Champions League: Rangers, Salzburg headline jam-packed UCL second round second leg card this week
by Devesh Jaganath | by Cydias Aujard
Panathinaikos vs. Rangers - Scots in driver’s seat heading to Greece
Arguably, the most anticipated match of the Champions League second qualifying round will come to us from the Athens Olympic Stadium, where Panathinaikos will be taking on Glasgow giants Rangers on Wednesday night.
The Gers made the most of their home advantage, notching up a 2-0 lead at the Ibrox Stadium last week, thanks to goals by 18-year-old Findlay Curtis and summer arrival Djeidi Gassama, who netted on debut for his new employers.
The Scottish Premiership side has looked good under the leadership of former Southampton boss Russell Martin, and their new recruits, such as Max Aarons, Joe Rothwell and Nasser Djiga, have integrated seamlessly into their current setup, which is a welcome sight for Rangers fans.
However, do not write off Panathinaikos! A much better performance is expected from them according to our experts’ Panathinaikos vs Rangers prediction than last week. The Greek outfit was right in the contest until they were reduced to 10 men just before the hour mark.
Ferencvaros vs. FC Noah - Comfortable victory expected for Hungarians
FC Noah were handed a dream start to the first leg at the Abovyan City Stadium last week when Stefan Gartenmann stuck a goal into his own net to give the Armenians an unlikely lead. However, they were unable to hold on to their advantage and are now massive outsiders according to the latest betting odds.
Our experts are also firmly in the corner of the hosts to get the job done this week, and you can check out their thoughts via our Ferencvaros vs FC Noah prediction!
Ferencvaros romped back to victory with Callum O’Dawda and Barnabas Varga both netting in the space of five minutes at the start of the second half, while the team also managed to protect their lead after Ibrahim Cisse was sent off in the final 10 minutes of the game.
Since arriving at the helm in Budapest, former Spurs and Leeds United striker Robbie Keane has enjoyed immense success with Fradi, winning the league title, while featuring in a domestic cup final and reaching the knockout stages of the Europa League last season.
Salzburg vs. SK Brann - Austrian’s to follow up on first-leg demolition
One match that many are considering a banker for accas and parlays this week is the clash over at the Red Bull Arena, where Salzburg have a commanding 4-1 lead over last season’s Eliteserien runners-up, SK Brann.
The Norwegian side made the perfect start by nicking a goal in the 20th minute in the first leg, but the Austrian giants took their performance up a level in the second half, with Nene Dorgeles, Karim Onisiwo, Yorbe Vertessen and Maurits Kjaergaard all getting on the scoresheet. The same show is expected this week, as you can see by checking out our Salzburg vs SK Brann prediction.
The Red Bulls dominated the match in almost every statistical category, and given their record at home, a big win is expected by them this week according to our experts.
