The last step is left before European teams join the coveted and renewed Champions League 2024/25 group stage. Lille has to cope with Slavia Praha; Young Boys will test Galatasaray, while RB Salzburg needs to prove they are a better team than Dynamo Kyiv. What to expect from the first matches?
The UCL 2024/25 will proceed using a 36-team league format, which has altered the qualification process. The playoffs serve as the final hurdle before the main competition. Teams in the round come two distinct paths: the Champions Path for domestic league champions and the League Path for top-tier league runners-up.
The first legs of this season’s playoffs are scheduled for August 20-21, with the decisive return legs taking place on August 27-28, 2024. Our preview will provide the best tips for Champions League playoffs 24-25 for three exciting Playoff matches.
| ℹ️ Tournament: | UEFA Champions League 2024/25 Qualification Playoffs, First Leg |
| ⚽️ Venue: | Stade Du Hainaut, Valenciennes, France |
| 🗓️ Date: | 20 August 2024 |
| ⏰ Time: | 19:00 GMT on Tuesday |
Here are the UCL 2024 playoff odds for the first-leg encounter:
Lille will play their fourth match of the 2024-25 season as they host Slavia Prague in the first leg of the Champions League playoffs on Tuesday night. They finished 4th last season in the French Ligue 1 which puts them in the third qualifying round of the UCL. In that round, they defeated Fernabache 2-1 on home turf before a 1-1 draw in Turkey. Following a strong start in Ligue 1 with a 2-0 win over Reims, Lille aims to return to the Champions League for the first time in three seasons. Their top scorer last season, Jonathan David, will play a key role in their ambitions.
Slavia Prague has played five league games this season and remains unbeaten. They began the season with a goalless draw against Slovacko. They have been dominant in other encounters, securing four consecutive wins. After finishing second in the Czech First League, Slavia entered the UCL third qualifying round via the League Path. They defeated Union Saint-Gilloise 4-1 on aggregate to move to this stage. With Václav Jurečka and Mojmír Chytil, who combined for 35 goals last season, Slavia enters this encounter being pretty confident.
Here is our Lille vs Slavia Praha betting tip:
2 (100%)
0
Lille and Slavia Prague clash have a history of producing goals. Their last two Europa League encounters each produced at least four goals, with Lille winning both. However, Tuesday’s match could be different. Slavia Prague enters the game in strong form, having won six of their last eight European matches. With three or more goals scored in many of those games, an action-packed contest with over two goals is expected. From a large variety of LOSC vs Slavia Praha 2024 UCL picks, we are settling for this option.
| ℹ️ Tournament: | UEFA Champions League 2024/25 Qualification Playoffs, First Leg |
| ⚽️ Venue: | Waldorf Stadion, Bern, Switzerland |
| 🗓️ Date: | 21 August 2024 |
| ⏰ Time: | 19:00 GMT on Wednesday |
Champions League 24/25 bookmakers are offering the following game odds for this contest:
Young Boys secured their sixth Swiss Super League title last season, winning by 12 points over Lugano. Despite this success, Raphaël Wicky’s side has struggled early in the new league season, with two draws and three losses in their first five games. They face Galatasaray in the Champions League play-off round without a competitive win since a 10-0 Swiss Cup victory. The Swiss champions will be without four key players: Saidy Janko, Lukasz Łakomy, Facient Conte, and Kastriot Imeri.
Galatasaray claimed their 24th domestic title by surpassing the 100-point mark last season. Their league success ensured they successfully defended their Süper Lig crown. They’ve started their bid for a third consecutive title strongly, securing wins over Konyaspor and Hatayspor in their first two matches. Galatasaray will seek to enter this season’s Champions League after participating in 2023/24. This match will be the first time they face Swiss champions Young Boys. Hakim Ziyech’s loan from Chelsea was made permanent, while Dries Mertens extended his contract with the Turkish champion. Davinson Sánchez will miss this tie due to injury.
Here is our Young Boys vs Galatasaray betting tip:
2 (100%)
0
Mauro Icardi has been crucial to Galatasaray’s success since his 2022 move from PSG. The Argentine striker was the league’s top scorer last season with 25 goals, leading Galatasaray to their 24th title. Galatasaray’s impressive away form, with seven consecutive wins, provides a solid backdrop for Icardi to excel. He has scored in four of their last six away games, netting six goals. With Champions League experience at Inter and PSG, he’s poised to score in this match. Many other YB vs GAL 2024 predictions also expect this outcome.
| ℹ️ Tournament: | UEFA Champions League 2024/25 Qualification Playoffs, First Leg |
| ⚽️ Venue: | Arena Lublin, Lublin, Poland |
| 🗓️ Date: | 21 August 2024 |
| ⏰ Time: | 19:00 GMT on Wednesday |
Here are the current odds for the Dynamo vs Salzburg UCL 2024 predictions on popular soccer betting sites:
Dynamo Kyiv started their league campaign strongly, winning their first two matches. After finishing second in the Ukrainian Premier League last season, they entered the UCL qualifiers in the second round via the League Path. Dynamo secured a dominant 9-2 aggregate win over Partizan and followed up by defeating Rangers 3-1 on aggregate in the third qualifying round. This earned them a playoff spot against Salzburg. They aim to return to the UCL for the first time since 2021/22. Dynamo will rely on their young striker Vladyslav Vanat and midfield engine Mykola Shaparenko to fuel their ambitions.
Salzburg’s decade-long reign in the Austrian Bundesliga ended last season when they lost the title to Sturm Graz. Despite leading the table during the regular season, they faltered in the championship round, missing out on an automatic UCL spot. Salzburg entered the third qualifying round, where they edged out FC Twente 5-4 on aggregate. They’ve started the new season strongly with three consecutive wins and now aim to secure their UCL spot against Dynamo Kyiv, relying on top performers Oscar Gloukh and Karim Konaté.
Here is our Dynamo Kyiv vs RB Salzburg betting pick:
2 (67%)
(33%) 1
Dynamo Kyiv has displayed strong form in the qualifiers with convincing wins over Partizan and Rangers, while Salzburg narrowly edged past Twente with a 5-4 aggregate. Dynamo Kyiv has a favorable history against Austrian clubs, winning three consecutive matches since their 1996/97 loss to Rapid Wien. We expect Dynamo to deliver a solid home performance, aiming for a win to boost their chances of returning to the UCL for the first time since 2021/22.
Here are our Champions League 2024 Playoffs predictions:
Galatasaray appears poised for victory with Icardi expected to find the net. Lille and Slavia promise an entertaining affair with over 2.5 goals likely. Dynamo Kyiv should secure a home win. Use our 2024 UCL betting tips to select the best 2024/25 Champions League betting odds on bookmakers to win extra cash.
