Afghanistan
Angola
Argentina
Asia (AFC)
Asian Games
Australia
Belgium-Netherlands
Brazil
Burkina Faso
Central American & Caribbean Games
Central American Games
Congo DR
Denmark
England
Europe (UEFA)
FYR Macedonia
Finland
Germany
Greece
International Tournaments
Italy
Mediterranean Games
Mexico
National
Nepal
North & Central America (Concacaf)
Palestine
Pan American Games
Panama
Russia
Scandinavia
Serbia And Montenegro
South American Games
Spain
Syria
USA
Venezuela
World (FIFA)
Yemen
Zimbabwe

Preview: Ferencvaros vs. Young Boys - prediction, team news, lineups

sportsmole.co.uk, 22 August 2021, 09:50
Seeking to overturn a 3-2 deficit from the first leg of their Champions League playoff tie, Ferencvaros welcome Young Boys to the Groupama Arena for Tuesday's make-or-break clash.

Meanwhile, the visitors managed to claim a first-leg advantage with 10 men last week and will now seek to finish the job en route to the group stage.

Match preview

The first true test of Ferencvaros' continental mettle came in the form of Slavia Prague in the third qualifying round of the Champions League, and despite progressing 2-1 on aggregate, a 1-0 defeat away from home did not exactly boost the confidence before a trip to Switzerland.

Franck Boli sought to make the Wankdorf Stadium his playground and notched up both of Ferencvaros' goals in the first leg, but Young Boys' Meschack Elia, Vincent Sierro and Ulisses Garcia propelled the home side to a thrilling victory, in spite of Silvan Hefti's 25th-minute sending off.

A 4-1 league success over Mezokovesd-Zsory preceded their defeat in Switzerland, and thankfully for Peter Stoger's men, they have not had a league battle to contend with this weekend as they seek to keep their dreams of back-to-back group stage appearances alive.

The safety net of the Europa League is ready and waiting for the Hungarian champions should they fail to produce the goods on their own turf, but they have won six of their last seven competitive matches on home soil and have found the back of the net in 14 consecutive matches at the Groupama Arena.

Similarly, Young Boys have not had to juggle a domestic fixture in between their two legs of this playoff tie, which is just as well, seeing as their next Swiss Super League battle is a daunting trip to fellow giants Basel on August 29.

David Wagner's side have not made the perfect start to their title defence - winning one, drawing one and losing one of their opening three games in the top flight - but a comprehensive 4-1 cup success over Littau came a few days before another goal-laden performance in Europe.

Young Boys are now able to boast three wins on the trot - during which time they have chalked up 10 goals, albeit without a single clean sheet at the correct end of the pitch - so attack may be the best form of defence for the visitors as they bid to reach the group stage of Europe's elite tournament for just the second time ever.

Both of Young Boys' away games in Champions League qualifying this year have ended in draws, though, and while Tuesday's game marks their first ever meeting with Ferencvaros in Hungary, only two of their previous six trips to face sides in the landlocked nation have ended in victory.

Ferencvaros Champions League form:

Ferencvaros form (all competitions):

Young Boys Champions League form:

Young Boys form (all competitions):

Team News

Ferencvaros midfielder Igor Kharatin will sit this one out after collecting his third booking of qualifying during the first leg, so Kristoffer Zachariassen should be recalled to the engine room.

The hosts will welcome Eldar Civic back for the second leg after he served a ban of his own last week, and the left-back ought to displace Endre Botka in the rearguard, while Samy Mmaee was fit enough to make the bench last time out and could return to the first XI here.

Adnan Kovacevic's place in the backline is at risk with Mmaee returning to full fitness, while red-hot striker Boli should once again be supported by Oleksandr Zubkov and Myrto Uzuni.

As for Young Boys, right-back Hefti takes his place on the sidelines following his early red card in the first leg, with Quentin Maceiras ready to deputise on Tuesday.

On a more positive note, midfielder Michel Aebischer is back from his own suspension and could rejoin Sierro in the engine room, with Christopher Martins Pereira dropping down to the bench.

A hefty contingent of players in Fabian Lustenberger, David von Ballmoos, Jordan Lefort and Sandro Lauper remain injured for the Swiss side, who should partner Elia with Jordan Siebatcheu up top once again.

Ferencvaros possible starting lineup:

Dibusz; Wingo, S. Mmaee, Blazic, Civic; Zachariassen, Laidouni, Somalia; Zubkov, Boli, Uzuni

Young Boys possible starting lineup:

Faivre; Maceiras, Camara, Zesiger, Garcia; Fassnacht, Aebischer, Sierro, Ngamaleu; Elia, Siebatcheu

We say: Ferencvaros 1-2 Young Boys (Young Boys win 5-3 on aggregate)

The first leg of this playoff tie was goals galore, and given Young Boys' affinity for attacking, it would be a surprise to see the visitors sit back in a bid to weather the Ferencvaros storm.

