Conference League Predictions

Hearts vs SK Rapid: two red-hot attacks collide Rapid Vienna put eight past Grazer AK on Sunday. Hearts have scored 11 in their last three outings. So this Conference League play-off brings together two sides who have forgotten how to shut the tap off. The first leg is on Thursday at Tynecastle Park. The Austrians…

Gornik Zabrze vs Monaco: a European return against a side thats yet to kick a ball Monaco play their first official game of the season on Thursday. Ligue 1 only gets going after this trip to Poland. The first leg of this Conference League playoff takes place at Stadion Ernest-Pohl in Zabrze, and it will…

Rangers vs Jablonec : Ibrox could decide their European season Rangers had to wait until their fifth competitive outing to get a win. The 5-1 demolition of St Mirren on Sunday finally snapped a nervy start to the campaign. That result comes just in time for Thursday’s Conference League playoff first leg against Jablonec at…

Atalanta vs Hapoel Tel-Aviv: Bergamo are back at rock bottom in Europe Two years after lifting the Europa League, Atalanta find themselves in a Conference League play-off. The drop-off is brutal. The Bergamo club were still in the Champions League last season. A poor Serie A campaign has dumped them into Europe’s third-tier competition, and…

Tromso vs Brighton: heading north for the Seagulls Tromso sits 217 miles inside the Arctic Circle. No European professional club plays farther north. So the first leg of this Conference League play-off kicks off on Thursday 20 August at Romssa Arena. The ground holds 6,691 and has a synthetic pitch. Those two details matter more…

Motherwell vs Fribourg: Scots up against a European finalist Motherwell have lost just three competitive matches at Fir Park in more than 12 months. Two came against Falkirk, the other against Celtic. That record sets the tone for this Conference League first-leg playoff, scheduled for Thursday 20 August at 19:30. Fir Park will be packed…

Getafe vs Partizan Belgrade: a revamped Coliseum for the Azulones’ European return Getafe finished last season’s La Liga in seventh place. That finish earned them a spot in the Conference League. The first-leg playoff takes place on Thursday, August 20 at the Coliseum. It also marks the debut of the stadium’s new stands, after months…

Sion vs Ajax: two leaky defences meet Ajax have shipped two goals against Shelbourne on August 13, then two more against Heerenveen on August 16. Four conceded in two games for a club of that size is a bad look. The first leg of this Conference League playoff is on Thursday, August 20, at Stade…

Braga vs Austria Vienne: one goal in 180 minutes, and a place in the tie decided by penalties Braga got through the Conference League third qualifying round with just one goal across the two legs. Dinamo Minsk were edged out 1-0 at home before a 0-0 draw away on 13 August. The first leg of…