Champions League Play-Off Tips: Back 12/5 Bhoys to double up & Lyon to edge Fenerbahce

Back Celtic to win second leg as part of Betfair's Champions League qualifiers betting preview

Paul Higham has best bets for the second legs of the Champions League play-offs, with Celtic backed to double up in Austria and Lyon tipped to edge the big tie with Fenerbahce.


Sabah v Be'er Sheva Tip - Back a Sabah double

Click here for Sabah Baku v Hapoel Be'er Sheva odds
First Leg: 1-2
Tuesday 25 August, 17:45 kick-off
Live on TNT Sports1/HBO Max

Sabar Baku are 3/41.75 match favourites on the back of four straight home wins this season without conceding, including a 4-0 thrashing of Aarhus in the last round. And despite winning the first leg, Be'er Sheva have lost at this stage twice in three attempts with both coming via away leg defeats.

Hapoel then are 3/14.00 away underdogs, but a 2-0 win at Red Star Belgrade in the last round was a pretty impressive display to lean on her. Sabah have scored 2+ goals in seven of their past 10 home games in Europe so chances are the hosts will find the net, but the visitors are no mugs so we'll back them to score too.


Bodo/Glimt v Nijmegen Tip - Go big on goals in Bodo

Click here for Bodo/Glimt v Nijmegen odds
First leg: 3-1
Tuesday 25 August, 20:00 kick-off
Live on TNT Sports 1/HBO Max

Last year's Champions League surprise package Bodo/Glimt are on the brink of the group stage again after a fine first leg, and they're 1/21.50 to win the second leg too. The Norwegians have won their last nine UCL qualifiers at home and haven't lost by 2+ goals in their past 20 games so will feel pretty confident of progressing.

Bodo aren't exactly the sit back on a lead team either - they've scored 3+ goals in five of six at home, while their last seven games featured over 2.5 goals. 10 of NEC's last 11 saw both teams score as well and they've got a Europa League place to fall back on so they can take a free hit at this one.

So let's back a few goals here - in fact let's back a couple of goals each in what should be an entertaining watch.


LASK v Celtic Tip - Back the Bhoys at 12/53.40

Click here for LASK v Celtic odds
First Leg: 0-3
Tuesday 25 August, 20:00 kick-off
Live on Aazon Prime

It should be a walk in the park for Celtic after hammering the Austrian champions last week. The betting's always tricky when one side has a big lead - LASK are 9/101.90 to win the second leg but just a win is not enough. The hosts have won four of their last five victories by 3+ goals though so they're capable.

Celtic have fallen at this hurdle in their last five attempts so you'd expect some nerve if LASK score first, but that three-goal gap looks big enough for a team in such decent form - winning all four games so far this season.

More importantly they've been starting quickly, taking the lead inside half an hour in three of those four wins and if they do that again it's definitely game over. I fancy Celtic to go through with flying colours.


AEK v Levski Tip - 11/43.75 Greeks to be too good

Click here for AEK Athens v Levski Sofia odds
First Leg: 0-0
Wednesday 26 August, 20:00 kick-off
Live on TNT Sports 4/HBO Max

All to play for in Athens after a goalless first leg, and that leaves AEK in the driving seat as 1/21.50 favourites, while Levski Sofia are big 5/16.00 underdogs in the 90 minutes.

The Greeks were rusty in Bulgaria and that looks a big missed chance for Levski, as AEK won 4-0 on Saturday so look to be finding their feet - they've also won eight of 11 at home and lost just once in 10 European home games.

Levski enjoyed a thumping 6-0 win though so this should be the exact opposite of the first leg. Expect Sofia to score but I can't see them beating the Greeks.


Celje v Slovan Tip - Back Toure's team at 2/13.00

Click here for Celje v Slovan Bratislava odds
First Leg: 1-1
Wednesday 26 August, 20:00 kick-off
Live on TNT Sports 5/HBO Max

Celje are 5/42.25 match favourites here to become just the second Slovenian side to make the Champions League group phase, with Yaya Toure's Slovan Bratislava 2/13.00. Toure is unbeaten in nine as the team's manager with five clean sheets in his seven wins.

Again both sides come with goals - seven of Celje's nine games this season saw both teams score along with eight of 12 home games in Europe, while Slovan have scored 2+ goals in eight of their past 10 games on the road. But the odds are decent enough here to roll with Yaya's boys to get the job done.


Lyon v Fenerbahce Tip - French too strong at home

Click here for Lyon v Fenerbahce odds
First Leg: 1-1
Wednesday 26 August, 20:00 kick-off
Live on TNT Sports 1/HBO Max

Advantage Lyon after a draw in Turkey, with the hosts 4/51.80 match favourites with seven wins in 10 European home games, while they've progressed from five of six Champions League qualifiers. Fenerbahce are 14/53.80 as although there's plenty of big names they've lost all nine qualifiers since their last UCL group stage appearance in 2008.

All five Fenerbahce qualifiers have gone under 2.5 goals and it'll be a similar approach here, but despite having new signing Romelu Lukaku I think Lyon will just pip them - and that will likely mean the visitors drawing a blank.


Viking v Dinao Zagreb Tip - Back over 3.5 goals

Click here for Viking v Dinao Zagreb odds
First Leg: 2-2
Wednesday 26 August
Live on TNT Sports 2/HBO Max

Viking battled back from 2-0 down to draw the first leg in Croatia, and the Norwegians are 6/52.20 match favourites, but history isn't on their side as they've lost all seven Champions League play-off ties and won just one of those 15 matches.

So 13/82.63 Dinamo will still fancy their chances as a more experienced European side with seven wins from 10 UCL play-offs, but they my need to score a couple as they've managed just one away clean sheet in seven. So although I can't quite call this one there's high confidence in there being a good few goals.


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Recommended bets

Back both teams 2+ goals in Bodo/Glimt v Nijmegen @ 5/23.50

Back Celtic to beat LASK @ 12/53.40

Back Lyon to beat Fenerbahce to nil @ 23/103.30

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