UCL Play-offs: What’s Your Prediction?

The UEFA Champions League play-offs will, this week, continue from where it stopped.

The qualifiers will come to an end this week, after over a month. And teams will either make a bow in the 18/19 UCL season or bow out of the competition.

12 teams have made it thus far in the qualifiers. There’s however only space for 6 of them in the new UCL season – which starts late September. While some of the teams have one foot already in the UCL, some others may need a miracle to make it through.

How did the first leg go and how will it affect the return legs? Let’s take a look at the six games to be played over the next two days.

1. Dinamo Zagreb vs. Young Boys

The first leg in Switzerland ended in a 1-1 draw. May not be too much of an advantage but the Croatian side, Dinamo Zagreb, will be returning home with a precious away goal. For the side that scores it, an away goal is like a lucky charm. For the side up against it, it could be the only thing that knocks them out.

As things stand in this game, a 0-0 draw will see Dinamo Zagreb go through.

2. AEK Athens vs. Vidi

One away goal is an uphill climb enough for the opposition team. Two? It could as well mark the end of the qualifying campaign of a side like Vidi, the Hungarian outfit that started from the first qualifying round.

Although Vidi conceded two away goals, they also scored in the first leg. This means their task may not be overwhelmingly hard afterall.

3. Dynamo Kyiv vs. Ajax

The first leg ended in a 3-1 win for the Dutch side. PSV was the only other side to score 3 goals in the six first leg games played last week. They can seal their qualification by scoring a handful of away goals in Ukraine. Dynamo Kyiv need to keep a clean sheet and also score at least 2 goals to make it through.

4. Salzburg vs. Crvena Zvezda

This is the only game whose first leg ended in a 0-0 draw. The implication of that 0-0 draw simply means there’s still plenty much to play for. It could still go either ways in this tie.

5. PSV vs. BATE

Both teams scored at least 2 goals in the first leg of the tie. But PSV, with 3 goals from the first leg, have a slight advantage over the Belarusian side.

6. PAOK vs. Benfica

The only other fixture whose first leg ended in a draw, albeit in a 1-1 draw. The away goal scored by PAOK may count as some sort of advantage for the Greek side but you can rule out Benfica in this race to play European football.

So, what do you think will happen in the UCL this week? What are your predictions? Leave us your comments and share your thoughts with us.