In the duel between two national champions in the first qualifying round of the 2024/25 UEFA Champions League, everything went in the Slovak title holders’ favour in the first leg. But then the North Macedonian champions struck back with a brace and equalised at 2:2, before the Belasí finally managed to win 4:2 at home. So if the tip for a home victory for the North Macedonians with at least a two-goal lead in Struga against Slovan Bratislava does not come true, the Slovaks are expected to advance to the next roundwhile Struga would be relegated to the Conference League Quali.
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In principle, the prediction for the favoured Slovaks to advance in Struga against Slovan Bratislava is also under a good star. However, the Ibraimi double for the North Macedonian champions in the first leg also showed how quickly things can go when concentration wanes. With seven senior international players who recently played for Slovakia and Georgia at the European Championships and for Panama at the Copa América, the Belasí also lack the automatism and the team spirit.
Struga – Slovan Bratislava odds | 3 top tips
Betting odds as of: 16.07.2024, 09:20
Nevertheless, the Slovakian champions have a much more prestigious squad. Not a single senior international player can be found in the ranks of the North Macedonian champions, who, purely in terms of the total market value of the squad, only reach the level of a mediocre German third division team. Slovan Bratislava should therefore with a concentrated defensive performance, they will be able to maintain the two-goal lead from the first leg.
Because FC Struga also lacks offensive means, we believe the return leg will be much tougher and less goal-scoring than the first leg. It therefore makes sense to bet on under 2.5 goals this time, despite the total of six goals last week. However, since a heated second half cannot be categorically ruled out, a sensible and less risky alternative would be to bet on under 1.5 goals in the first half using the Happybet app. You can access the current bonus from this provider via the advertising banner below.
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Struga – Statistics & Current Form
FC Struga – actually Fudbalski Klub Struga Trim-Lum – was more or less created on the drawing board just nine years ago. Trim & Lum, a company specializing in real estate based in Struga, North Macedonia, only founded the club in August 2015, but took a very serious and ambitious approach from the start.
The result is that the club, which initially started in the fourth division, was promoted to the country’s top division in the summer of 2019 and, after 2022/23, was also champion in 2023/24. The next milestone in the club’s short history is now to enter the group stage of a UEFA competition.
So far, Struga has had little to gain internationally
However, the footballers from the small town in the southwest of North Macedonia, located at the outflow of the Black Drin from Lake Ohrid, are still a long way from this. Of eleven international competitive matches, only three matches were won (two draws, six defeats).
Recently, they have suffered four defeats in a row in European competitive matches. To make matters worse, a win in the return match against Slovan Bratislava may not be enough. After the 2:4 defeat, they would need a two-goal lead to force extra time.
Can Struga defy the underdog role once again?
So the odds for Struga against Slovan Bratislava are clearly against the Reds, who had already accepted their role as underdogs in the first leg excellently. All experts ultimately expected a crystal clear home victory for the Slovaks, which was initially on the cards.
However, after falling behind 2-0, 37-year-old veteran Besart Ibraimi struck back with a brace and equalized the match away in the Slovakian capital, before the quality and physique were lacking in the closing stages to keep up with the Belasí. The comeback shows, however, that the guests should by no means take this return match in the southwest of North Macedonia lightly.
Expected line-up of Struga:
Dujmovic – Vosha, Krivanjeva, Ristevski, Radic, Vlajkovic – Ukpa, Jetvoski, Shabani – Ibraimi, Maleski
Injured and suspended players of Struga:
Last matches of Struga:
Slovan Bratislava – Statistics & current form
Slovan Bratislava is not only the Slovakian record champion and record cup winner, but also had several resounding successes in the former Czechoslovakia before Slovakia gained independence. In addition to numerous national titles, the Belasí (in English: the sky blues) have also triumphed internationally.
In the summer of 1969, the team from the only capital in the world that borders more than one neighboring country (Austria and Hungary) won the European Cup Winners’ Cup. In the final, they beat none other than the great FC Barcelona 3-2.
