Antwerp take on the visitors AEK Athens in the first leg of UEFA Champions League qualification finals. The match will be played on Tuesday, August 22nd at Bosuilstadion (Antwerp).
Antwerp had a remarkable season last year. The team struggled to secure victories in their final matches, which allowed them to qualify for the Champions League. The most remarkable aspect is that they managed to retain all their key players, even permanently acquiring Fray. However, it turns out that Michael is currently unable to contribute to the team. And that's where their problems arise... They won the Super Cup, but the issue is that at the start of this season, the team has only managed to score more than one goal in a single match. Their attack has been a complete failure, just dreadful. But it yields results, which suggests that their approach will likely be very pragmatic in the Champions League from the very first qualification round.
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AEK experienced a real ordeal. The team struggled heavily and for a long time against Zagreb's Dinamo. Moreover, significant life events occurred for the fans. After an impressive first match, the team was simply overwhelmed in the second leg. And in extra time, they not only managed to equalize but also eliminate their favorite team, Dinamo, from the competition. It was Vida who did it. The Greeks endured something terrible, and they didn't have to play in the Greek championship, but the dates have made everything very challenging. They need a release after such a tough encounter, especially in the first match in Belgium. No one will rush forward headlong, especially in the first meeting.
The Belgian team has played the most crucial matches of this season in a very pragmatic manner. Matches ended with fewer goals, and the team only scored one goal occasionally; their focus is on defense. Moreover, interestingly, even against mid-table teams in the local league, the team doesn't display any fantastic performance; everything seems quite mediocre. Furthermore, this is their first European match in a very long time. As for the opponent, AEK will attempt to maintain a favorable score. Even a draw will suffice, as the home fans will provide motivation. Considering the defensive issues that Dinamo revealed, today the team will adopt a highly pragmatic playing style.
Prediction for the match: Under 2.5 scored goals.
