Cukaricki take on the visitors Olympiacos Piraeus in the second leg of UEFA Europa League qualification finals. First time result: 1-3. The match will be played on Thursday, August 31st at Gradski stadion Dubočica (Leskovac).
Cukaricki start in European competitions consistently but don't stay for long. The Highlanders represent the eponymous suburb of Belgrade. As expected, they remain in the shadow of their more prestigious neighbors, Red Star and Partizan. Therefore, their only notable achievement was winning the Serbian Cup in 2015. However, this team often, especially recently, secures the 3rd place in the national championship, right behind the two giants. Consequently, they qualify for European competitions. Yet, the script remains the same: they progress past the first opponent but struggle against the second. Repeating this scenario might be difficult this time around, especially considering that Cukaricki started this campaign from the decisive qualification round, and as anticipated, they lost in Piraeus.
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Olympiacos are currently feeling the aftermath of last season's failure. The Legend rightfully holds the title of the strongest and wealthiest football club in modern Greece. In 2022, after winning their 3rd consecutive championship title, the Red and Whites clearly intended to continue their dominance. However, signing new waves of stars who were past their prime, such as Marcelo and James, yielded no results other than expenses. In the spring, the favorite finished only in 3rd place, missing out on the Champions League. Now, there's a new coach, Diego Martinez, and a revamped squad that doesn't include such expensive and renowned newcomers. However, they managed to start on a winning note in domestic competitions and in the Europa League, initially eliminating Gent (1-0 at home, 1-1 in Belgium), and then confidently winning against the Serbians with a brace by Ayoub El Kaabi, who moved from Qatar. Only a late goal by Miladinovich brings an air of intrigue to the tie.
Before this cycle, the clubs had never crossed paths. The hosts are unlikely to believe in a comeback, but they should fight in front of their fans to at least secure a victory. A reasonable option seems to be a handicap in their favor of +1 goal.
Prediction for the match: Cukaricki to win with +1.0 handicap.
