Our prediction for this Europa League match:
Ventspils
Match Time & Date:
26/07/2018
10:45 AM
Prediction: 0-1
Bordeaux
Olimpiska centra Ventspils Stadiona will host Thursday’s football game between Ventspils and Bordeaux. Ventspils eliminated Luftetari in the Europa League first qualifying round without any difficulties, with the team scoring eight goals in the two-legged tie. The Latvian side aim to claim a major scalp in round 2 as they take on Bordeaux in the double-header, but that is easier said than done. Ventspils usually struggle in European competitions and that is probably the main reason why we are not tempted to put our money on the underdogs. Les Girondins, on the other hand, have big ambitions for the 2018/2019 Europa League campaign and we predict that they are going to take Thursday’s clash against Ventspils very seriously. Bordeaux have been producing fine performances in pre-season and we believe that they are going to beat the Latvian side at Olimpiska centra Ventspils Stadiona.
Highlighted Player (Milan Gajic):
Milan Gajic is a product of OFK Beograd youth academy. The pacey right back, who was born in Vukovar (Croatia) on January 28, 1996 scored four goals in 46 appearances for OFK Beograd from 2013 to 2015 and on July 22, 2015 he signed a five-year deal with Ligue 1 side Bordeaux.
Milan Gajic is a youth international for Serbia and he represented the Eagles at the 2017 European Championship. The Serbs failed to impress at the tournament in Poland, with the team losing to Portugal and Spain in Group B, while sharing the spoils with Macedonia. Gajic was a starter in matches against Portugal and Macedonia, but he missed the Spain clash with injury.
In 2015, though, Milan Gajic did well to win the FIFA U20 World Cup with Serbia as Veljko Paunovic’s men outplayed Brazil in the title game. His main position is right-back (full-back), but he is capable of playing both central and right midfielder. Milan Gajic made 14 appearances for Bordeaux in the 2016/2017 Ligue 1 campaign.
Highlighted Team (Bordeaux):
Founded in 1881, Bordeaux are regarded as one of the oldest clubs in France. Les Girondins won their first Ligue 1 trophy in 1950 and 59 years later (2008/2009) they lifted their sixth domestic trophy.
Speaking of the club’s European success, Bordeaux did remarkably well to make it to the Champions League semi-finals in 1985, but despite recording a 2-0 win over star-studded Juventus in the return leg, the French club eventually failed to book their place in the final of the elite competition.
Famous French footballers Alain Giresse and Jean Tigana were part of the team back then and it has to be noted that Giresse is the player who made the most appearances for les Girondins (587). During the nineties Zinedine Zidane, Christophe Dugarry and Bixente Lizarazu played for Bordeaux and, taking everything into account, it is no surprise they are considered one of the most famous French clubs.
Nowadays Les Girondins welcome their rivals at Matmut Atlantique, the stadium which was opened in 2015 and they used to play at Stade Chaban-Delmas in the past.
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