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CFR Cluj vs FC Astana Prediction & Betting tips
The first teams have already this week to bury the dream of the premier class. The second leg matches in the first qualifying round are on the program. During the championship, there will be a duel between two teams that have been represented in the group stage of the premier class in the past. We are talking about the duel between Romanian champions CFR Cluj and FC Astana from Kazakhstan.
The Romanian titleholder was allowed to breathe royal class air in the season 2008/09. The Champions League participation of FC Astana is not so long ago, in the season 2015/16, the Kazakhs were represented in the million-league. After the first leg Astana has the nose in front and goes with a 1-0 lead in the second leg. An away goal would push the door wide towards the second round. CFC Cluj against Astana is relatively clear favorite among bookmakers, according to current odds. The start of the match in Romania is on Wednesday at 19:00.
CFR Cluj:
A lot has happened since the Romanians’ last CL participation. The fivefold champions also had years and years, in which the team fell short of miles behind expectations. For example, in 2015/16 Cluj was only ninth in Romania, but since then the curve has been rising steeply. After fourth place, in each of the last two years, the title win was celebrated.
The past season was extremely chaotic despite the successful title defense. For the first time in club history, the successful defense of the title, while sitting no less than four different coaches on the bench. Meanwhile, Dan Petrescu is again working as head coach, who had already coached Cluj in the 2017/18 season, but then in the meantime under contract in China and since the end of March now back to the old workplace.
Compared to last season, Cluj was able to selectively strengthen on paper. In addition, the key players could be kept and tends to Cluj should be classified a little stronger than last year. The Romanian championship started last weekend. However, the defending champion had to content himself with a 1-1 draw in a duel with FC Poli Iasi. When looking at the lineup, however, it was clear that the focus was clearly on Astana. Several changes were made.
Hope gives Cluj home strength because on the way to the title last year, there was only one home defeat. However, peat festivals are not to be expected, because in 13 home games there were only 29 goals to see.
Astana:
Unlike Romania, Kazakhstan plays a year-round championship. The five-time champion from Astana can be only partially satisfied with the achievements in the calendar year 2018. Astana is currently not the hunted, but rather in the hunter role. Leader Tobol Kastany has completed a game less than the reigning champions, but is still a point ahead of the team of head coach Roman Grygorchuk. In 19 league games there were twelve victories, but also already five defeats.
Especially in May and June, the team was far below the possibilities. Between matchday nine and 16, there were all five losses to cope. However, the form curve has clearly moved higher, as the Grygorchuk team celebrated a 2-0 victory in the top match against Tobol a few days before the first leg win against Cluj. With another defeat it would have become extremely tight for Roman Grygorchuk. Thus, the chance to successfully defend the title continues to exist.
Big names are not to be found in the squad of the Kazakhs, but the last few years have shown that the extremely strong fighting team is not to be underestimated. The achievements in the foreign country can be quite impressive. In the previous year, for example, in the group stage of the UEFA Europa League, there was a draw at Dynamo Kiev and also one at FK Jablonec. Under certain circumstances Astana could allow herself a defeat in Cluj; however, this requires a separate hit.
CFR Cluj vs FC Astana head to head matches
09.07.19 CL FC Astana CFR Cluj 1 : 0