Burkina Faso
Czech Republic
Indonesia
Lithuania
Montenegro
Nigeria
North Macedonia

APOELAPOELvs.Slovan Bratislava

sportsmole.co.uk, 11 August 2024, 10:00
APOEL have a big job on their hands if they are to qualify for the playoff round of the 2024-25 Champions League, having suffered a 2-0 first-leg loss to Slovan Bratislava in the third qualifying round last week.

Bratislava's pressure eventually told in the latter stages, scoring twice in the final 20 minutes, and the Slovakian outfit are now the big favourites to progress to the next round of the competition on Tuesday night.

Match preview

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.

APOEL Champions League form:

Slovan Bratislava Champions League form:

Slovan Bratislava form (all competitions):

Team News

APOEL head coach Gallego is expected to resist the temptation to shuffle his pack for this match, and it would not be a shock to see the same XI take to the field from the first leg.

Youssef El-Arabi is perhaps the player pushing strongest to be introduced into the side, but Stefan Drazic is expected to again be given the nod as the centre-forward on Tuesday night.

Marquinhos is another certain starter for the home side, with the 27-year-old already scoring twice in three appearances in the qualification rounds of the Champions League this season.

As for Bratislava, the club have not reported any fitness concerns ahead of Tuesday's second leg.

Mak and David Strelec have both scored four times in six appearances at the start of the new season, and the former is set to be introduced into the side after coming off the bench in the first leg.

Tigran Barseghyan could be the player to miss out despite scoring twice this season, with Vladimir Weiss set to operate alongside Mak and Strelec in the final third of the field.

There will also be a notable inclusion at the back in the shape of 37-year-old Guram Kashia, who helped Georgia reach the last-16 stage of this summer's European Championship.

APOEL possible starting lineup:

Belec; Susic, Petrovic, Dvali, Quintilla; Meyer, Kostadinov, Tejera; Ndongala, Drazic, Marquinhos

Slovan Bratislava possible starting lineup:

Takac; Blackman, Kashia, Wimmer, Zubers; Kucka, Bajric, Polic; Weiss, Strelec, Mak

We say: APOEL 2-2 Slovan Bratislava (Slovan Bratislava win 4-2 on aggregate)

APOEL will have home advantage on Tuesday, which counts for a lot, but we are finding it very difficult to imagine this tie being turned around. Both teams have quality in the final third of the field, and we are expecting an entertaining draw, with Bratislava progressing to the playoff round of the Champions League.

Previews by email
Show more

Top News

18 March 2025 talksport.com Al Nassr are plotting a stunning move to sign Gabriel Magalhaes this summer, talkSPORT understands. 18 March 2025 talksport.com A trio of England under-21 players joined Thomas Tuchel's training session on Tuesday. 18 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Chelsea have confirmed that Cole Palmer has returned from the England squad to undergo further assessment on the injury he sustained before Sunday's 1-0 loss to Arsenal. 18 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Continuing their quest for a first UEFA Nations League crown, Italy will welcome familiar foes Germany to San Siro on Thursday evening, as the pair play out the first leg of an enticing quarter-final tie. 18 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal fans may have to wait until next season to see the best of Bukayo Saka ahead of his imminent return from hamstring surgery, Gunners expert Charles Watts believes. 18 March 2025 talksport.com Jean-Philippe Mateta injury was so severe his plastic surgeon refused to show him pictures of his ear. 18 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Ultimately aiming to claim a first UEFA Nations League title, Germany will kick off their quarter-final clash with old foes Italy on Thursday. 18 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Former Liverpool striker Emile Heskey has suggested that Darwin Nunez could still have a future at Anfield, but not as Arne Slot's starting number nine. 18 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Armenia host neighbours Georgia in Yerevan on Thursday evening, as the two nations fight for the right to play in league B of the UEFA Nations League. 18 March 2025 talksport.com Liverpool are ready to consider offers for striker Darwin Nunez, talkSPORT understands. 18 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Austria host Serbia on Thursday evening, looking to gain an advantage in their two-legged playoff for the right to play in Group A of the UEFA Nations League. 18 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Seeking a place in the UEFA Nations League semi-finals, European heavyweights Italy and Germany will convene at San Siro on Thursday, for the first leg of their quarter-final tie. 18 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Luka Modric has reportedly decided whether he intends to remain at Real Madrid past the end of the season. 18 March 2025 talksport.com Leicester player Hamza Choudhury was mobbed by fans after arriving for his first senior international call-up. 18 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Chelsea winger Mykhaylo Mudryk is allegedly the subject of surprise interest from a Bundesliga club. 18 March 2025 talksport.com A brand-new competition will be taking place this summer, with some of the world's biggest clubs eyeing glory in the USA. 18 March 2025 talksport.com Ola Aina had a hilarious response to discovering he would be sharing a bed with Alex Iwobi on international duty. 18 March 2025 talksport.com Arsenal have added Carabao Cup winning Newcastle midfielder Bruno Guimaraes to their list of summer transfer targets, talkSPORT understands. 18 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Vying for a place in the UEFA Nations League's top tier, Scotland and Greece will meet for the first leg of their promotion/relegation playoff on Thursday. 18 March 2025 talksport.com Troy Deeney has reiterated his belief that Mohamed Salah is 'not world class' after his Wembley woes. 18 March 2025 talksport.com Papiss Cisse has been convinced to come out of retirement at the age of 39 by a former Newcastle teammate. 18 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Two teams at opposite ends of Group C in the third round of AFC World Cup qualifiers will clash on Thursday as leaders Japan face Bahrain. 18 March 2025 talksport.com Danny Drinkwater was once given just an hour to leave Chelsea and led to a bust-up with the manager. 18 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal have no hope of clawing back their 12-point Premier League deficit to Liverpool despite the Reds' recent problems, Gunners expert Charles Watts believes. 18 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester United and Bayern Munich are reportedly among the clubs who have discovered the asking price of RB Leipzig star Xavi Simons. 18 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool are one of three Premier League clubs who could reportedly pip rivals Manchester United and Chelsea to the signing of Sporting Lisbon's in-demand striker Viktor Gyokeres this summer. 18 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Brazil and Colombia go head-to-head in the 38th instalment of this international fixture in Brasilia on Thursday night. 18 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk There will be no return to the Brazil fold for Neymar in their clash with Colombia on Thursday night, as he has pulled out of the upcoming squad with injury. 18 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal, Liverpool and Barcelona have all reportedly suffered a major blow in their pursuit of Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak ahead of the summer transfer window. 18 March 2025 talksport.com Thomas Tuchel not only raised eyebrows with his selections in his first England squad - but also with his omissions.