GNK Dinamo Zagreb vs FC Astana Prediction & Betting Tips - Champions League

Prediction published on 23/07/2023, 14:27  by Kennedy Kechula in Champions League Predictions

Dinamo Zagreb will on Tuesday begin their 2023/24 UEFA Champions League campaign by hosting Astana in round two of the qualifiers. The second leg of this tie will be played a week later. Dinamo Zagreb are one of five league champions entering the tournament in this round. Last season, they made it to the Champions League group stages ending a two-season hiatus. They will seek to repeat that feat, having achieved the same in 2015/16 and 2016/17 seasons. Igor Biscan’s charges will however have to be at their very best after they began the Croatian new season with a loss. The Blues were defeated at home by rivals Hajduk Split with the loss ending a 14-match unbeaten run including friendlies. As they have won both encounters against Astana, Dinamo Zagreb will be confident of getting back to winning ways.

Astana arrive for this match after drawing 0-0 with Atyrau in the Kazakh Premier League. A result that saw them fall three points behind in the title race. Grigoriy Babayan’s charges have struggled for form in recent matches and have won only one of their last four fixtures. Since losing to Ordabasy in the Cup, Sary-Kokter have drawn two matches sandwiching their 2-1 win over Dinamo Tbilisi. The win over Tbilisi came in the return match of their first-round qualifier after they had drawn the first leg 1-1. Astana have struggled while playing away from home in the Champions League. They have won only three away fixtures in the competition since 2015. Astana are the only Kazakh club to have made it to the Champions League group stages and did so in 2015/16.