Slovan Bratislava recently with convincing performances in Europe
In the recent past, the international performances of the Belasí have also been impressive. In 2022/23, they won their group in the Conference League ahead of Zalgiris, Pyunik and FC Basel. In 2023/24, the Slovaks again secured second place in the preliminary group of the Conference League with Olimpija Ljubljana, OSC Lille and the Faroese upstart KI Klaksvik.
Nun The Belasí are aiming for a group stage for the third year in a rowbut would also like to make it into the Champions League. A year ago, they made it to the third qualifying round. READ FULL STORY HERE>>>CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING>>>
What is possible with the strong squad this year?
Under coach Vladimír Weiss, a very powerful team has been formed, which, with a total of seven senior international players, should be strong enough to cope with the other national champions of the associations ranked 25th to 55th in the UEFA rankings, against whom the team is currently playing in the Champions League qualifiers.
Players like 33-year-old Robert Mak, 34-year-old Vladimir Weiss and 37-year-old Juraj Kucka – all three scored in the first leg – provide the experienced foundation, while 19-year-old Nino Marcelli is considered one of Slovakia’s greatest talents and 23-year-old goal-getter David Strelec, a big name from Spezia Calcio, was signed this summer. In short: The mix is right, which is why it would be a big surprise if the 1969 European Cup winners failed at the first hurdle in North Macedonia.
Expected line-up of Slovan Bratislava:
Trnovsky – Wimmer, Bajric, Kashia, Pauschek – Weiss, Kucka, Savvidis, Tolic, Mak – Strelec
Injured and suspended players of Slovan Bratislava:
Last matches of Slovan Bratislava:
Our Struga – Slovan Bratislava tip in odds comparison 17.07.2024 – Over/Under
Struga – Slovan Bratislava Direct comparison / H2H balance
Head to head: 0 – 0 – 1
Slovan Bratislava’s 4-2 home win last Wednesday marked the first and only international competitive match between the two teams. The Belasí are therefore slightly ahead in the head-to-head comparison and are now visiting North Macedonia for a competitive match for the first time ever.
Statistics highlights for Struga vs Slovan Bratislava
Betting base prediction & Struga – Slovan Bratislava tip
In the return match between Struga and Slovan Bratislava, the odds of the best bookmakers are also in favour of the Slovakian national champions, who have significantly more quality in their ranks with seven senior national players. The North Macedonians, on the other hand, do not have a single national player and have purely in terms of the market value of their squad, the level of a mediocre German third division team. The North Macedonian champions will have to face a tough challenge in front of their home crowd against the renowned Belasí.
Key-Facts – Struga vs. Slovan Bratislava Tipp
- Slovan Bratislava won the first leg against Struga 4-2
- Struga has lost six of its first eleven international competitive matches (three wins, two draws) – including the last four matches in a row
- Slovan Bratislava has already survived the group stage of the Conference League twice
We want to focus on Struga vs Slovan Bratislava in our prediction Don’t be blinded by the six goals from the first legwhich were partly due to the circumstances of the game. Because we expect a visiting team that is in the comfortable position of being able to close things down at the back and wait for counterattacks up front, because if necessary a 0-0 or even a 0-1 away defeat is enough to advance, it should be a rather tough and low-scoring second leg.
Our recommendation is therefore the under bet. Bet-at-home offers odds of 2.25 for under 2.5 goals, which we bet on with four out of ten units. We tell you where you can currently place bets without tax in the linked article.
Odds probabilities for Struga win / Draw / Slovan Bratislava win:
Struga – Slovan Bratislava – betting odds * & other interesting bets at a glance:
Over / Under 2.5 goals
Over 2.5 goals: 1.62 @Bet365
Under 2.5 goals: 2.20 @Bet365
Both teams meet
AND: 1.54 @Bet365
NO: 2.25 @Bet365
Betting odds as of: 16.07.2024, 09:20
2024-07-17 15:17:06
#Struga #Slovan #Bratislava #Tip #Prediction #Odds #17.07.2024
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