Maccabi Tel Aviv receives CFR Cluj for Israeli-Romanian championship duel! After three years, the hosts were able to break through the hegemony of Hapoel Be’er Sheva and get the title again last season. For the record champions it was a more or less perfect season: Only one of the 36 season games was lost and only eight ended with a draw. Furthermore, the goal difference of + 60 (!) Was impressive, whereby the extent of the playful demonstration of power of the yellows is again particularly clear. The opponent rose in contrast to the Israelis in the first round in qualifying for the Champions League and sat down narrowly against the Kazakh series title holder FK Astana.
Football Betting Tips Maccabi Tel Aviv vs CFR Cluj
The first leg against Maccabi was again tough food: The spectators were only three direct shots in the game to see, with Cluj was at least efficient, because the only shot at the opponent’s box led to a 1-0 final score. The hosts have to score a goal to achieve at least an extension. At the same time, the first leg result without away goal means that two goals would be needed in a Rumanian goal to make it to the next round. This constellation makes an unconditional assault of the hosts seem unlikely.
The guests will also compete again without their injured top striker George Ţucudean. With Maccabi Tel Aviv beating CFR Cluj, the tip is aimed at less than three goals in the game and twice the chance for the traditionally strong kicker from Israel in qualifying European home games.
Maccabi Tel Aviv – Statistics & Current Form
The 21-times title holder of Ligat ha’Al took the last championship in a sovereign manner: Already eight games left before the end of the season, the triumph was in vain. The troupe of coach Vladimir Ivic now wants to repeat the success of the last participation in the qualification for the premier class. At that time, the two-time winner of the AFC Champions League prevailed four years ago against renowned teams such as Basel or Viktoria Pilsen and reached the group stage. However, this was disastrously ended with defeats in all six group matches, including against Chelsea FC and FC Porto.
Last year, not even enough for the group matches in the Europa League, as Tel Aviv failed at surprisingly strong newcomer Sarpsborg from Norway in the playoffs. In contrast to the upcoming opponent, the Yellow are also not in a real competition mode, because the start of the new season in Israel is still coming.
Just under two weeks ago, however, as in the case of Cluj, the national Super Cup was completed. The club prevailed 1-0 against the Cup winners Bne Yehuda. The win was also a successful revenge after city rivals Maccabi threw them out of the competition last April in the Cup semi-final and destroyed Double’s dream. In the Netanja Stadium, the backup site in the city of the same name, as its own Bloomfield Stadium in Jaffa is still being refurbished, the Israeli champions still have to rely on their own home strength. Is this sufficient to compare Maccabi Tel Aviv vs. CFR Cluj to make a prediction on existing odds on the Israelis?
None of the last thirteen qualifiers against their own backdrop was lost! Instead, a proud eleven wins and two draws were achieved. Compared to the strong and strong championship team, the current squad is almost identical: with the exception of the Serbian goalkeeper Pedrag Rajkovic, who was sold to Stade Reims in the Ligue 1, hardly any significant departures were recorded. However, in parallel also in the majority only complementary players were obliged. The space between the posts now fills the Greek Andreas Gianniotis – came on a free transfer from Olympiacos Piraeus.
Expected lineup of Maccabi Tel Aviv:
➱ Gianniotis – Kandil – Piven – Jair – Davidzada – Rican – Glazer – Peretz – Cohen – Ofoedu – Shechter
Last matches of Maccabi Tel Aviv:
⚽️ 24.07.2019 – CFR Cluj vs.. Maccabi Tel Aviv 1-0 (Champions League)
⚽️ 20.07.2019 – Maccabi Tel Aviv. Bnei Yehuda 1-0 (Super Cup)
⚽️ 14.07.2019 – Sparta Rotterdam vs. Maccabi Tel Aviv 1: 2 (Friendly Match)
⚽️ 11.07.2019 – Genk Vs. Maccabi Tel Aviv 4: 1 (Friendly Match)
⚽️ 09.07.2019 – Union Saint-Gilloise Vs. Maccabi Tel Aviv 2: 0 (Friendly Match)
CFR Cluj – Statistics & Current Form
CFR Cluj successfully defended the title in Romania last season. This had never been achieved before in club history and the season was turbulent with no less than four different instructors.
