Malmo vs Ludogorets Betting Tip Malmo – 18 August 2021

Malmo may have enough to get first leg lead

SwedenMalmo vs LudogoretsBulgaria
18 August 2000hrs
Football – Europe – Champions League
Pick Malmo
Bookmaker Betvictor
Odds: 19/20 odds taken 2000 GMT, Tuesday 17 August

 

A somewhat surprising playoff to reach the Champions League but one of Malmo and Ludogorets will be competing with Europe’s best as they go head to head in their first leg clash on Wednesday.

 

Bet at Betvictor

 

Malmo Preview – Will Malmo use home advantage and take a lead with them over to Bulgaria?

It’s been a disappointing couple of weeks domestically for Malmo who have found themselves knocked off top spot by Djurgarden following a draw and a defeat but the Swedish champions are going great guns in their quest to qualify for the Champions League. They’ve not reached the group stages since 2015/16 and the one similarity with that season to this is they defeated the Scottish champions en route.

Despite being reduced to 10 men in the first half of their second leg tie against Rangers last time out Malmo showed great desire to score two goals unanswered in the second half ensuring they won 4-2 on aggregate. It was a tie they were underdogs in but were pretty comfortable throughout.

 

Our betting prediction
Malmo win/and No BTTS
(odds taken 2000 GMT, Tuesday 17 August)

The hero of the second leg for Malmo was Croatian striker Antonio-Mirko Colak. On loan from PAOK it’s been a brilliant first season in Sweden to this point. He’s joint top scorer in the domestic league and has hit five goals in Champions League qualification. He also scored in six straight games earlier in the season.

Jon Dahl Tomasson has only known success since taking charge of the club in January of last year and for a man who has won so much as a player (including this competition) this would be another huge achievement if he can get Malmo to the group stages.

Ludogorets Preview – Can Ludogorets follow up their surprising win against Olympiakos with a big performance here?

Just as their opponents were unfancied in the previous round of qualification, Ludogorets were also seen as being less likely to advance having been drawn with Olympiakos. Having won their ninth league title last season the objective for this club would have been to be playing some form of European group stage football but they’re not two games away from doing that at the top table.

Aggregate wins over Shakhtyor and Mura lined them up for a tougher test against the Greek champions and after a two very close games it was Ludogorets who prevailed eventually on penalties.

 

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Valdas Dambrauskas has been head coach for less than a year but he’s this group of players have not missed a beat under him and they have won both games in the league so far this season along with a thumping win in the Bulgatian Super Cup.

Pieros Sotiriou is a serial winner across the minor European leagues having won titles in Denmark and Kazakhstan before arriving in Bulgatia. The Cypriot scored a penalty in regulation time as well as the shootout in last week’s win over Olympiakos.

Malmo vs Ludogorets Betting Advice

Many expected Rangers to be facing Olympiakos in this playoff when the draw was made last month. Instead, these two clubs have sprung a surprise of their own and have the prospect of reaching the group stages for the first time in six and five years respectively.

The loser is also guaranteed group stage football but will drop into the Europa League.

 

Key Facts – Malmo vs Ludogorets Betting Tip

  • Malmo comfortably accounted for Rangers in the previous round despite playing the majority of the second leg with 10 men
  • Ludogorets are looking to reach the Champions League group stages for the first time since 2016
  • You have to go back to the previous season for the last time Malmo reached the same stage of this competition

 

Malmo’s domestic form has dropped a bit probably in part to their European commitments but they are strong at home. They have played 10 competitive home games so far with eight wins and one draw. Their sole defeat came on Saturday when losing 3-2 courtesy of losing a goal with virtually the last kick against IFK Goteborg.

Malmo have shown enough to suggest they can get a lead to take to Bulgaria with them next week.

 

Best Betting Odds for Malmo vs Ludogorets

Malmo: 19/20 at Betfred
Draw: 23/10 at Betfred
Ludogorets: 3/1 at Betfred