Viktoria Plzen v Qarabag FK Betting Tips [23 August 2022]

The UEFA Champions League playoff sees Czech champions Viktoria Plzen taking on Azerbaijan champions Qarabag at the Doosan Arena stadium in Plzen with a winner booking their place in the group stages. The hosts come into this match with a good bit of rest after their match against Zbrojovka Brno was postponed on the weekend. Plzen topped the Czech 1. Liga last season and currently sit fourth after two wins and a draw from the first three matches of the new season. They’ll be hoping their home field advantage can push them past their opponents after the first leg finished in a 0-0 draw in Baku. The visitors have kicked off the new Azerbaijan Premier League with two wins from two as they seek their ninth league title in the past 10 seasons. Qarabag will be hoping to book their passage to the Champions League group stages for the first time since the 2017/18 season while Viktoria Plzen last made the group stages in 2018/19. 

The Czech champions were dominant at home last season, managing to go the entire campaign unbeaten at the Doosan Arena and finishing with a 16-2-0 record. Viktoria Plzen also saw a dramatic increase in their goal numbers when playing on home soil and found the back of the net at double the rate as when they were the visitors. Plzen managed 42 home goals in their 18 league matches and 21 away goals in the 2021/22 season. Working against the visitors in this match is their own dropoff in attacking efficiency when playing away from. Last season saw Qarabag score 47 goals in front of their home fans and only 25 times away from home. The hosts' stellar play at home should be just enough to see them over the line here.