Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the UEFA Champions League match.
The first leg between Qarabağ and Dinamo, held in Zagreb, ended with a convincing victory for the hosts (3:0). It is clear that the Croatian side's primary goal is to maintain their lead, while the Azerbaijani champions will go all out in attack.
Qarabağ
In the current European competition, Qarabağ have already demonstrated their ability to bounce back after a first defeat — as seen in the previous round against Ludogorets (1:2 and then 7:2 after extra time). Qarabağ’s leading attacker, Juninho Vieira, is still at the top of the Champions League scoring charts (6+1), with Yassine Benzia also in the top 10 (3+1). Notably, in Zagreb, they generated 1.31 xG, and playing at home, it will be easier for them to create chances and score.
Dinamo Zagreb
Interestingly, even with such a result, Dinamo didn't fully showcase their potential in the first leg, though they created 2.47 xG from 20 shots. Starting right-back Stefan Ristovski was substituted due to an injury during that match, but Takuya Ogiwara, who replaced him, also contributed confidently in attack. Sandro Kulenovic (2+0), who came off the bench, ultimately gave the team a crucial advantage.
Qarabağ - Dinamo Zagreb Prediction
In Azerbaijan, Qarabağ have nothing to lose, and their dynamic attack could offer them some chances to advance to the next round. Dinamo will likely catch their opponents on counter-attacks, making an open game beneficial for both teams
