Football Results

Dinamo Zagreb, the team with most titles in Croatia played two years ago in the same phase of the elite football competition in Europe but it left a very weak impression since it lost all six matches. Let’s add that this will be their first ever head-to-head in history.

Young Boys

The main reason for that is Basel’s long lasting dominance in Swiss championship that was interrupted last year right by Young Boys in a way that the team from Bern had even 15 points more in the end. True, Young Boys had played several times in qualifications of the Champions League as runner-ups but they weren’t successful and this is in fact a historic chance to finally reach the group phase.

Team led by manager Seoane has showed that is very much capable for something like that with excellent start of new season as it triumphed in first four rounds, while last weekend it routinely defeated lower-league Biel in the Swiss Cup despite playing with very much changed team. Now, we expect to see the strongest available line-up on the pitch, although due to injuries out of action are defender Lotomba, midfielders Lauper and Teixeria, and forward Assale.

Probable lineups Young Boysa:von Ballmoos – Mbabu, Wuthrich, von Bergen, Benito – Fassnacht, Sow, Sanogo, Sulejmani – Ngamaleu, Hoarau

Dinamo Zagreb

Unlike their rivals from Switzerland the guests from Zagreb, regardless of winning the Croatian championship, had to play two qualifying rounds of the Champions League this year but they hadn’t have too much problems in matches with Israel Hapoel Beer Sheva and Kazakhstan Astana, given they won three and drew one match out of four played. Besides, after drew in the first round they had three-game winning streak in the Croatian championship, so the atmosphere in the changing room is excellent before facing Young Boys.

Still, manager Bjelica is very much aware of difficulties that expect his team in Bern, especially as new Swiss champions traditionally play very offensively at home. That is why we expect their total offensive from the first minute, but Dinamo is not without chances thanks to very flexible midfield and at same time it is very dangerous from counter-attacks. Let’s add that just one player is injured and that is midfielder Moro.

Probable lineups Dinamo Zagreb:Zagorac – Stojanovic, Theophile-Catherine, Dilaver, Leovac – Ademi– Hajrovic, Gojak, Olmo, Orsic – Budimir

Verdict:

Regardless that team from Zagreb hasn’t felt bitterness of defeat this season we have decided to give advantage to Swiss Young Boys in the 1st leg of the Champions League play-off, mostly because of fact that they always play offensively at home and truly want to defeat their enemy.

Pick: Young Boys wins 1.80 - 80/100 @1XBet