Betting tips for Olympiakos Piraeus vs Rijeka - 16.08.2017

Greece's Greek champions Olympiakos will host Croatian champion Rijeka in the first leg of the Champions League playoff at Georgios Karaiskakis near Athens on Wednesday. The Greeks did not start the league yet and with less pace than their opponents want to ensure the presence in the group stage, which failed last year. While the Croatians, debutants in this competition, have already passed two pre-qualifiers and dream of the group stage, despite the bad start to the season at home.

The Olympiakos come to this game after, a week ago, having lost their last friendly of the season, with Atromitos (0-1). This was the third defeat in friendlies, having won two and tied two, in a pre-season that was not brilliant for the team now trained by Besnik Hasi. Nevertheless, the seven consecutive champions in their country, were presented in good level in the previous pre eliminatory, having eliminated the Partizan (3-1,2-2). The Athens team wants to return to the main stage of a competition that failed, last year, having lost in the third qualifying round, with Hapoel Beer Sheva. Hasi made some changes in the squad for this new season and arrived at the Greek capital Emenike, Ofoe, Vukovic, Milic, Gillet, Tachtsidis and Carcela, while Siovas and Kolovos left. For this first leg, the Albanian coach will not have Emenike injured and may present the same eleven, who three weeks ago defeated Partizan in Belgrade in the first leg of the third qualifying round.



UEFA Champions League Rijeka travels to Greece after being defeated at home by Dinamo Zagreb (0-2), the main rival in the Croatian title fight, in a match decided by a double Of Fernandes in the first half. This was the second consecutive defeat and third match without winning for the Croatian champions, who have won 5 wins, 2 draws and 2 losses in all 9 official matches, with 16 goals scored and 6 goals. After two stumbling in the League are third already to 4 points of the Dinamo. In the Champions League, where they make their debut thanks to the first title conquered last season, they eliminated TNS Wales and Red Bull Salzburg with two draws and thanks to the goal scored in Austria. The team is trained this year by Matjaz Kek and lost two of his main pieces last season. Andrijasevic went to Belgian football and Ristovski signed for Sporting Portugal. They entered Elez, Heber and Gomelt and at least the first two are affirming in the eleven. For the trip to Greece, Kek does not have injured Males and Gavranovic and must bet on Matei and Heber in their places. For the right-back, in which Ristovski played against Red Bull, Martic should be the chosen one.



Never have these two teams met in official competitions, but Olympiakos is the clear favorite for both the match and the tie. The Greek champion was not brilliant in the pre-season but was up to the match in Belgrade, deciding the tie in the first leg. The Greeks were knocked out in the pre-qualifying rounds last year and they will not want that to happen again. In addition, despite the surprise of eliminating the Salzburg, the Croats arrive at bad moment, after two defeats with the greater rivals in its league.

Olympiakos Piraeus vs Rijeka  Prediction: X/1 5.00

Olympiakos Piraeus vs Rijeka  betting tip: Over 2.5 Goals @ 1.80

Olympiakos Piraeus vs Rijeka   final score recommendations: 2-1 10.00