Horde will be looking to right the wrongs of that painful tie against another side from the Balkans, Dinamo Zagreb. They will be encouraged though by the fact that only one of their last nine European away trips has ended in defeat (W5, D3), with Bodø/Glimt scoring at least twice in six of those encounters.[/p]
[p]Coach Kjetil Knutsen’s side find themselves in the unusual position among Champions League participants of being most of the way through their domestic campaign as they sit top of the Norwegian top flight. Their title defence has become a bit shaky on the road, as despite sitting eight points clear, they have failed to win their last three league games on their travels (D2, L1). They’ve had no such struggles in Europe though, winning the away leg of their two prior qualifiers.[/p]
[p]Players to watch: Hwang In-beom has really delivered on the assists front recently, setting up five goals in Red Star’s last six matches, including Ognjen Mimović’s first-leg consolation. This is Isak Dybvik Määttä’s first-ever Champions League campaign, but the 22-year-old has scored in Bodø/Glimt’s last two games in the competition and will now try to find the net away from home for the first time since May 2022. [/p]
[p]Hot stat: None of Red Star’s last 33 European matches have ended in a goalless draw. [/p]
[p][i]Written by Alex Bowmer[/i][/p]