Qarabag vs FCSB prediction: EUROPE: Europa League – League phase betting tips on match 2025-01-22 17:45.
[p]History will be made when Qarabağ take on FCSB, as not only will it be a first-ever H2H meeting, it will be a maiden clash in major European competition between Azerbaijani and Romanian opposition. Qarabağ will have to mark the historical occasion with a victory to have any chance of progressing to the UEFA Europa League (UEL) knockouts as they start matchday seven four points adrift of the top-24. [/p]
[p]Just one win from their six league phase games to date (L5) has certainly hindered their chances, and some torrid home form has aided their demise. In their domestic league, Qarabağ have won eight successive home games, scoring at least twice in each, but in the UEL they’ve lost all three home outings in the league phase, conceding at least two goals in each![/p]
[p]FSCB have been one of the UEL’s surprise packages this season, and with just two rounds remaining, are in contention for a top-eight finish. They returned to competitive action after a winter break with a 1-1 draw against Hermannstadt on Friday night, and they’ll hope to have brushed off any rustiness as they realistically need to win here to keep their top-eight hopes alive knowing their last league phase game is against Manchester United. [/p]
[p]Since opening their UEL campaign with back-to-back wins, they’ve found the going tough, winning just one of their following four games (D2, L1), drawing a scoring blank in those three failures to win. But although they’ve been far from dangerous at one end, they’ve been stingy at the other, keeping four clean sheets in the league phase to date – not since 2005/06 have they kept more in a major European competition campaign. [/p]
[p]Players to watch: Oleksiy Kashchuk was on target in the first half for QarabaÄź at the weekend, but his five club goals prior all arrived after half-time. FCSB’s Daniel BĂ®rligea has scored in all three of their league phase wins – 14 of his 15 club goals this season arrived before the hour mark. [/p]
[p]Hot stat: The designated home side has scored exactly once in four of Qarabağ’s last five UEL games. [/p]
[p][i]Written by Chris Wilson[/i][/p]