Zalgiris vs. Galatasaray (Tuesday, 5.00pm)
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Galatasaray will get their Champions League qualification campaign underway this week when they head to Vilniaus LFF stadionas to take on FK Zalgiris in the first leg of the second round of qualifiers on Tuesday evening.
After a stalemate on their home patch, the hosts managed to overcome Struga 2-1 in the second leg of the first qualifying round, while Galatasaray will be playing their first match of the European season in this one.
We say: FK Zalgiris 0-2 Galatasaray
While Galatasaray have parted ways with several first-team players over the summer, they still have plenty of quality in their ranks and are heavily fancied to progress in this tie. The hosts will likely try to keep this one level for as long as possible, but we fancy the visitors to secure the victory.
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HJK Helsinki vs. Molde (Tuesday, 5.00pm)
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HJK Helsinki will welcome the Norwegian champions Molde to Bolt Arena on Tuesday for the first leg of their Champions League qualifying tie.
Molde are starting their Champions League campaign in the second round of qualifying, while the Finnish side have already beaten Larne in Europe this season.
We say: HJK Helsinki 1-1 Molde
HJK will be desperate to make full of home advantage in the first leg, but we think they will have to be content with a draw against a Molde side who have proven to be a tough team to beat in recent times after winning six and drawing one of their last seven games.
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Dinamo Zagreb vs. Astana (Tuesday, 7.00pm)
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Dinamo Zagreb will begin their journey in the 2023/24 Champions League season when they host Astana in the second round of qualifying on Tuesday.
The visitors defeated Dinamo Tbilisi 3-2 on aggregate to reach this stage, and they will be hopeful of returning from Stadion Maksimir with a positive first leg result.
We say: Dinamo Zagreb 3-1 Astana
Dinamo Zagreb will be aiming to provide themselves with some breathing space ahead of making the lengthy journey to Kazakhstan for the second leg of this tie next week.
There is little doubt that the Croatians have much more individual quality than Astana, and we can envisage them winning by a couple of goals to increase their chances of making it through to the third round of qualifying.
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Dnipro-1 vs. Panathinaikos (Tuesday, 7.00pm)
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Both entering at the second stage of Champions League qualifying, Dnipro-1 and Panathinaikos convene in Kosice on Tuesday.
The first leg of a tie contested between two domestic league runners-up takes place in Slovakia, due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
We say: Dnipro-1 2-2 Panathinaikos
Either side will fancy their chances of progressing to the next round, so both could go forward in an attempt to build a first-leg lead. With new signings settling in to both squads, space could open up for several chances to be created by two well-matched teams.
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Servette vs. Genk (Tuesday, 7.30pm)
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After both finished runners-up in their domestic leagues last term, Servette and Genk now begin their quest for a place in the Champions League with the first leg of their second qualifying round tie on Tuesday.
While the Swiss side finished far behind Young Boys in the race for Super League glory, their Belgian counterparts were pipped at the post in the most agonising fashion imaginable.
We say: Servette 1-2 Genk
While Servette have adapted to life under new management quite seamlessly, they have yet to tackle opponents as well-drilled as a Genk side which came within minutes of being crowned Belgian champions just last month.
The visitors also held their own against Sporting and Burnley this summer, so should be capable of taking a slim lead with them into next week's second leg.
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Zrinjski Mostar vs. Slovan Bratislava (Tuesday, 8.00pm)
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Zrinjski Mostar will take on Slovan Bratislava in the first leg of their Champions League first round qualifying clash at Stadion pod Bijelim Brijegom on Tuesday.
This tie will see Bosnia & Herzegovina's champions face last season's winners of the Slovakian Super Liga.
We say: Zrinjski Mostar 1-2 Slovan Bratislava
These sides will remember each other well after meeting at the final hurdle of qualifying for the Europa Conference League last season, with Slovan Bratislava ultimately prevailing from that tie on penalties.
There is little doubt that the Slovakian champions possess both greater European pedigree and individual quality, and we can envisage them gaining an impressive victory in Mostar on Tuesday.
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Breidablik vs. Copenhagen (Tuesday, 8.15pm)
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Icelandic champions Breidablik will be aiming to cause a major upset against their Nordic opponents Copenhagen in the second round of Champions League qualifying on Tuesday.
The visitors, meanwhile, progressed to the group stage of this competition for the first time in six seasons last time around.
We say: Breidablik 0-1 Copenhagen
Breidablik will be reminiscing about their victory against Rosenborg at this stage 12 years ago, but we expect Copenhagen to keep them at arm's length for the majority of the contest.
However, the Danes have not been great travellers in this competition down the years, and they may have to wait until the reverse leg to completely wrap up this tie.
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Oliver Thomas
