Prediction: Slovan Bratislava to win 2-1
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Swift Hesperange and Slovan Bratislava will lock horns with each other in the second leg of the UEFA Champions League Qualifying First Round this week. The match between the club from Luxembourg and the team from Slovakia will be held at Stade Alphonse Theis in Hesperange and is scheduled to kick off at 7pm UK time on Wednesday.
Swift Hesperange
Swift Hesperange are a modest club in Luxembourg. They do not have a rich history or a massive fanbase. Their stadium, Stade Alphonse Theis, holds just over 3000 spectators. Dany Theis’s side, though, did do something remarkable last season they won the 2022–23 Luxembourg National Division title.
Dany Theis’s team picked up as many as 77 points from 30 matches during the 2022–23 Luxembourg National Division campaign. Swift Hesperange picked up seven points more than second-placed FC Progrès Niederkorn. It was the first time in history that Hesperange had won the championship.
Hesperange played in the first round of the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup back in 1990-91. They featured in the first qualifying round of the UEFA Europa Conference League in 2021-22 and are now playing in the first qualifying round of the 2023-24 UEFA Champions League.
Team News:
Dupire will start in goal for Swift Hesperange. Skenderovic, Prempeh, Martins and Zeghdane will be the defenders and will have Ekofo, Morren, Nouvier and Gustavo in front of them in midfield. Stolz and Akhalaia are the two forwards for the club from Luxembourg.
Slovan Bratislava
Slovan Bratislava are one of the biggest clubs in Slovakia and have regularly featured in European competitions over the years. They reached as far as the last-16 stage of the UEFA Europa Conference League last season. They will now fancy their chances of playing in the group stage of the UEFA Champions League this season.
The Sky Blues won the 2022–23 Slovak First Football League title. Vladimír Weiss’s side picked up 69 points from 32 matches, two points above second-placed DAC Dunajská Streda. It was their fifth successive Slovak Super Liga title.
Slovan Bratislava have their work cut out in the second leg against Swift Hesperange. The first leg of the tie ended in a draw, and Slovan were the home team.
Team News:
Borjan will be in goal for Slovan Bratislava. Pauschek, Kashia, Bajric and Lovat will in defence for the visiting team. Savvidis, Kankava and Weiss will play in a midfield-three, while Zmrhal, Abubakari and Barseghyan will be three forwards.
Key Factors to Consider
Swift Hesperange had 53% of the possession in the first leg.
Slovan Bratislava had 47% of the possession in the first leg.
Slovan Bratislava had only one shot on target.
Swift Hesperange had 3 shots on target.
Slovan Bratislava earned 5 corners, while Swift Hesperange got 7 corners.
Conclusion
Although Swift Hesperange are the home team, Slovan Bratislava do have a better side and have a better European pedigree. The Slovakian club should be able to get through the tie and into the next round. It is hard to see anything other than a win for Slovan in this particular match, and that should be enough for them to go through to the next round.
Prediction:Slovan Bratislava to win 2-1
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