David Flower
Dailysports's expert
Maccabi Tel Aviv
FC FCSB
One of the most intriguing clashes in the second round of Champions League qualification will be played on Wednesday in Budapest, where Israel's Maccabi Tel Aviv will host Romania's FCSB. The first leg in Bucharest ended in a 1-1 draw. Who will advance to the next round? Here is the match prediction from the experts at Dailysports.
Maccabi Tel Aviv
The Tel Aviv club claimed the gold medals last season for the first time since 2020. The club is aiming for a successful run in the premier European competition, but their qualification opponent is quite formidable. In the first leg, Maccabi scored first in the 71st minute, but the Romanians managed to avoid defeat with Dawa's goal in the 76th minute.
It's worth noting that the Israeli league has yet to start, and the "Yellow Devils" prepared for qualification through friendlies. The team can boast victories over Omonia and Rukh, and in the Israeli Super Cup match, Maccabi Tel Aviv defeated Maccabi Petah Tikva 2-0.
FCSB
The "Red-Blues" won the championship last season for the first time since 2015 and added the Romanian Super Cup to their trophy cabinet this summer by thrashing Hunedoara 3-0. However, their start to the new Romanian league season has been disappointing, with just two points from the first three rounds.
Over the weekend, FCSB hosted Oțelul and lost 0-2, leaving them 12th in the standings with two points. In the previous round of Champions League qualification, FCSB had no issues dispatching Virtus with 7-1 and 4-0 victories.
Interesting facts about the match and head-to-head history
- The teams have never met in European competitions.
- In three of FCSB's last five matches, both teams scored.
- In only one of Maccabi's last five matches has the "Both Teams to Score" bet won.
Maccabi Tel Aviv vs FCSB Prediction
Bookmakers give a slight edge to the Israelis, but it's worth noting that the match will be played on neutral ground. There is a high chance of extra time, and for a bet, we recommend "Total Under 2.5" at odds of 1.80.
