Dinamo Zagreb vs Valur
07 July 1800hrs
Football – Europe – Champions League qualifiers
Pick Dinamo Zagreb Over 2.5 goals
Bookmaker Betfred
Odds: 4/5 odds taken 2000 GMT, Monday 5 July
Croatian champions Dinamo Zagreb take on their Icelandic counterparts Valur on Wednesday hoping to make the group stages of the Champions League for the fourth time in six seasons.
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Dinamo Zagreb Preview – Can Croats show their class as they look to go all the way to the group stages?
Dinamo Zagreb won their fourth successive Croatian League title last season and their 15th in the last 16 years. It’s a remarkably dominant record and gives them another chance to reach the group stages of the Champions League. Something they have done in four of the last six seasons. They missed out last season but did make it through to the quarter-finals of the Europa League, losing 3-1 on aggregate to eventual winners Villareal.
That indicates just how much this club are developing into a consistent European force and they will be expecting to get past this opponent with the minimum of fuss.
Now under the care of Damir Krznar, this will be Dinamo’s first competitive game of the new season. They will be without numerous key players including Bruno Petkovic and Mislav Orsic who were representing Croatia at Euro 2020. That may see the returning Duje Cop take a prominent role in his tie. Cop has come back to Dinamo after leaving in 2015 following a very successful spell.
Dinamo’s League season begins on the 16th of July and they will hope to be looking ahead to the second Champions League qualifier when they begin that title defence.
Valur Preview – Will Valur cause a big shock as they look to win their first Champions League tie?
Valur clinched their third league title in four years last season, earning them a crack at the Champions League qualifiers. Heimir Gudjonsson – who won five league titles with rivals FH – joined the club as head coach in 2020 and he has ensured that Valur remain the dominant team in Iceland in recent years. They won the title by eight points in his first season, with his former club in second place.
Valur are setting the pace again this time around with a five point lead with 10 games of their league season left. They’ve played a game more than their rivals, however, so there is some work to do.
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Their record in the Champions League qualifiers does not make for pleasant reading. The one highlight in recent times has been a famous 1-0 win against Rosenborg at home back in 2018 but they went on to the lose the tie 3-2 – that’s the closest they have come to getting beyond this stage.
If they are to spring a huge surprise and get the better of Dinamo Zagreb over two legs then Danish striker Patrick Pedersen will have to be at his very best. He scored 14 goals in their league-winning campaign last season and has five goals in nine matches so far this year.
Dinamo Zagreb vs Valur Betting Advice
Dinamo will not be a full strength for this game but they should still have enough to see off this opponent. Valur have never won away from home in the Champions League qualifiers and they look really up against it this time around as well.
The Croatian champions are unbeaten in their last 18 league games at home, have only lost to Manchester City in their last six home games in the Champions League (a run which has included wins against Atalanta and Rosenborg) and have beaten the likes of Tottenham, Benfica and CSKA Moscow at home in the Europa League.
Key Facts – Dinamo Zagreb vs Valur Betting Tip
- Dinamo Zagreb won their 22nd Croatia league title last season, winning it by eight points
- Valur won their 22nd Icelandic title in 2020 meaning they are now four behind the most successful club, KR
- Dinamo are unbeaten in their last nine home games, winning eight of the them
Valur will be out their depth over the two legs and I’m expecting a comfortable home win for Dinamo. Take them to score three or more goals in this game.
Best Betting Odds for Dinamo Zagreb vs Valur
