Karabakh vs. Viktoria Plzen: Preview and betting tips

Viktoria Plzeň is one step away from its dream goal. All that is left is to get through one preliminary round and they will be in the Champions League. The millions collected would fill its budget for the year ahead. Can it get past Karabakh?

No one gave Viktoria much of a chance in Europe after their surprise league title. And not only because of Michal Bilek’s style of play, but also because of the fiasco in last year’s Conference League preliminaries.

But the Westerners never cease to surprise. It must be admitted, the lottery ticket also played in their favor, but even so, Pilsen didn’t have it easy.

In the second preliminary round Viktoria came up against HJK Helsinki from Finland, after a 2:1 away win they crushed their rival 5:0 at home. After that, they faced Sheriff Tiraspol and again came the popular 2:1 win, which Viktoria repeated at home.

They thus slipped through to the fourth preliminary round, which is already called the Champions League play-offs. The players will already hear the jingle of the most prestigious competition before the match, the stadium will also be covered in the sacred blue colour.

And Viktoria will take on the unpleasant Karabakh. Nobody wants to play against the Azerbaijani opponent, because it is not a big name, but it is a very good team.

Karabakh even advanced from the first preliminary round. First, they faced Polish Lech, who they blasted 5:0 after a 0:1 loss away from home. Then they knocked out Zurich from Switzerland 3:2 and 2:2.

In the third preliminary round, Karabakh faced Ferencváros of Hungary, drawing 1-1 at home and winning 3-1 away.

Senegalese striker Ibrahima Wadji is the biggest threat in Karabakh’s squad. The 27-year-old has already scored four times in the preliminary rounds, scoring 15 goals in 20 starts last season.

Plzen will again rely on Tomas Chorý, who scored twice in the prelims and added one goal in the league.

Michal Bílek’s charges are very experienced, the starting line-up is in good shape and it looks like they don’t want to miss the Champions League at any cost, as they are playing for the future of the club.

That’s why I think Viktoria will not lose the opening game.

Source: FC Viktoria Plzeň