Don’t the Lions let anything slip in front of their home crowd?

Last Tuesday’s 1-0 away win means FC Copenhagen already have one foot in the Champions League group stage. For the Lions, the draw in their own stadium is already enough to be represented in the preliminary round of the top flight for the second time in a row. According to the bookmakers, the bet on FC Copenhagen against Rakow Czestochowa is even under the better omens on the home victory of the Danes.

While the Danish national champions suffered a 3-1 home defeat to Silkeborg in the Superligaen at the weekend, however, the Polish champions’ request for a postponement of the match was granted. The Silesians thus had a full week to look for a way to turn things around in the second leg at Parken Stadium after all. However, there is truly not much value in FC Copenhagen vs Rakow Czestochowa in predicting the Poles to advance.

While Rakow Czestochowa is still highly inexperienced internationally. The Poles played only the 19th European match in their club’s history in last Tuesday’s 1-0 home defeat. However, their record is impressive. The Silesians have lost only two of nine international away games (five wins, two draws). However, it should be noted that both of these away defeats can be traced back to the Conference League playoffs of the last two years.

Because the Lions will still be content with the draw if in doubt, the combined bet on Double Chance 1X at under 3.5 goals is a good bet.

FC Copenhagen – Statistics & current form

With 15 national championship titles and nine overall cup wins, FC Copenhagen is one of the country’s poster boys. The Lions secured the national double just this summer and are now dreaming of qualifying for the Champions League again.

FCK has already participated in the main round of the top flight six times. For the first time ever in the club’s history, it could now be two consecutive group stages. To achieve that, even the draw in the second leg against Rakow Czestochowa will be enough.

Without conceding a goal in four of their last seven competitive matches

The Danes will certainly want to rely on their outstanding defense again. FC Copenhagen have kept a clean sheet in four of their last seven competitive matches, including a 0-0 home draw with Sparta Prague in the previous qualifying round.

However, the Danish champions were dealt a severe blow at the weekend. Jacob Neestrup’s side suffered a 3-1 defeat at home to Silkeborg that handed Nordsjaelland the lead in the Superligaen.

So far lost two home compulsory games against Polish teams

Despite this, the odds are now clearly swinging in the direction of the reigning Danish double winners in FC Copenhagen vs Rakow Czestochowa, but they have an even international record against Polish clubs.

Out of five European competitive matches at Parken Stadium against representatives of the Ekstraklasa, “only” two games were won (one draw, two defeats). Nonetheless, with 245 international competitive matches already in the club’s history (including 102 wins, 65 draws and 78 defeats), the Lions bring exactly the level of experience needed to finish the job against the Silesians in the second leg now.

Predicted lineup of FC Copenhagen:
Grabara – Meling – Diks – Vavro – Jelert – Goncalves – Jensen – Claesson – Elyounoussi – Bardghji – Larsson

Rakow Czestochowa – Statistics & current form

Rakow Czestochowa was founded as early as 1921, but was promoted to the Ekstraklasa for the first time in the 2019/20 season. Then, just in time for the club’s 100th anniversary, the Red and Blues secured their first title in 2021 when, in addition to finishing runners-up in the Ekstraklasa, they won the Polish Cup.

In 2022, the team also finished second in the league and won the cup, before the Silesians won the national championship for the first time in the club’s history in the summer of 2023. That success should now be followed by a first-ever trip to a European group stage, after Rakow failed to reach the Conference League playoffs in the last two years.

Full focus on the second leg

By the way, the Red and Blues, who have picked up just seven of a possible twelve points in the Ekstraklasa so far, have already secured the European group stage. Even if the turnaround fails to materialize in the second leg in the Danish capital, Rakow Czestochowa would still remain in the Europa League group stage after all.

Of course, the Silesians, who most recently eliminated Qarabag Agdam and Aris Limassol on their way to the playoffs, want to do everything they can to make it to the Champions League. To this end, they also postponed Saturday’s scheduled match at Lech Poznan in order to fully prepare for the away game in Copenhagen.

Won five of the nine European away games so far

However, FC Copenhagen against Rakow Czestochowa is not under a particularly good star to bet on the Polish champions progressing, even with a 1-0 or 2-1 win for the time being only forcing extra time.

And yet, a good result for the red and blue is truly not out of the question. After all, of the only nine international matches the Silesians have played away from home, a proud five games have been won (two draws, two defeats) – albeit not yet at the very big names on the opposite side.

Predicted lineup of Rakow Czestochowa:
V. Kovacevic – Rundic – A. Kovacevic – Racovitan – Carlos – Tudor – Berggren – Papanikolaou – Kochergin – Cebula – Piasecki

FC Copenhagen – Rakow Czestochowa Direct comparison / H2H balance

Head to head: 1 – 0 – 0

Last week’s first leg, which the Danes won 1-0 in the Polish south, was the only competitive match between the two sides so far. FC Copenhagen thus leads the direct comparison.

FC Copenhagen – Rakow Czestochowa betting tips

Not only in terms of international experience, but also in terms of standing, the Danish champions are clearly superior to the Polish champions. The lions, for example, bring alone in the total market value of the squad almost twice that of their opponents on the scales and did not prevail for nothing already in the first leg with 1-0 at the Silesians. In the run-up to the second leg between FC Copenhagen and Rakow Czestochowa, the bookmakers’ betting odds are now clearly in favor of the home side.

In principle, FCK can be expected to decide the match early on. However, the Danes don’t have to take the risk of actively playing for the lead and thus perhaps opening up spaces for their opponents. Even a draw is enough to advance. That favors our prediction of a not too high-scoring second leg for FC Copenhagen against Rakow Czestochowa.