CFR Cluj Vs Borac Banja Betting Tip: Cluj To Nil – 6 July 2021

Robust Romanians can ease to first-leg advantage

CFR Cluj / Napoca ©IMAGO / sport pictures-Razvan Pasarica 02/15/2021

Romania CFR Cluj Vs Borac Banja Luka European Union

Tuesday 6 July, 2021 – 18:00
UEFA Champions League – First Qualifying Round
Pick: CFR Cluj Win To Nil
Odds: Evens
Bookmaker: Betfair
(All betting odds correct at time of writing: 4 July 2021)

Preview: The respective domestic champions from Romania and Bosnia & Herzegovina, CFR Cluj and Borac Banja Luka, will face off for the very first time at the former’s Stadionul Dr Constantin Radulescu for the first leg of their Champions League first qualifying round tie.

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CFR Cluj – Romania’s best to flex their muscles early?

With a Europa League Round of 32 appearance in 2019-20 to their name, bowing out on away goals to that season’s eventual winners Sevilla, CFR Cluj are arguably the biggest name in this opening round. The club are seven-time national champions back in their native Romania, where they finished nine points clear last term to clinch their fourth consecutive league title with 19 victories from 30 games.

The Railwaymen are not lacking in European pedigree either. Several spells in the group stages of the Champions League and Europa League will stand them in good stead for another run through the qualifiers. They are particularly strong here in Romania, with one loss in their past nine home matches in Europe (W4 D4) which includes memorable triumphs against the likes of Celtic, Lazio and Rennes.

 

CFR Cluj Win By Exactly 2 Goals
2/1

Betfair

 

Borac Banja Luka – Bosnian champs hefty underdogs?

The duopoly of power in Bosnia was finally broken last season as Borac Banja Luka, in only their second term back in the top-flight following promotion, wrestled the title away from Sarajevo and Zrinjski, the clubs who had shared the previous seven league titles between them. Just two points separated them from Sarajevo come the end, after winning 21 of 33 league games to claim the club’s second championship.

Their reward is another crack at Europe. However, having won only two of eight previous qualifying matches (D3 L3) since their first in 2010, the odds are firmly stacked against them after receiving the hardest draw imaginable. Last season’s European adventure was brief also. After edging past Montenegro’s Sutjeska Niksic 1-0 in a one-off tie, they were swiftly sent packing by Rio Ave following a 2-0 loss in Bosnia.

 

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CFR Cluj Vs Borac Banja Luka Betting Advice

According to the latest UEFA coefficients, the Romanian Liga 1 ranks 25th in Europe – behind Norway and above Bulgaria – whereas Bosnia’s Premier League lags down in 36th, behind Luxembourg. CFR Cluj are largely responsible for Romanian football being as high as it currently is, turning out in the Europa League group stage in each of the past two seasons and producing some memorable wins along the way.

 

CFR Cluj Vs Borac Banja Luka – Key Facts:

  • Bosnian side Borac Banja Luka have only won two of eight (D3 L3) Champions League/Europa League qualifying games since 2010, losing two of three away from home (D1 L2).
  • CFR Cluj progressed through to the Europa League group stage in 2019-20 and 2020-21. In this time, seven of their eleven victories in Europe were without conceding a goal.
  • However, across the last two qualifying campaigns, CFR Cluj have only kept one clean sheet in six home qualifiers (W3 D2 L1).

 

It would be a surprise if CFR Cluj didn’t ease to victory in this first leg. Their latest saunter to the Romanian league title seen them concede just 0.5 goals per game and record 14 wins to nil. Moreover, since the start of 2019-20, seven of their eleven victories in Europe (qualifying and group stage matches) were accompanied by a clean sheet. Another win to nil would set them up nicely for the return leg in Bosnia.

Best Betting Odds – CFR Cluj Vs Borac Banja Luka

CFR Cluj – 2/7
Draw – 18/5
Borac Banja Luka – 15/2

(All odds taken from Betfair)