Rapid still in crisis mode
Rapid cut a fine figure in the summer qualifiers for international competition and secured their place in the Europa League, but since then the Viennese side have gone rapidly downhill both domestically and internationally.
We therefore do not rate the chances of a home win against the Croatian champions as too high. Even winning the first point in the current group stage will not be an easy task. Nevertheless, the bookmakers are predicting a close match for Rapid Wien vs. Dinamo Zagreb. Is there any truth in this assessment?
The Croatians narrowly missed out on a place in the top flight in the summer and now want to reach at least the next round in the Europa League. To do so, they would have to celebrate two victories against their upcoming opponents. The fact that their opponents are stuck in a veritable crisis of form therefore comes just at the right time.
Whether the much-cited “twelfth man” can work wonders in West Vienna on Thursday remains to be seen. Fact is: Especially offensively, Rapid has not been able to do anything in the EL so far. We therefore tend to bet on the visitors against Dinamo Zagreb in Rapid Wien
Rapid Vienna – Statistics & current form
The “Green-Whites” were able to convince with solid performances in the CL qualifiers as well as in the EL qualifiers, but the performance in the group stage is still more than poor and there is little prospect of improvement at the moment.
The fact that the bookmakers are almost completely evenly spreading the betting odds on Rapid Wien vs. Dinamo Zagreb is a nice tribute, but you can’t buy anything in Hütteldorf and in our opinion the starting position for the home team is worrying.
Allianz Stadion is no longer a fortress
Normally Rapid scores with a very good home strength, but that is not the case this season. In the league, they have already lost three out of a total of six games on home soil. Among others, they were beaten by the underdogs Hartberg and Admira.
In the Europa League, they have not yet scored a point at home. Another cause for concern is the attacking line-up, which failed to score a single goal in the group phase. Can Kara and Co. at least achieve a small liberation in this respect?
Since weeks on a downward slide
It’s clear that you can lose against Genk and West Ham. But the current drop in form is particularly drastic in the league, because after the record champions started the season with great ambitions, only one of the last six league games was won. The eighth intermediate rank is the logical consequence of numerous uninspired performances.
All in all, betting on the home team in Rapid Wien vs. Dinamo Zagreb cannot be an option from our point of view. After all, how can you expect to win against an internationally experienced opponent when you’ve lost in the league even against relegation candidates?
Predicted line-up of Rapid Wien:
Strebinger – Stojkovic, Greiml, Hofmann, Ullmann – Ljubicic, Petrovic – Schick, Fountas, Grüll – Kara
Last matches played by Rapid Wien:
Bundesliga
10/16 2021 – SK Austria Klagenfurt 1 – 1 Rapid Wien
10/03 2021 – Rapid Wien 5 – 2 WSG Tirol
Europa League Grp. H
09/30 2021 – West Ham 2 – 0 Rapid Wien
Bundesliga
09/26 2021 – Rapid Vienna 0 – 3 Sturm Graz
Cup
09/23 2021 – Admira Mödling 1 – 2 Rapid Wien
Dinamo Zagreb – Statistics & current form
For three rounds, the Croatians put up a valiant fight in the CL qualifiers, until the surprising elimination against Moldovan underdog FC Sheriff in the play-off. The consolation is the Europa League, where they lost to West Ham at the start, but the turnaround against Genk followed immediately.
Now the double against the supposedly easiest opponent in the group awaits. In terms of market value alone, Dynamo are far superior to the Viennese side.
Offensive is red-hot
In the league, 28 goals have already been scored in 10 games. Internationally, things are not going badly with the goal-scoring either. Genk conceded three goals away from home and in the qualifiers they only came away empty-handed against the aforementioned FC Sheriff, scoring in all the other games.
In the league, they are also doing very well as guests, and have not lost a single match away from home. The fact that they also won their only game away from home in the EL so far can be seen as a good omen.
The back is to be closed down
The Krznar-Ef is also world class at preventing goals against. In the 10 international matches so far this season, they have kept their own box clean six times. In the league, too, the back line has been kept clean six times.
We therefore think that the odds on the visitors are worth betting on Rapid Wien against Dinamo Zagreb.
Predicted Dinamo Zagreb line-up:
Livakovic – Ristovski, Lauritsen, Theophile-Catherine, Franjic – Orsic, Ademi, Misic, Ivanusec – Petkovic – Cop
Last matches played by Dinamo Zagreb:
1st League
10/16 2021 – Rijeka 3 – 3 Dinamo Zagreb
10/03 2021 – Dinamo Zagreb 8 – 0 NK Hrvatski Dragovoljac
Europa League Grp. H
09/30 2021 – KRC Genk 0 – 3 Dinamo Zagreb
1st League
09/25 2021 – Slaven 1 – 4 Dinamo Zagreb
Europa League Grp. H
09/16 2021 – Dinamo Zagreb 0 – 2 West Ham
Rapid Vienna – Dinamo Zagreb Direct comparison / H2H record
These two teams have only faced each other twice before, in the 1971/72 UEFA Cup, when both games ended in draws. Who will now take the lead in the standings?
Rapid Vienna – Dinamo Zagreb Tip
If you believe the bookmakers’ odds for the match between Rapid Wien and Dinamo Zagreb, then the starting position is completely even. However, as the home side have hardly picked up any points at home so far and the visitors are very dangerous on foreign soil, we see the Croatians in the role of favourites.
Moreover, Dinamo has clearly played the better season so far and a bet on the 22-time Croatian champions is surprisingly profitable. With odds of 2.60, we put a stake of four units on the line.
The fact that Rapid are still chasing their first goal in the EL makes things even more promising for the defensively strong away team.
