Predictions Champions League - APOEL vs Slovan Bratislava

Champions League - Real Madrid vs Atalanta
Match Time: 14-08-2024 00:00 Wednesday (GMT+7)
Football Livescore | Match Prediction & Tips
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APOEL are 29-time Cypriot champions, which is a record, and they finished at the top of the pile last season to secure qualification for the Champions League second qualifying round.

David Gallego's side managed to squeeze past Petrocub 2-1 on aggregate in the last round, but they suffered a 2-0 defeat to Bratislava in the first leg of their third qualifying round fixture on August 7.

APOEL famously reached the quarter-finals of the 2011-12 Champions League, which represents their best-ever performance in the European competition, while they were last present in the group stage of Europe's leading cup competition back in 2014-15.

Τhrylos will begin their domestic campaign on August 23, so their full focus is on the Champions League, but they will need to put in a special performance to turn the tie around, as an own goal from Radosav Petrovic sent Bratislava on their way in the first leg, before Robert Mak added a second in the final exchanges.

The visitors also won their domestic title last season, triumphing in the Slovak First Football League for the 22nd time in their history, which saw them enter the Champions League in the first qualifying round.

Vladimir Weiss's side therefore started their European campaign on July 10, beating Strega 4-2 at home and 2-1 away in order to progress to the second qualifying round with an aggregate score of 6-3.

Bratislava were also comfortable in the last round, beating Celje 6-1 on aggregate, and as mentioned, they will bring a 2-0 advantage into the second leg of their third qualifying round clash with APOEL.

The Sky Blues are also two matches into their domestic season, recording two wins to sit at the top of the table, so the visitors will enter this game off the back of four straight victories in all competitions.

Bratislava have never qualified for the group stage of a Champions League, but they famously won the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup in 1969, beating Barcelona in the process, and the team have played in the group stage of the Europa League on three occasions.

Prediction: APOEL 2-2 Slovan Bratislava