Wednesday's Champions League first qualifying round predictions and odds: Larne long odds to pull off historic victory

Best bets

Ferencvaros win to nil
1pt 4-6 bet365, Coral

Olimpija Ljubljana
1pt 3-4 general

Champions League qualifying first-round preview

Champions League debutants Larne gave a respectable account of themselves when losing 1-0 away to HJK Helsinki in last Wednesday's first leg of their qualifying tie and they will be striving to create history by seeing off the Finns in the return at Solitude, Belfast.

Larne have enjoyed a meteoric rise since being acquired by Purplebricks co-founder Kenny Bruce in October 2018.

Within a year of Bruce's takeover, the Inver Reds won promotion to the Northern Irish Premiership, and they were crowned top flight champions in 2022-23.

Larne competed well in Helsinki last week, losing the shot count five to three, but they are 4-1 underdogs to progress at the expense of their Finnish opponents, who reached the Europa League group stage last term.

Hungarian champions Ferencvaros should have few problems getting past Klaksvik, despite being held to a 0-0 draw in the Faroe Islands last Tuesday.

Klaksvik spent most of the first leg defending and were probably pleased with a draw after losing the shot count ten to three.

They face a far sterner test in Budapest and there is value in siding with the Hungarian hosts to advance with a victory and a clean sheet.

Slovenian champions Olimpija Ljubljana were dominant 2-1 first leg winners at home to Latvians Valmiera last Tuesday and they should have no problem extending their advantage on their trip to the Baltic.

Valmiera scored from one of just three shots in the first leg, but they will have to take a few more risks on home soil and could leave themselves open against superior opponents.

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