Champions League qualifying predictions: betting preview and free football tips

Free football tips, best bets and analysis for the first round Champions League qualifiers on Tuesday.

Where to watch

Shamrock Rovers v Hibernians
RTE2, 7.30pm Tuesday

Best bets

The New Saints 7pm
1pt 10-11 Boyles

Shamrock Rovers win to nil 7.30pm
1pt Evs general

Match preview

Just 39 days after the Champions League final qualifying for the 2022-23 tournament gets into full swing with the first qualifying round.

An all-UK affair is the highlight of the fixtures with the Northern Irish and Welsh champions facing off as Linfield visit The New Saints.

Both sides fell at the third qualifying stage of the Europa Conference League last season, with TNS being beaten by Viktoria Plzen on penalties while Linfield were seen off by Luxembourg outfit Fola Esch.

The Northern Irish side lost their top-scorer from last season Christy Manzinga this summer and face a tough task against The New Saints, who have a rock-solid home record.

TNS won all three of their matches on home soil in their European qualifying campaign last year, including a 2-0 win over Linfield’s rivals Glentoran, and are fancied to pick up another home win in this first leg.

Shamrock Rovers are on their way to a third successive League of Ireland title, ten points clear at the top of the table, and can get their European campaign off to a comfortable start against Maltese side Hibernians.

Stephen Bradley’s team will have the fitness edge over their rivals given they are midway through their domestic campaign and have conceded just 14 goals in 23 league games. Rovers can secure a win to nil.

Elsewhere, Lech Poznan host Qarabag in the clash between two sides with arguably the best European credentials in recent times while Malmo, Cluj and Ludogorets Razgrad start their campaigns and are all odds-on to win.

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