Both teams once again have fresh suspension concerns to work around, and another closely-fought affair should be in order here, but we are tipping the visitors' penchant for goals to carry them over the line and into the group stages.

Top News

22 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Monaco vs. Brest (Friday, 6.00pm) The first game in Ligue 1 since the final international break of 2024 will see Monaco welcome Brest to the Stade Louis II on Friday night. 22 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Chelsea have reportedly told Mykhaylo Mudryk that he is still in their first-team plans ahead of the January transfer window. 22 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka has reportedly not yet made a full recovery from the knock he suffered prior to the international break. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Legendary striker Robert Lewandowski has revealed he was close to joining Sir Alex Ferguson's Manchester United in 2012. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Xabi Alonso will hope that his Bayer Leverkusen side can return to winning ways when they welcome strugglers Heidenheim to BayArena in their 11th Bundesliga game of the campaign on Saturday. 21 November 2024 talksport.com Wayne Rooney gives Romeo Montague a run for his money with wife Coleen revealing he writes her love poetry. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Six places separate Wolfsburg and Union Berlin in the Bundesliga table ahead of Saturday's gameweek 11 match at the Volkswagen Arena. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Borussia Dortmund have already fallen behind in the title race and will at least aim to stay within touching distance of the Champions League qualifications spots when they welcome Freiburg to Signal Iduna Park on Saturday in their 11th Bundesliga game of the campaign. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk A crunch clash at the bottom sees Heracles and RKC Waalwijk go head to head at the Asito Stadium on Saturday evening in gameweek 13 of the Eredivisie season. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Stuttgart sit a disappointing 11th in the Bundesliga table before welcoming cellar-dwelling VfL Bochum in Saturday's gameweek 11 action at the MHPArena. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Brentford boss Thomas Frank has confirmed that Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa will both be available for Saturday's Premier League away meeting with Everton. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Benfica and Estrela Amadora return to action on Saturday when they go head to head at the Estadio da Luz in the fourth round of the Taca de Portugal. 21 November 2024 talksport.com West Ham have sounded out former Borussia Dortmund boss Edin Terzic as a potential replacement for Julen Lopetegui, talkSPORT understands. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Aiming to move back into the top six of the League One table, Huddersfield Town will welcome Charlton Athletic to the John Smith's Stadium on Saturday. 21 November 2024 talksport.com talkSPORT's Ally McCoist has opened up about living with Dupuytren's contracture, an incurable hereditary condition that affects the hands. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Luton Town will welcome Hull City to Kenilworth Road on Saturday for a crucial game at the bottom end of the Championship table. 21 November 2024 talksport.com Martin Odegaard is everything for Arsenal - he's at the heartbeat of everything positive they do. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Aiming to go top of the Championship table with a fifth straight victory, Sheffield United will travel to take on Coventry City on Saturday. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk RB Leipzig will aim to prevent the five-point gap to Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich from extending by claiming all three points at Hoffenheim's PreZero Arena on Saturday. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Champions League hopefuls Eintracht Frankfurt will hope to maintain their five-point advantage over Werder Bremen after hosting them on Saturday at Deutsche Bank Park in their 11th Bundesliga outing of the season. 21 November 2024 talksport.com Newcastle defender Lewis Hall says his lack of game time in the first-team left him 'in a dark place' last season. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Two teams who could really do with a victory kick off round 13 of the 2024-25 Eredivisie season as Go Ahead Eagles welcome Almere City to De Adelaarshorst on Saturday afternoon. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Promotion-chasing Barnsley are favourites heading into Saturday's gameweek 17 League One match at Oakwell. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Feyenoord and Heerenveen will both be looking to pick up where they left off right before the international break in Saturday's meeting at De Kuip in matchday 13 of the 2024-25 Eredivisie season. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester City officially announce that manager Pep Guardiola has signed a two-year contract extension. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Girona will be bidding to make it three straight wins in La Liga for the first time this season when they welcome Espanyol to Estadi Montilivi on Saturday evening. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk An in-form Las Palmas will be aiming to make it five wins from their last six matches in all competitions when they continue their La Liga campaign at home to Mallorca on Saturday night. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Following four straight defeats leading into the international break, Aston Villa will return to action on Saturday, when Crystal Palace pay a visit to Villa Park. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Chelsea have reportedly set a £100m asking price for Enzo Fernandez amid interest from Real Madrid. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Saudi Pro League action will return to the Prince Mohamed bin Fahd Stadium this weekend when Al Khaleej play host to the defending champions Al-Hilal on Saturday evening.