Champions League qualifiers: Wednesday match predictions and free tips

Free football tips, best bets and analysis for Wednesday's Champions League second qualifying round ties

Where to watch

Celtic v Ferencvaros, Premier Sports 1, 7.45pm Wednesday

Best bets

Under 2.5 goals in Celtic v Ferencvaros
1pt 23-20 bet365

Maccabi Tel Aviv
1pt 31-40Betway

Omonia Nicosia or draw double chance
1pt 23-20Hills

Preview

Celtic have failed to reach the Champions League group stage in each of the past two seasons and face a tricky challenge at home to Hungarian champions Ferencvaros in the second qualifying round.

Neil Lennon's side enjoyed themselves at home to Icelandic side KR Reykjavik in last Tuesday's first qualifying round, winning 6-0 with the help of two goals from Southampton loanee Mohamed Elyounoussi, and they are warm odds-on favourites to topple Ferencvaros without need of extra-time or penalties.

But the Scottish champions are more likely to get dragged into a tight contest by the Hungarian side, who reached this stage with an impressive 2-0 success at home to Swedish champions Djurgardens.

Ferencvaros have lost only two of their 23 matches since last December, conceding just 14 goals, and have hopes of becoming the first Hungarian team to reach the group stage since Debrecen in 2009.

A close contest look likely and there may be value in backing under 2.5 goals at odds-against.

Solid defending has been a feature of Maccabi Tel Aviv's rise to the pinnacle of Israeli football and it can help them to overcome their Lithuanian opponents Suduva in Champions League qualifying.

Maccabi have collected successive domestic titles, conceding 17 goals in 36 matches in the 2018-19 campaign and just ten goals in 36 matches last season.

They have changed managers this summer with Giorgos Donis replacing new Watford boss Vladimir Ivic but they have remained defensively sound while winning 2-0 at home to Riga in the Champions League first qualifying round.

Further progress is on the cards at the expense of Suduva, who have never reached the third qualifying round.

A surprise result looks possible in the Polish capital where Legia Warsaw look vulnerable odds-on favourites at home to Cypriot outfit Omonia Nicosia.

Polish clubs have a poor record in Uefa competitions and the nation's Uefa coefficient is way down at 32nd among 55 European nations.

While the Polish teams have room for improvement, Cypriot clubs, assisted by the considerable exploits of Apoel Nicosia, have done much better, helping the island nation climb two places to 14th on the latest coefficients.

Apoel won seven domestic titles between 2013 and 2019 but their stranglehold was broken last season by city rivals Omonia, who won their 21st domestic championship.

Omonia's next challenge is to make an impact on the European stage and they have a decent chance against Legia Warsaw, who were unconvincing 1-0 winners at home to Linfield in the previous round.

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