Will the Hungarian champions live up to their role as favourites?
Ferencvaros Budapest are certainly one of the most prestigious clubs to make an appearance in the second qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League. 2020/21 was the last time the Hungarian champions had the chance to compete with the continent’s best teams on the biggest possible European football stage. After a year in the Europa League, Russian coach Stanislav Cherchesov’s side are now aiming to make it back to the top flight.
The Slovakian champions now await on the road to the Champions League group stage. Ahead of the first leg between Ferencvaros and Slovan Bratislava, the odds from the best bookmakers underline that the Hungarians are given the better chance of progressing to the third qualifying round. In what would then be the penultimate stage towards the main draw, the winner of the Qarabag Agdam v FC Zurich pairing would await.
The relatively pronounced role of the Budapest club as favourites is, incidentally, also due to the impressions of the past week. While the Green-Whites won their home match against Kazakhstan’s Tobol more than clearly with 5:1, the Slovaks even had to go into extra time in Georgia and thus struggled lacklustrely into the next round. That is one of the reasons why a prediction on the host nation on Wednesday evening in the Groupama Arena between Ferencvaros and Slovan Bratislava is obvious.
Ferencvaros – Statistics & current form
Breathing easy was the order of the day for Ferencvaros Budapest last Wednesday. After a disappointing 0-0 first leg draw with Tobol Qostonai in Kazakhstan, they were already facing the threat of a super-GAU in the form of a first-round qualifying exit in front of their home crowd. However, thanks to a brilliant performance and a convincing display, the Green-Whites won 5-1 at home and thus, despite the unknown opponent, put an exclamation mark on the still young season.
The aim now is to confirm the extremely satisfactory performance in front of the home crowd and to produce a good result in their own stadium in the second qualifying round. This is supported not only by the aforementioned impression from the previous week, but also by the passable home performances in the past European Cup season.
Ferencvaros have good experience with CL qualification
A year ago, the Green-Whites also made it to the CL play-offs. On the way there, comparable teams such as Prishtina, Zalgiris and even Slavia Prague were all brought to their knees at home. It was only against Young Boys Bern that they were knocked out, but this still entitled them to take part in the Europa League group stage. Bayer Leverkusen were also defeated at home in the Groupama Arena. Again a year earlier, the club from Budapest remained undefeated in all home qualifying matches for the top division.
On a positive note, with the exception of central defender Miha Blazic, who moved to Angers in France, no regular players from the previous season left the club. Instead, they spent almost three million euros to sign Adama Traoré from CL surprise contender Sheriff Tiraspol or Xavier Mercier from Leupen for the attack. In addition, two centre-backs came in on loan to strengthen the squad across the board.
Coach Stanislav Cherchesov can therefore rely on a well-rehearsed team that won the double in 2021/22 and has also attracted attention in the current preparation with victories against Karlsruher SC (4:1) and Ludogorez Razgrad (3:0). In the first leg between Ferencvaros and Slovan Bratislava, a home win is therefore the most promising betting option.
Predicted line-up of Ferencvaros:
Dibusz; Wingo, Mmaee, Kovacevic, Civic; Laidouni, Esiti; Nguen, Zachariassen, Traore; Bassey
Last matches played by Ferencvaros:
Champions League Qualifiers
14/07/2022 – Ferencvaros 5 – 1 Tobol Qostanai
06/07/2022 – Tobol Qostanai 0 – 0 Ferencvaros
NB I
14/05/2022 – Gyirmot 1 – 2 Ferencvaros
Cup
12/05/2022 — Ferencvaros 3 – 0 Paksi SE
NB I
07/05/2022 – Ferencvaros 0 – 3 MTK Budapest
Slovan Bratislava – Statistics & current form
Ferencvaros Budapest and Slovan Bratislava have one thing in common: In the past season, both clubs failed to qualify for the Champions League against Young Boys from Bern. The Hungarians, as mentioned, in the playoffs; Bratislava in the second round. Nevertheless, the Slovaks almost made it to the Europa League group stage. However, because the play-offs there were also lost to Olympiakos Piraeus, the Light Blue and Whites had to settle for the third-tier Conference League. Eight points from six games, however, were not enough for a place in the intermediate round.
At least on the national stage, the former Czechoslovakian champions were able to meet their own expectations and win the title for the fourth time in a row. However, the double remained elusive for the industry leader after losing the cup final to Spartak Trnava. Thanks to their 16th championship in Slovakia, the former European Cup winners (1969) can now try to qualify for the top flight once again.
Bratislava fight against total false start
Bratislava’s path to qualification almost ended in the first round for coach Vladimir Weiss, who has been at the helm on the Danube for 14 months and has since made his son Vladimir Weiss captain. Against the Georgian underdog Dinamo Batumi, the score was still 0-0 after 180 minutes, so it went into extra time. Batumi even took a 1-0 lead before Bratislava turned the match around and won 2-1 after half an hour to book their ticket to the second round.
Despite the ultimately pleasing result, the start of the season must be described as unsuccessful. The Light Blue-Whites were nowhere near their performance maximum and suffered another bitter setback against Železiarne Podbrezová in the league at the weekend. On the first matchday, the defending champions lost 1:2 and once again revealed major deficits in all areas. Against this backdrop, it would be an incalculable risk to make a prediction on the guest between Ferencvaros and Slovan Bratislava on Wednesday evening.
Predicted line-up of Slovan Bratislava:
Chovan; Abena, Kashia, Medvedev, Pauschek; Kankava, Kucka, Chakvetadze, Holman; Weiss, Cavric
Last matches played by Slovan Bratislava:
Super League
17/07/2022 – Zeleziarne Podbrezova 2 – 1 Slovan Bratislava
Champions League Qualifier
13/07/2022 – Dinamo Batumi 1 – 2 Slovan Bratislava
07/07/2022 – Slovan Bratislava 0 – 0 Dinamo Batumi
Friendly club matches
18/06/2022 – Ried 0 – 3 Slovan Bratislava
Super League Championship Group
21/05/2022 – Slovan Bratislava 2 – 2 Zilina
Ferencvaros – Slovan Bratislava Direct comparison / H2H record
Ferencvaros Budapest have only played 14 matches in Europe’s premier club competition since changing their name from the European Champion Clubs’ Cup to the UEFA Champions League. Two of those 14 matches were against Slovan Bratislava. In the first round of the 1992/93 edition, the Slovaks prevailed 4-1 in the first leg and qualified for the next round after a 0-0 draw in the second leg. To date, these have also been the only two encounters at competitive level.
Ferencvaros – Slovan Bratislava Tip
The first leg of the second qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League includes a clash between Ferencvaros vs. Slovan Bratislava. Betting odds of 1.53 at the top on a home win underline the role of favourites for the Hungarian serial champions, who have often cut a good figure in front of their home crowd in the qualifying rounds in recent years. The 5:1 victory from the previous week against Tobol also left no further questions unanswered.
The guests from Slovakia, on the other hand, messed up their start into the new competitive season. Against the clear underdog Dinamo Batumi from Georgia, the Weiss eleven first had to go into extra time after a goalless first and second leg and finally even had to come back from a 0:1 deficit. In addition, they also lost their opening match at national level against a no-name team 2-1.
We therefore believe that in the duel between Ferencvaros and Slovan Bratislava, betting on a home win is the most logical choice. However, in order to push the prices even higher, it is a good idea to combine the success of the Hungarians with the Under 4.5.
