The University of Craiova will receive on Thursday at 17:15 pm in the first round of the preliminary round of the Europa League the visit of AEK Athens.
The team prepared by Corneliu Papură arrived in the preliminary round 3, after a double run with Honved without goals, in which the final was a dramatic one, the Oltenia obtaining the qualification at penalties with the score of 3-1, thanks to the parades of Mirko Pigliacelli who scored defended three shots from distance.
For AEK Athens the Bănie duel with the University of Craiova represents the debut of this season of the Europa League. The lot of the Greeks is net higher than the value of the Oltenians, being quoted by the specialized site at 42.7 million euros.
Interestingly, both the Bănie duel and the return from Athens will be played without spectators. The Oltenians were sanctioned by UEFA for the incidents at the end of the duel with Honved to play the next three matches on their own ground in the European Cups with the gates closed, the last one under probation in the next two years (it will not be activated unless the incidents are repeated in this period), while AEK Athens will evolve the next two matches on their own ground in the European Cups with the gates closed, the Greeks being sanctioned by UEFA as a result of the incidents from the match with Ajax Amsterdam.
The chances of attending a spectacular match in Bania are low. More than sure, both teams will cautiously approach the duel with the desire to risk nothing. Oltenia are in shape, proving to be the last two consecutive matches they did not win, and this could push them in this duel, AEK Athens being a team of a completely different caliber than those of Papura’s students. – they met in this European season.
PREDICTION: Both teams to score / YES @ 1,95
