Trabzonspor vs Rapid Vienna Prediction: Trabzonspor is expected to secure a narrow 2-1 win over Rapid Vienna in this Europa League qualifier, leveraging their home advantage and recent strong form.
As the Europa League third qualifying round kicks off, Turkish side Trabzonspor prepares to host Austria’s Rapid Vienna in what promises to be an intriguing encounter. The match, set to take place at Papara Park in Trabzon, marks the first-ever meeting between these two clubs.
Match Details
Date: August 8, 2024
Time: 6:00 PM local time
Venue: Papara Park, Trabzon
Recent Form
Trabzonspor enters this fixture with a strong run of form, having won their last five competitive matches. Their most recent outing saw them secure a 1-0 victory against MFK Ruzomberok in the previous qualifying round, courtesy of a goal from new signing Denis Dragus.
Rapid Vienna, on the other hand, has been equally impressive. The Austrian side has won all four of their competitive matches this season, including a commanding 6-1 victory over Wisla Krakow in the second leg of their previous Europa League qualifier.
Team News and Predicted Trabzonspor vs Rapid Vienna Lineups
Trabzonspor
Manager Abdullah Avci has some decisions to make regarding his starting eleven. New signing Stefan Savic could make his debut in central defense, potentially partnering with either Batista Mendy or Stefano Denswil.
Predicted Trabzonspor Lineup (4-2-3-1): Elmali, Trezeguet, Visca, Dragus, Malheiro, Canak, Lundstram, Tufan, Cakir, Denswil, Mendy
Rapid Vienna
The Austrian side is dealing with several injury concerns. Thierry Gale, Ismail Seydi, Ferdy Druijf, and Bernhard Zimmermann are all sidelined with knee injuries. New signing Jakob Scholler is also a doubt for the match.
Predicted Rapid Vienna Lineup (4-2-3-1): Auer, Cvetkovic, Hedl, Sangare, Seidl, Beljo, Jansson, Grgic, Oswald, Raux-Yao, Burgstaller
Injured and Unavailable Players
Trabzonspor:
- Maxi Gomez (not selected for Europa League squad)
- Umut Bozok (not selected for Europa League squad)
- Taxiarchis Fountas (not selected for Europa League squad)
- Huseyin Turkmen (not selected for Europa League squad)
Rapid Vienna:
- Thierry Gale (knee injury)
- Ismail Seydi (knee injury)
- Ferdy Druijf (knee injury)
- Bernhard Zimmermann (knee injury)
- Jakob Scholler (fitness doubt)
These player absences could significantly impact both teams’ strategies and lineup choices for this crucial Europa League qualifier.
Key Players to Watch
For Trabzonspor, keep an eye on Denis Dragus, who has already made an impact since joining the club. His goal-scoring ability could prove crucial in this tie.
Rapid Vienna’s Dion Beljo, on loan from Augsburg, has been in fine form, netting three goals in four appearances this season. His partnership with experienced striker Guido Burgstaller, who scored a hat-trick in the previous round, could pose significant problems for the Trabzonspor defense.
Head-to-Head
As this is the first-ever meeting between Trabzonspor and Rapid Vienna, there is no historical head-to-head record to analyze. This adds an element of unpredictability to the encounter.
Where to Watch?
Trabzonspor vs Rapid Vienna Live Streaming and TV Schedule for other countries:
- Austria: ORF TVthek, ORF eins
- Switzerland: ORF eins
- Turkey: A Spor
Fans in other regions should check their local listings closer to the match date.
Prediction
Given Trabzonspor’s home advantage and recent form, they enter this match as slight favorites. However, Rapid Vienna’s impressive start to the season suggests they won’t be pushovers.
Trabzonspor’s experience in European competitions could prove valuable, but Rapid Vienna’s attacking prowess cannot be underestimated.
A closely contested match is expected, with Trabzonspor potentially edging it by a narrow margin.
Predicted Score: Trabzonspor 2-1 Rapid Vienna
This first leg promises to be an exciting affair, setting the stage for an intriguing return leg in Vienna next week. Both teams will be eager to gain an advantage in their quest to reach the Europa League group stages.
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