Who is still hoping for the premier class?

The UEFA EURO 2024 hadn’t even finished yet when the qualifiers for the Champions League started again. The second legs of the first round are now scheduled for this week and the first champions will be bidding farewell to their dreams of competing in the top flight. In our Shamrock Rovers vs Vikingur Reykjavik betting tip, we take a look at who can at least continue to hope after this game

The first leg a week ago ended in a goalless draw in the Icelandic capital. This means that both teams are still in the running to win this match. The odds in the Bwin app suggest that the Irish should be slightly favored in this second leg and have the slightly better chances of facing Czech champions Sparta Prague in the second round.

While many Western European leagues are still waiting for the season to start and are passing the time during the summer break with the European Championship, the teams in Ireland and Iceland are in full swing. As both nations missed out on qualifying for the European Championship, there was no need to interrupt the domestic leagues during the European Championship

So there is no advantage in this match compared to other champions who are still preparing. However, we see slight sporting advantages for the hosts from Ireland and are therefore inclined to predict that the home side will progress between Shamrock Rovers and Vikingur Reykjavik. You might even be able to use a Bet-at-Home voucher to bet on this outcome

Shamrock Rovers – Statistics & current form

1.75 million euros in prize money awaits the winner of this pairing to progress to the second round. That’s a lot of money for Shamrock Rovers when you consider that the squad has a market value of less than four million euros. In a nutshell, reaching the second round alone means a lot for the Irish and would be a big step towards perhaps at least being allowed to compete in the Conference League, where the Irish were already involved two years ago.

Shamrock with four championships in a row

Coach Stephen Bradley has led Rovers back to their former strength. It took almost ten years to end the drought without a championship title. Since then, however, Shamrock have won championships 18 to 21 in the last four seasons. In Ireland, the reigning champions are unrivaled, you might think, but it’s not quite that clear-cut after all.

After 23 games, Rovers are currently only in fourth place. They are currently 14 points adrift of leaders Shelbourne. The fact that Stephen Bradley’s side have played one game less is hardly encouraging. Nationally, it will be difficult to continue the run. But if it works internationally, the Irish can certainly live with that.

We wouldn’t describe their current form as particularly good. Stephen Bradley’s side have won just two of their last six games, both against the bottom two teams in the Irish Premier Division. That doesn’t sound like a compelling reason to play the odds on a home win between Shamrock Rovers and Vikingur Reykjavik, although the Irish were already much closer to victory away from home than the Icelanders in the first leg last week

Predicted line-up for Shamrock Rovers:
Pöhls – Lopes, Hoare, Cleary – O’Neill, Watts – Clarke, Byrne, Towell, Honohan – Kenny – Coach: Bradley

Vikingur Reykjavik – Statistics & current form

The Shamrock Rovers have already played in the group stage of the Conference League two years ago. Vikingur have yet to reach the group stage. Much will depend on whether they can prevail on Tuesday, because then, if all else fails, they would at least be in the Conference League play-offs. For small associations in particular, this first qualifying round for the Champions League is therefore of enormous importance

Vikingur unbeaten since the beginning of May

The seven-time Icelandic champions are also in the middle of their season. Unlike their Irish opponents, Vikingur are currently on course to defend their title. After 14 match days, the reigning doubles winners are top of the Basta Deild standings. They currently have a five-point lead over their closest rivals, local rivals Valur.

In general, the team of coach Arnar Gunnlaugsson, who spent one season as a player at 1. FC Nürnberg in the mid-90s, is currently in very good form. His team has now been unbeaten in 13 games. That would be more of an indication to predict that the Icelanders will progress between Shamrock Rovers and Vikingur Reykjavik.

However, it has to be said that the Icelandic team only managed to hold on to a draw in the first leg with a great deal of luck, even when they were outnumbered in the last ten minutes. We therefore think that Vikingur will be the underdogs on Tuesday at the Tallaght Stadium in Dublin, as the odds at our tested betting provider Betano show.

Predicted line-up for Vikingur Reykjavik:
Jonsson – Fjöluson, Vatnhamar, Ekroth, Gunnarsson – Ingimundarson, Gudjonsson, Punyed, Agnarsson – Hansen, Djuric – Coach: Gunnlaugsson

Shamrock Rovers – Vikingur Reykjavik head-to-head / H2H record

Vikingur face a club from the Republic of Ireland for the first time. The Irish, on the other hand, have had their fair share of experience with Icelandic teams throughout history. After Fram and Stjarnan, Rovers faced Breidablik in the first qualifying round of the Champions League last season and were knocked out early on.

Coach Stephen Bradley claims that his team has learned from that defeat. The 0-0 draw in the first leg last week could indeed be an indication of this. Despite the yellow card for Darragh Nugent ten minutes before the end, the Irish were the more dangerous team. An away win would certainly not have been undeserved at the end of the day

Shamrock Rovers – Vikingur Reykjavik tip

The first leg a week ago is certainly the key reference to which we must refer in our analysis of this second leg. In the 0-0 draw in the Icelandic capital, the visitors from the Republic of Ireland were the more goal-scoring team and if we now factor in Rovers’ home advantage for Tuesday, then the Irish should actually have a good chance of progressing.

However, that is also the only point in favor of Stephen Bradley’s team. Ireland’s current form is in need of improvement and they are also lagging behind the music in the Premier Division at the moment. Therefore, we would actually hold back and not place a bet with a Bwin bonus on the home win in the match between Shamrock Rovers and Vikingur Reykjavik.

The Icelanders are in much better shape and have not lost in 13 games. We do not expect many goals to be scored on Tuesday and think it is conceivable that the winner of this match will not be determined in regular time. We have therefore decided to play the odds on a draw after 90 minutes between Shamrock Rovers and Vikingur Reykjavik