Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Conference League match.
Djurgården will certainly find the trip to Cyprus far more pleasant than Pafos’ upcoming journey to Stockholm. While the Swedish capital offers more in terms of sightseeing, the visitors will be arriving with one goal in mind—securing a place in the quarter-finals. However, the weather conditions in Sweden could prove challenging, meaning both teams must make their mark in the first leg.
Pafos
To reach the Round of 16, Pafos had to navigate an additional qualification round, where they faced fellow Cypriot side APOEL. Despite APOEL being the reigning league champions, Pafos came out on top over two legs (1:1, 2:1). They are currently leading the Cypriot First Division, holding a three-point advantage over their nearest rivals. However, their recent form took a slight hit with a 1:2 away defeat to fourth-placed Omonia in their latest league outing.
Djurgården
Finishing fifth in the Conference League overall stage allowed Djurgården to bypass the knockout round—a significant advantage given the harsh winter conditions in Sweden. Their domestic season has only just resumed, with competitive matches beginning in mid-February via the Swedish Cup group stage. However, Djurgården failed to progress after finishing second in their group. Their last two games have been particularly high-scoring, drawing 2:2 with Oddevold before a 3:4 defeat to IFK Göteborg.
Pafos vs Djurgården Prediction
With such defensive instability, the Swedish side is almost certain to concede. Despite their strong placement in the Conference League group stage, they lost five of their six matches. However, they did manage to score in every single game, so finding the net in Cyprus is more than likely. Pafos are in strong form and will look to capitalise on home advantage, but Djurgården's attacking threat remains dangerous.
