Ludogorets take on the visitors Ballkani in the second leg of UEFA Champions League 1/8-finals qualification. First leg result: 0-2. The match will be played on Wednesday, July 19th at Huvepharma Arena (Razgrad).
There is nothing surprising in the fact that the Bulgarian team suffered a significant defeat in the first leg of this confrontation. It was quite clear that the Eagles would not achieve victory in that match. Ludogorets can be considered a shadow of their former selves, and the team has had little success in European competitions in recent years. Therefore, the 0-2 loss to a strong Kosovan team is not a sensation. Bookmakers continue to insist and predict an easy walk for Ludogorets in the second leg, offering odds of 1.2 for them. But this looks frankly strange because it was already clear a week ago that the Bulgarians are in no way superior to Ballkani at the moment. The situation now becomes even more difficult because the Kosovan team can comfortably play defensively in the second leg and focus on the score. The hosts, on the other hand, need to break down the opponent and win by at least 2-0 in the regulation 90 minutes of the match.
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Ballkani played in the group stage of the previous season's Conference League. The team fought hard against their opponents, losing only by a one-goal margin. They even managed to defeat Turkish side Sivasspor 4-3 on Turkish soil. So, Ballkani has shown a strong fighting spirit in their relatively short history in European competitions and has left a good impression with their results and style of play. As for the upcoming match, the guests can comfortably play to protect their lead, and a two-goal advantage is a significant edge in this situation. Therefore, betting on a positive handicap for the guests is a very good option. Bookmakers predict a big victory for the hosts in this match, but there are significant doubts about that.
Bookmakers are clearly overestimating the Bulgarian team. Even before the first leg of this confrontation, it was evident that the Eagles were not strong favorites. Now, it can be clearly seen that the teams are evenly matched. Therefore, I will choose to bet on the handicap of (+2) for Ballkani. I believe that, in the worst case, this option will at least result in a refund.
Prediction for the match: Ballkani to win with +2.0 handicap.
