Copenhagen Face Tricky Champions League Tie in Vardar

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25/07/17

Copenhagen Face Tricky Champions League Tie in Vardar

Champions League qualifying has reached the third-round stage and the teams are starting to believe they can make it into the group stages of the tournament.

On Tuesday night FK Vardar of Macedonia will meet FC Copenhagen of Denmark at the Nacionalna Arena Filip II Makedonski in Skopje. FC Copenhagen have played in the groups stages of the Champions League in the past, including last season but for FK Vardar qualification but would be a first in their history.

FK Vardar will be hoping to take an advantage from this tie with them for the second leg in Denmark. If they fail to win at home, it will be difficult for them to qualify.

FK Vardar entered the 2017/18 Champions League in the second qualifying round and were not given much of a hope against Malmo. The Swedes, much like FC Copenhagen, have recent experience of playing in the group stages of the Champions League and sit top of the Swedish first division.

However, FK Vardar took a good 1-1 draw away from home in the first leg and completed the job with a 3-1 victory on home soil. They will be aiming for something similar in this tie although with the home leg first, they must take a lead with them for next week.

FK Vardar have lost only one of their previous twenty-two competitive home matches and lost just three games in winning their league last season. They remained undefeated at home all season and trends show they have conceded just 2 goals in their last eight home competitive games.

FC Copenhagen came through a tricky tie against MSK Zilina in the previous round of Champions League qualifying. Having taken the first leg away from home 3-1 it appeared the Danes would progress easily but the home leg proved troublesome and they went down 2-1, although won the tie 4-3 on aggregate.

The Danish league has recently started and FC Copenhagen have won one and drawn one of their opening two matches. Last season they were in the group stages of the Champions League and gave a decent account of themselves, finishing third to qualify for the Europa League.

Away from home in Europe FC Copenhagen have won their last two games, scoring 5 goals in the process and throughout the group stages of the competition last season, never conceded more than 1 away goal in a match.

FK Vardar have no injury concerns or suspension worries ahead of this match. Brazilian Jonathan Balotelli is expected to start up-front with support from Boban Nikolov.

FC Copenhagen will be without full-back Peter Andersen and midfielder Rasmus Falk who are injured. Andrija Pavlovic will start in attack having scored a hattrick in the first leg of the second round and he also found the back of the net at the weekend.

This is going to be a closely fought contest and FC Copenhagen will not underestimate FK Vardar after their result in the previous round. Given past home and away performance in the Champions League, a draw with both teams scoring seems a likely outcome from this game.