Champions League: AEK Athens vs. Dinamo Zagreb Preview, Odds, Predictions, Picks

AEK Athens and Dinamo Zagreb collide at OPAP Arena on Saturday night. This is the rematch of the UEFA Champions League playoffs, which had to be rescheduled following tragic events in Athens two weeks ago when Dinamo’s fans killed one AEK supporter. UEFA decided to postpone the game back then and proceed with a changed schedule, with Dinamo hosting the Greeks in the first leg, and the second game taking place only a few days later in Athens. AEK has a 2-1 lead from Zagreb and comes in as a moderate favorite in this event. 

Preview

AEK Athens (-105) managed to recover from all the shocks and win in Zagreb. It was a very stressful week for the Greek champions, who had to deal with all kinds of problems because of the developments. At one point, they didn’t want to play, demanding from UEFA to ban Dinamo, but that didn’t happen. 

The head coach, Matias Almeyda, created a very strong team, which ended on top of the interesting Greek championship last year. Counting in the preseason games, they are on a five-win streak, scoring at least twice in all those victories. 

Midfield is the best part of the team, filled with players who know how to control the tempo and pace, and who are very skilled when it comes to keeping the ball in their feet. 

Dinamo Zagreb (+300) didn’t start the season as planned, and it’s obvious that the Blues from the Croatian capital struggle. This team did win the Croatian Super Cup, but after that posted a few shaky performances. The most notable was the loss at home to their biggest rivals, Hajduk Split, 0-1, and after that, a draw at the same place against Gorica, 0-0. 

The reason for these mediocre performances are several unsettled players who are still not sure about their future. Some of them are on the radar of foreign clubs, but the team isn’t letting them leave. One of the best goalkeepers at the previous World Cup, Dominik Livakovic, is in such a situation. 

Dinamo’s offense is much stronger than the rest of the team, but they are often cut off from the midfield who severely underachieves this year.

Latest News

There aren’t any injured nor suspended starters in both teams. The game in Athens is considered to be a high-risk one, and there won’t be any visiting fans. 

Head to Head Games

Dinamo took the lead in the first leg, with a fantastic free kick from Marko Bulat. The hosts went on a break with a 1-0 lead. Though, AEK came back in the second halftime, with Steven Zuber leveling the score and Konstantinos Galanopulos hitting the game-winner in the 90th minute, silencing the Maksimir Stadium.

Prediction

AEK is a better team than Dinamo, and furthermore, they are in better form right now. The Greek champs have an excellent midfield, which will create the difference, so we believe they are going to win the second leg as well. Almeyda won’t defend the lead from the first meeting but will go on to crush the rivals without any calculations. 

Pick: AEK wins -105