Europa League - Start of the play-offs - Clubs chase Glory in the First Leg
by Thobelani Moyo | by Thobelani Moyo
Midtjylland vs KuPS: Danish side favored in the Scandinavian clash
- Venue: MCH Arena
- Date & Time: 21 August 2025, 17:30 (BST)
Midtjylland are enjoying a great start to the 2025-26 season. In the Danish Superliga, they are yet to taste defeat in five outings and are a mere three points adrift of early pacesetter FC Copenhagen.
The Danish powerhouse has also been impressive in the UEFA Europa League qualifiers. It's now four games without defeat for Midtjylland in this competition after easily brushing aside Fredrikstad in the second leg of the third qualifying round, securing a 2-0 home victory (won 5-1 on aggregate).
Last season, they managed to feature in the league phase of the UEFA Europa League. A 20th-place finish was enough to grant them a spot in the play-offs. Victory in both legs against KuPS here could see them compete in the league phase for the second consecutive time. The last time they achieved this feat was between 2022 and 2023 before the competitions' revamp. Can they repeat history? Check out what our experts have to say about this match in our Midtjylland vs KuPS prediction.
KuPS started in the UEFA Champions League qualifiers, but a 3-2 aggregate defeat against Kairat Almaty in the third qualifying round meant the Finnish side had no choice but to drop into the UEFA Europa League qualifiers.
Keltamusta proved their worth in both legs against Latvia's RFS and won 3-1 on aggregate in the third qualifying round.
Depending on the results in the play-off round, whether good or bad, they are still guaranteed an opportunity to make it to the main draw of European competition for the first time in club history.
Slovan Bratislava vs Young Boys: Two sides seeking Europa League redemption
- Venue: Tehelne Pole
- Date & Time: 21 August 2025, 19:15 (BST)
Slovan Bratislava are still searching for their first appearance in the group/league stage of the UEFA Europa League since the 2019-20 season. During that period, they settled for third place in Group K.
In the previous season, however, they found themselves competing in the UEFA Champions League for the first time in club history. It wasn't the best of showings as they finished second-to-bottom in the 36-team table.
Hopes of securing a second consecutive appearance in the group/league stage of the UEFA Champions League this season were dashed by a 4-3 defeat against Kairat Almaty on penalties. That result saw them drop to Europe's second-tier competition.
Another demotion is likely to serve as a disappointment for the Slovakian team, and that also rings true for Young Boys, who have big goals to achieve in Europe's second-tier competition after a poor showing in last season's UEFA Champions League.
The Switzerland club was one of two sides alongside Slovan Bratislava that failed to claim any points in eight games, thus finishing at the bottom of the 36-team league phase.
Giorgio Contini's men have a lot of pedigree in the UEFA Europa League. They were seen appearing in the group stages in the 2020-21 season, and that marked the last time.
Can Young Boys secure a first-leg advantage in the play-off round in a bid to make their return in the main draw at this stage after a four-year absence? Let's find out in our Slovan Bratislava vs Young Boys prediction!
Lincoln Red Imps vs. Braga: Minnows eyeing historic win against Portuguese powerhouse
- Venue: Estadio Algarve
- Date & Time: 21 August 2025, 20:00 (BST)
Lincoln Red Imps are a powerhouse in Gibraltar football, and last season, we got a taste of their dominance as they clinched their tenth Premier Division Gibraltar title. This was also their fifth in a row.
That achievement was enough to guarantee them a spot in the UEFA Champions League qualifiers, marking their tenth appearance. Their journey was short-lived, though, after being mauled 6-1 on aggregate over two games against Crvena Zvezda in the second qualifying round.
In light of that result, a drop to Europe's second-tier competition—UEFA Europa League qualifiers was unavoidable. The third qualifying round saw them pitted against Noah, and in both legs, the odds were stacked against them. However, they stood strong in the face of adversity and won 6-5 on penalties.
Braga is the only obstacle standing in Lincoln Red Imps' way of making their first appearance in the UEFA Europa League group/league stage. For insights and analysis on this match, head on to the Lincoln Red Imps vs Braga prediction.
Os Arcebispos have made a perfect start to the 2025-26 season. They are unbeaten in six games. This includes two wins in the Primeira Liga and two in four UEFA Europa League qualifiers (D2).
According to our betting experts, Carlos Vicens' men are expected to cruise to a comfortable win without conceding a goal in the first leg of the UEFA Europa League play-off round.
