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Partizan play host to FC Lugano at the Partizan Stadium in the first leg of their Europa League third qualifying round clash on Thursday. Having crashed out of the Champions League qualifiers, both sides will be looking to secure their spot in Europe’s second-tier competition.
Partizan's dreams of reaching the Champions League came to an end in the second qualifying round after they suffered a humiliating 9-2 defeat on aggregate against Ukrainian powerhouse Dynamo Kyiv.
After falling to a 6-2 first-leg loss on July 23, Aleksandar Stanojevic’s men were outclassed in the second leg one week later, as they were thrashed 3-0 on home turf.
Partizan head into Thursday’s game fresh off the back of a 2-0 victory over Železničar in the Serbian Superliga, where they have picked up three wins in their three games to start the 2024-25 campaign in sublime form.
Like the hosts, Lugano were dumped out of the Champions League qualifying race last week following a 6-4 aggregate defeat at the hands of Turkish outfit Fenerbahce.
Back home, Mattia Croci-Torti’s men have flown out of the blocks in the Swiss Super League, winning each of their first three games while scoring seven goals and conceding just thrice.
While Lugano will be looking to begin their Europa League qualifying journey on a high, they have struggled for results on the road, where they have lost three of their last four competitive games.
Partizan vs FC Lugano Head-To-Head and Key Numbers
- This will be the first-ever meeting between Partizan and Lugano, and both sides will be aiming to begin their rivalry on a positive note.
- Partizan are unbeaten in seven of their last nine competitive matches, picking up five wins and two draws since early May.
- Lugano have lost all but one of their last four competitive away games, with a 2-1 victory at Basel on July 27 being the exception.
- Partizan are unbeaten in three of their most recent four matches on home turf, claiming two wins and one draw since early May.
Partizan vs FC Lugano Prediction
Still reeling from their exit from the Champions League qualifiers, Partizan and Lugano will head into Wednesday looking to begin their quest for an Europa League spot on the front foot. However, both sides are evenly matched on paper and we predict they will cancel out each other’s efforts, leaving everything to play for in the return leg.
Prediction: Partizan 2-2 FC Lugano
Partizan vs FC Lugano Betting Tips
Tip 1: Result - Draw
Tip 2: Over 2.5 goals - Yes (There have been three or more goals scored in Lugano’s last seven matches)
Tip 3: Both sides to score - Yes (Both sides have also scored in the visitors’ last seven outings)
