Rapid Vienna – FCSB Prediction & Picks (23.08.2018)

Rapid Vienna and Steaua Bucureşti meet, in a match for this phase of the UEFA Europa League (Play-offs). These two teams have never faced each other before, so this will be their first direct confrontation. In this game the home factor may be decisive, since the Steaua Bucureşti presents considerable differences in their results at home and as a visitor.

Rapid Vienna:

The home team reaches this stage of the UEFA Europa League (Play-offs) after having eliminated Slovan Bratislava, after a home victory by (4-0) and a defeat by (2-1) out in the previous tie. This is a team that usually maintains its competitive levels in home and away matches, since in the last 30 matches they register 6 wins, 4 draws and 5 losses in away matches, with 30 goals scored and 15 conceded; against 8 wins, 4 draws and 3 losses at their stadium, with 29 goals scored and 16 conceded. In the last match they played, for the Bundesliga, they lost to LASK Linz by (2-1). In the last 10 home matches Rapid Vienna has won 5, tied 2 and lost 3. Their attack has scored regularly, since they have scored goals in 8 of the last 10 matches.

Once again the Rapid Vienna comes to the field in the current edition of the Europa League, after in the previous phase having eliminated Slovan Bratislava, with a 2×1 defeat and then a 4×0 victory, so now it aims to reach to the group stage. For that, it would be very important a good result at home and preferably without suffering goals, since that is a tiebreaker criterion to decide who advances or not, so it expects to play well and without errors by the end of the ninety minutes have a advantage. As he will have the support of his fan he will do everything to win.

Steaua Bucureşti:

Until reaching this phase of the UEFA Europa League (Play-offs), the visiting team eliminated: Hajduk Split and Rudar. This is a team that usually makes good use of the home advantage, stronger with the help of its supporters, since in the last 30 matches they register 6 wins, 5 draws and 4 losses in away matches; against 11 wins, 3 draws and 1 loss at their stadium. The team comes to this match after a home win against Sepsi by (2-0). In the last 10 away matches Steaua Bucureşti has won 4, tied 4 and lost 2. Defensive consistency has been one of the best, with 1 goal of the last 4 matches, and their offense has scored consistently, he has scored goals in 3 of the last 4 matches for this competition.

As well as his opponent, Steaua Bucharest was already playing in the Europa League, being that in the previous phase he eliminated Hajduk Split, after a draw by 0x0 and a victory by the score of 2×1. No doubt the difficulty will now be much greater and therefore needs to have much more attention than normal, because any neglect can result in goals and consequently in a possible elimination. The first match will be away from home and he surely wants the advantage, so he will try to give his best on the field to return home with at least a draw with goals.