Zrinjski entertain Slovan Bratislava at the Stadion Bijeli Brijeg in the UEFA Champions League second qualifying round first leg on Tuesday (July 25).
Zrinjski made it to this stage after a hotly contested clash with Armenian team Urartu in the first qualifying round. Zrinjski won the first leg 1-0 away but lost 3-2 at home, prompting a penalty shootout that ended 4-3 in their favour. They had crashed out in the first qualifying round last term.
Plemici won the Premier League of Bosnia and Herzegovina last season with a 20-point lead over second-placed Borac Banja Luka. Zrinjski forward Nemanja Bilbija finished as the league’s top scorer with 24. The Mostar-based side have lost at home only once in their last ten games across competitions.
Slovan, meanwhile, also entered the competition in the first qualifying round. They drew 1-1 at home to Swift Hesperange of Luxembourg but won 2-0 away, thanks to Vladimir Weiss. He also orchestrated their equaliser in the first leg, taking his tally to three goals in two games.
Belasí competed in the Champions League last season, entering in the first qualifying round but dropped to the UEFA Europa Conference League. They crashed out in the Round of 16 against Basel. Slovan are unbeaten in six games,
Zrinjski’s star Nemanja Bilbija is expected to lead the team in the continental campaign following his brilliant performance last season. The hosts will also count on their good defence as they welcome the Slovak Super Liga champions.
Meanwhile, Weiss scored nine times for Slovan last season, while Aleksandar Cavric was second with 15 goals in the overall scoring chart. Both players will constitute the team’s attacking threat once again.
Zrinjski, though, come in as the favourites based
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