UEFA Europa Conference League
Ilves was crushed by Shakhtar 0:6 on neutral ground in the first round of the Europa League. This was followed by an uneventful rematch with a goalless draw on Finnish soil. Ilves is still considered a serious outsider and for good reason. The Finnish representative rarely plays in Europe and almost always gets eliminated immediately. Last summer, they did eliminate Austria Vienna after penalties, but then ended their participation by being eliminated by Jurgen.
AZ Alkmaar is a much more familiar name and a far superior team. However, it is a fact that this will be their first official match of the new season. Therefore, there may be some fluctuations with the guests, but nevertheless, they are still capable of leaving with a victory. They have won five out of their six friendlies this summer, and against teams no weaker than Ilves.
Prediction: victory for AZ AlkmaarAt least in the first home match, Ilves may put up a decent performance. Even if they do, AZ Alkmaar is capable of securing the victory in the end, and I believe that will happen.
This text is an AI-assisted translation in English. Link to the original source in Bulgarian ➔
