Our prediction for this Europa Conference League match:
Universitatea Craiova
Match Time & Date:
01/08/2024
19:00
Prediction: 2-2
Maribor
Universitatea Craiova will try to make a comeback in the Conference League tie with Maribor when the two sides go head to head at Stadionul Ion Oblemenco on Thursday evening. The Romanians need a big win in the return leg if they are to advance to round 3 and they have no other choice but to leave their hearts on the field. Denil Maldonado is banned for the match, with fellow defender Juraj Badelj likely to step up.
The Violets, on the other hand, produced a fine performance in the first leg, with the team moving one step closer to round 3, but boss Ante Simundza must warn his men against complacency. Veteran Josip Ilicic is the most notable player in the away team. Anyhow, we are tempted to bet on both teams to score as Universitatea need to adopt an attack-oriented strategy in the reverse fixture.
Highlighted Team (Maribor):
Founded in December 1960, Maribor are the most successful Slovenian club. The Violets won their 14th SNL trophy in 2017, with the team finishing the season 13 points clear of second-placed Gorica. Maribor are the only Slovenian club which made it to the UEFA Champions League group stages (2013/2014), but the likes of Chelsea, Schalke and Sporting Lisbon proved to be a big catch for the Slovenian champions.
The Violets collected only three points from possible 18 in the process and four years later they repeated the success, with the team eliminating Hapoel Be’er Sheva in the Champions League play-offs. Maribor will face the likes of Spartak Moscow, Sevilla and Liverpool in Group E. Speaking of the club’s main rivals, there have always been fireworks in clashes between Maribor and Olimpija Ljubljana.
The two teams face each other in the “Eternal derby” (Vecni derbi) and they represent the two biggest cities in Slovenia. Maribor are well known for their violet for their violet shirts with yellow stripes. Ljudski vrt is the club’s home ground.
Brighton
Southampton
Barcelona
Las Palmas 
Crystal Palace
Newcastle 
Borussia Dortmund 
Bayern Munich 
West Ham
Arsenal
Chelsea 
Aston Villa 
