Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Conference League match.
Molde barely secured their place in the knockout stage but managed to progress. Now, they face a determined Legia Warsaw side eager to make an impact not only domestically but also in European competition.
Molde
These two games could be Molde’s last European fixtures for almost 18 months. The Norwegian side finished fifth in the 2024 Eliteserien and missed out on European qualification after losing the Norwegian Cup final to Fredrikstad on penalties. Had they won, they would already be preparing for Europa League fixtures this summer. With the Norwegian season yet to restart due to winter, Molde have only been playing friendlies, but their recent performance in the knockout round against Shamrock Rovers showed their lack of sharpness. The Irish side only lost on penalties (4:5), while Molde were poor in their home leg, suffering a 0:1 defeat.
Legia Warsaw
Legia finished seventh in the overall Conference League table, which allowed them to bypass the additional knockout round. They could have ended even higher but suffered consecutive defeats to Lugano (1:2) and Djurgården (1:3) in the final two group-stage games. The loss against the Swedish club also came in tough winter conditions, and while temperatures in Molde are expected to be slightly above freezing, strong winds could make the match uncomfortable. Despite winning recent domestic fixtures in the Ekstraklasa and Polish Cup, Legia’s away form is worrying. Their league win came against Śląsk Wrocław, who are battling relegation, and that was at home. In contrast, Legia have lost three consecutive away matches in official competitions.
Molde vs Legia Warsaw Prediction
Molde will be highly motivated to extend their European campaign for as long as possible, and home advantage could prove decisive. Given Legia’s away struggles, a safe bet would be a neutral handicap on the hosts.
