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All about the overthrow of AEK - Big games in the Champions League
Big games are included in Wednesday's schedule for the Champions League playoffs. A match also with huge Cypriot interest for the Europa League, with AEK being called upon to overturn the 2-1 defeat in Norway and qualify for the League Phase of the competition.
AEK Larnaca welcomes Bran in the second leg of the Europa League play-offs, having to overturn the 2-1 defeat by Bergen. In Norway, the "yellow-greens" took the lead, but they suffered a defeat in injury time, being left with the bitterness that they could have left with a better result.
Imanol Idiaquez's team is building a lot at home, where so far the absolute counts: three victories against Partizan, Celje and Legia In fact, it has found the net in all seven of its European games this year, showing consistency in creation and execution. The black spot is defensively, since it only once kept its goal intact (in the first match against Partizan).
Bran, for her part, has offensive talent and "runs" the game with intensity. They have scored in 3 of their 4 European games this season, but have also conceded goals in 3 of them, confirming the image of a team that hardly keeps zero.
Goal/goal and over 2.5 win the preference. AEK is the favorite for the victory, in a satisfactory performance, but for qualification it is Bran.
Benfica returned to Lisbon with a small but important lead after the 0-0 draw at the "hot" home of Fenerbahce. In Turkey, the "eagles" played with a player less than 72 minutes, due to the dismissal of Florentino Luis, but they managed to hold on and get the result they wanted. The draw gives Benfica an advantage to qualify for the League Phase of the top club competition, as it transforms in "Da Luz".
In the league, both teams showed readiness. Benfica comfortably beat Tondela (3-0), while Fenerbahce defeated Kojaelispor (3-1), boosting their morale before the big match.
Benfica relies on the experience and strength of their home team, where they rarely lose on European nights. Fenerbahce, on the other hand, knows that it will be difficult, but it has the quality to take advantage of possible positive circumstances. Jose Mourinho's team's bet is to limit the Portuguese's fast midfielders and keep zero in defense.
Benfica is the logical favorite for victory and qualification.
The two teams left open accounts in the first game in Switzerland (1-1) for the Champions League playoffs. Basel took the lead through Shaqiri, but Copenhagen responded with Gabriel Pereira just before the break. The Swiss finished the game with ten players due to the dismissal of Ajette in the 82nd minute, but kept the score tied.
Basel had a day off in the league, aiming to reach the second leg as fresh as possible, while Copenhagen stayed at 1-1 with Odense, showing that everyone's mind was on the European match.
Copenhagen scores consistently at home. It is worth mentioning that both clubs are characterized by an attacking philosophy, but also defensive gaps that are difficult to cover at such a level.
Copenhagen is the favorite for victory and qualification.