Debut for Rakow in the top flight

Many European teams are in the middle of preparing for the new season. For some years now, this has been the period in which the first qualifying rounds for the European Cup are played. The main focus is, of course, on the top flight. During the week, the first legs of the first qualifying round take place and we check, in our Rakow Czestochowa vs Flora Tallinn tip, who has a better chance of making it through this round.

In the Champions League this year there was a pre-tournament with four national champions, of which only the winner qualifies for the first round. So there have already been three title holders on the line when the competition officially gets underway this week. It is not very often that newcomers take part in the qualifiers for the top division. But again this year there are rookies who have never been seen at this level before.

There is, for example, the Polish champion Rakow Czestochowa, who secured the Ekstraklasa title for the first time last season and are now reaping the rewards in the form of appearances in the top flight.

Flora Tallinn is actually the biggest name in Estonia. Still, one should not assume that the 14-time national champions will be in the European Cup for long. Rakov and Flora were very unlucky in the draw. Usually, the losers of this round end up in the Europa League qualifiers. However, it was decided by lottery that they would go directly to the qualifying round for the Conference League if they did not win in the first round. We think it is possible that the group stage in the 2021/22 season in the Conference League will remain the first and, for the time being, the last for the Estonians.

Rakow Czestochowa – Statistics & current form

Rakow Czestochowa is an up-and-coming club, but one that has a tradition of over 100 years in Poland. However, success only came when a local investor put the club on a very sound financial footing. Things have been going steeply uphill for a few years now. In the 2016/17 season, the Medaliki were still playing in the third division. In the meantime, they have twice been runners-up, Polish Cup winners and champions in the Ekstraklasa.

First time in the Champions League

With three matchdays to go before the end of last season, Rakow were already confirmed as Polish champions. Now it’s on to the next challenge, namely to qualify for a European group stage for the first time in their third appearance, preferably of course for the top flight. Whether it will be enough with the Champions League remains to be seen, but we are reasonably confident that the Polish champions will certainly be in the mix in the Europa League or the Conference League.

Perhaps it is a disadvantage for the Poles that they are still preparing and that Tuesday’s clash is the first competitive match of the season. After that, however, it’s blow after blow. The Super Cup against Legia Warsaw is scheduled for the weekend, followed by the return match in Tallinn, before new coach Dawid Szwarga’s team has to get ready for the start of the season in the Ekstraklasa.

In terms of personnel, the Poles are very difficult to assess. At least there have been no major investments before the new season. They spent 1.5 million euros on the former Wolfsburg player John Yeboah. Otherwise, the team remained modest for the time being. That could change, however, the closer the Medaliki get to the group stage of the Champions League. Overall, though, the squad already suggests that between Rakow Czestochowa and Flora Tallinn, the odds on a home win are alternativeless.

Predicted line-up of Rakow Czestochowa:
Kovacevic – Svarnas, Arsenic, Racovitan – Papanikolaou, Lederman, Tudor, Silva, Kochergin – Yaboah, Gutkovskis – Coach: Szwarga

Last matches played by Rakow Czestochowa:

Ekstraklasa

• 27/05/2023 – Rakow Czestochowa 1 – 1 Zaglebie Lubin
• 21/05/2023 – Wisla Plock 1 – 2 Rakow Czestochowa
• 14/05/2023 – Rakow Czestochowa 0 – 2 Lech Poznan
• 07/05/2023 – Korona Kielce 1 – 0 Rakow Czestochowa

FA Cup

• 02/05/2023 – Legia Warsaw (6)0 – 0(5) Rakow Czestochowa

Flora Tallinn – Statistics & current form

Estonia has severe winters. Just like in Scandinavia, the championship there is therefore played in the calendar year. Flora Tallinn are therefore in the middle of the season and therefore certainly have the better rhythm at the moment compared to their Polish counterparts. However, that does not mean that the Estonian champions have a good chance of advancing a round.

Nationally very well on the road

The form is certainly presentable, though. Of the last 14 competitive matches, Jürgen Henn’s team has lost just one. However, one must not forget that these were only national tasks and because football in Estonia is rather rated as second-class, we stick to the prediction between Rakow Czestochowa and Flora Tallinn that there will probably be a clear home victory for the Polish champions.

In the Estonian Meistriliiga standings, Flora are currently in a neck-and-neck race with local rivals Levadia. Both clubs have 47 points after 20 matchdays and will decide the championship between them. The third-placed team is already 18 points behind. However, Flora have already been eliminated from the national cup and can concentrate fully on the championship and the European Cup.

Last weekend, they were held to a fortunate draw by seventh-placed Paide Linnameeskond. The home side were the slightly better team and had more of the game overall. The relevant statistics were in favour of the underdogs, so Flora Tallinn could live well with a goalless draw in the end. However, the dress rehearsal for the duel in Poland was rather unsuccessful.

Predicted line-up of Flora Tallinn:
Grünvald – Hussar, Kuusk, Seppik, Lilander – Miller, Vassiljev, Ojamaa, Mihhailov – Reinkort, Alliku – coach: Henn

Last matches played by Flora Tallinn:

Meistriliiga

• 07/07/2023 – Paide Linnameeskond 0 – 0 Flora Tallinn
• 02/07/2023 – Flora Tallinn 3 – 0 Tammeka
• 28/06/2023  – FCI Levadia 0 – 0 Flora Tallinn
• 10/06/2023 – Parnu JK Vaprus 1 – 5 Flora Tallinn
• 07/06/2023 – Flora Tallinn 0 – 0 Paide Linnameeskond

Rakow Czestochowa – Flora Tallinn Direct comparison / H2H balance

Rakow Czestochowa is no longer a newcomer on the international stage, but has only been allowed to play in the European Cup in the last two years. The Polish champions have therefore not yet crossed paths with Flora Tallinn. The Polish upstart has never played against a club from Estonia.

The only experience the Estonians have had with Polish clubs dates back two years. At that time, they also faced Legia Warsaw in the Champions League qualifiers, albeit in the second round. Both duels went narrowly to the Polish title holders with 2:1 and 1:0. Flora Tallinn have therefore yet to play a successful match against a Polish team.

Rakow Czestochowa – Flora Tallinn Tip

The Polish champions are taking part in the Champions League qualifiers for the first time. However, that does not mean that they are now outsiders as a newcomer. Whoever is at the top of the Ekstraklasa definitely has what it takes to prevail against the title holders from the smaller nations in the qualifiers and that is exactly what we expect from the two duels between these two clubs.

Rakov may not have played a competitive match yet this season, but the Estonian champions should be of just the right calibre to start the new season, especially as the Poles also have home advantage. We expect Dawid Szwarga’s team to be looking for an early decision in the first leg and can imagine placing a bet on a handicap victory for the Poles with a sports betting bonus between Rakow Czestochowa and Flora Tallinn.

The Estonians are in quite good form, though, and have lost only one of their last 14 competitive matches. But we hardly need to mention that matches at national level and a clash with the Polish champions are two different pairs of shoes. We have therefore decided to play the betting odds on a handicap win (-2) for the Medaliki between Rakow Czestochowa and Flora Tallinn.