AEK Athens in Control Against Vidi

Champions League | Preview

28/08/18

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The final round of Champions League qualifiers takes place this week and on Tuesday night AEK Athens of Greece welcome Vidi of Hungary to the Olympiako Stadio Spyros Louis in the Greek capital.

This is the second leg of the playoff tie between the two teams and the last chance for those hoping to reach the group stages.

AEK Athens will start the match full of confidence having claimed a 2-1 win in the away leg and know the two away goals could prove to be vital should they be unable to win the match. Vidi know they are up against it in what will be a very good atmosphere inside the stadium.

Trends show AEK Athens have made an unbeaten start to the 2018/19 season. Their 2-0 home win on the weekend was their first match in the Greek Super League and they sit joint top of the table. The three other games played by AEK Athens this campaign have all come in the Champions league.

Having entered the competition at the third qualifying stage, AEK Athens were handed a tough draw against Celtic. The Scottish champions have played in the group stages in each of the past two seasons but AEK Athens came away from Glasgow with a good 1-1 draw in the first leg.

That set them up nicely for the home leg of the tie and AEK Athens established a two goal lead in the game before eventually running out 3-2 winners on aggregate.

The Greeks are very difficult to beat on their own turf and you must go back nineteen matches to find the last time they lost a competitive fixture at home.

Vidi were disappointed to lose the first leg of this tie on home soil and having conceded two goals, they are up against it in Greece. The Hungarian club have had a long road to reach this stage having started in the first round of Champions league qualifying.

Vidi played F91 Dudelange in the first round, drawing away and winning at home before recording a good result against Ludogorets in the second round, drawing 0-0 away and winning 1-0 at home. Vidi were paired with Malmo in the third round and picked up a 1-1 draw away before seeing out the tie with a 0-0 draw at home.

However, this time the tables have been turned and Vidi are playing away in the second leg having already lost the first. Trends show Vidi have failed to win any of their three away Champions League qualifying games this season.

Team news and the only major injury doubt for AEK Athens is central defender Dmytro Chygrynskiy, who is yet to play a match this season. Konstantinos Galanopoulos returns from suspension following his red card at Celtic and may start the match.

Vidi have no new injury or suspensions concerns following the first leg of this tie. They are expected to go with the same starting XI which picked up a 1-1 draw at Malmo in the previous round.

Vidi have enjoyed a good run to this stage of the competition but it appears their time is up. AEK Athens are good at home and with a one goal advantage, are expected to seal their passage to the group stages with a win.