The entry into the new season failed, however: So went against the Cup winner Viitorul Constanta lost the final in the Romanian Super Cup. The narrow 0-1 defeat was unfortunate, as the Alb-vişiniii draw occurred. Apparently, the bankruptcy gnawed at the team of coach Dan Petrescu, because the following match ended in the first round of qualifying for the Champions League in Astana also with 0: 1. However, Cluj turned the result in the second leg thanks to a 3-1 success. Here, Billel Omrani delivered a hat-trick and the 26-year-old attacker contributed the decisive goal in the first leg against Hapoel and the recent 1-0 league win against Dinamo Bucharest. Omrani fills the gap that was created by the failure of George Ţucudean.
The 28-year-old top scorer in last season’s Liga 1 had a recent second-half surgery this year, which has left Ţucudean out of action for Cluj this season. In the upcoming second leg against Tel Aviv, the striker will most likely be missing again. For Feroviarii, this is a significant weakening in the attack, given his scoring rate of 66 percent in the past season.
In domestic league Cluj is again started very well with two wins and a draw, although it was mainly only against form weak opponents such as the bottom of the table Dinamo Bucharest or penultimate Academica Cinceni went – both teams are still without a point and in the case of captains even without a goal ,
Another positive aspect from the point of view of the club is that the championship squad was held together as far as possible. This concerns above all the top players of the last season like the Brazilian Paulo Vinicius in the defense or the Croatian Damjan Djokovic in the midfield. The showpiece of the team continues to be the defense, which allowed the least goals in the league last season. Currently, the defense network is again safe, as the average balance of less than one goal in the first seven competitive games this season shows and last was twice a clean sheet brought.
Expected formation of CFR Cluj:
➱ Alauskis – Burca – Vinicius – Susic – Camora – Djokovic – Bordeianu – Culio – Deac – Rondon – Omrani
Last matches of CFR Cluj:
⚽️ 27.07.2019 – CFR Cluj vs Dinamo Bucharest 1-0 (Liga I)
⚽️ 24.07.2019 – CFR Cluj vs. Maccabi Tel Aviv 1-0 (Champions League)
⚽️ 20.07.2019 – Academica Clinceni Vs. CFR Cluj 1: 4 (Liga I)
⚽️ 17.07.2019 – CFR Cluj vs Astana 3: 1 (Champions League)
⚽️ 13.07.2019 – CFR Cluj vs CSMS Iasi 1: 1 (League I)
Maccabi Tel Aviv vs CFR Cluj Direct Comparison & Statistics Highlights
The clash last week was a first. At the upcoming second duel between Maccabi Tel Aviv and Cluj, the odds give the hosts the role of favorites in a modest form.
Maccabi Tel Aviv vs CFR Cluj Football Betting Tips and Predictions Explained
The first leg was not for gourmets, and the upcoming match will certainly be marked once again by a high level of tactics on both sides. Maccabi missed an away goal and has to make up 0: 1. Not an easy task, because the Romanians are extremely defensive. However, Tel Aviv may not be too offensive as a potential goal would mean that at least two goals have to be scored to reach the next round. However, the home statistics, which have not shown any defeat in the qualification of the Champions or Europa League for four years, can be encouraging.
Key Facts – Maccabi Tel Aviv vs CFR Cluj tips
♦️ The first leg was uneventful and ended with a 1-0 home victory for the Romanians
♦️ Cluj will play without the top striker George Ţucudean
♦️ Maccabi has lost none of the 13 recent home games in a European qualifier (11-2-0)
Maccabi should therefore act out of a controlled offensive, while Cluj is probably limited to counterattack and a comprehensive defensive work. The fact that CFR have the highest defensive quality on the European stage is shown by the recent ten appearances, each with fewer than three goals. For the guests, the starting position is thus more comfortable and, moreover, they have more competitive practice, because the domestic season has already started again.
In Maccabi Tel Aviv vs Cluj, given the above points, the tip has less than three goals and a double chance for home-side hosts.
Sure Tip: 1X and under 2.5
Odds: 1.95
