Hiram Moreno
The final playoff round of the UEFA Champions League 2022/23 marks the end of the qualifying round. Several teams that reach this stage have had a long road in this preliminary phase, while this will be the first round for some, but all of them will seek the same goal: to qualify for the most important club competition in the world.
While the loser of these series is guaranteed a spot in the UEFA Europa League 2022/23, neither will want to be eliminated at this point in matches that are sure to be exciting, and which JefeBet analyzed to bring you the best match information. Here are our picks for each of the first leg matches between August 16 and 17, 2022.
Champions League Playoffs General P&P
Bodo/Glimt vs. Dinamo Zagreb
This will be an interesting clash as Bodo/Glimt made a name for themselves in Europe last season in the Conference League by reaching the round of 16, and now face a Dinamo Zagreb side that is more accustomed to playing in the Champions League.
Both clubs arrive on the right foot and it is difficult to predict a winner, and we believe that this series will be defined in Croatia after both clubs draw in the first leg in cold Scandinavia.
Prediction: Tie
[Bodo/Glimt vs. Dinamo Zagreb betting tips complete]
Copenhagen vs. Trabzonspor
This match between Copenhagen and Trabzonspor will see both teams debut in the Champions League qualifying round as champions of their respective countries.
Copenhagen has had an up-and-down start to the 2022/23 European soccer season, while Trabzonspor is in perfect form four games into the season. In addition, the home team has several important absentees in its squad, which makes us think that the Turks could take at least a draw from Denmark.
Prediction: Trabzonspor Asian Handicap +0.5
[Copenhagen vs. Trabzonspor betting tips complete]
Rangers vs. PSV
Possibly the most interesting match of this Champions League playoff first leg series will be this one between Rangers and PSV, with the Scots trying to reach the Champions League after a campaign that saw them reach the Europa League final in the previous season.
That campaign saw the Rangers play entertaining back-and-forth clashes in which both teams had chances to score, and considering they face an opponent that started this season being quite explosive in attack, we believe the match can end with more than 2.5 total goals.
Prediction: Over 2.5 goals
[Rangers vs. PSV betting tips complete]
Qarabag vs. Plzen
This is not exactly the star match of the day, but both the Azerbaijani club and the Czechs have an important ticket to the Champions League at stake, which will not only increase their prestige, but also bring in a good amount of money to their coffers.
Plzen have perfect form in this knockout stage, winning all four games they have played so far and scoring at least two goals in each, and eliminated Sheriff Tiraspol who surprised everyone last season, so we are aiming for another win for them.
Prediction: Plzen wins
[Qarabag vs. Plzen betting tips complete].
Dynamo Kiev vs. Benfica
This is undoubtedly the most uneven matchup of all in this playoff phase, as it pits a Dynamo Kiev side that cannot even play matches on home soil and has been without consistent official activity against a Benfica side that is used to reaching the knockout rounds of this tournament.
In fact, Dinamo needed extra time in their two previous series to get here, while Benfica won by a scandalous 7-2 aggregate score in the previous round against Midtjylland. There is not much to think about in this clash, and we give Benfica as the clear winner.
Prediction: Benfica wins
[Dynamo Kiev vs. Benfica betting tips complete]
Maccabi Haifa vs. Red Star Belgrade
For the neutral, this match has little to do, but for Maccabi Haifa it will be of vital importance as they seek to reach the Champions League group stage for the third time in their history, and standing in their way is a former European champion in the form of Red Star Belgrade.
Maccabi’s performance has been inconsistent, winning only two of its four matches so far in the qualifying round of this competition, while Red Star has been unstoppable in this 2022/23 season, winning all seven of its matches by an aggregate score of 28-1, and could celebrate again this time around.
Prediction: Red Star wins
[Maccabi Haifa vs Red Star betting tips complete]
