The first leg of the 2024/25 UEFA Conference League Round of 16 between Pafos (Cyprus) and Djurgården (Sweden) will take place on March 6 at the Limassol Stadium. Pafos vs. Djurgården: prediction and betting odds, statistics.
Pafos
Juan Carlos Carcedo's team emerged victorious over Omonia in the playoff matches (2-1, 1-1). This extended their unbeaten run in the Conference League to four matches (2 wins, 2 draws). However, it's worth noting that the Cypriots managed to keep a clean sheet in only one of these games. Additionally, Pafos has scored 14 goals in this tournament, ranking fifth among all participants.
- The club's goal-scoring streak in the Conference League stands at 6 matches.
- At home, the Cypriots have won 6 out of 7 matches in the Conference League (1 loss).
- In 7 home games in this tournament, Pafos has conceded only two goals.
Projected lineup for Pafos (4-4-2)
Ivica Ivusic – Derrick Luckassen, David Gomez Goldar, Joao Correia, Jonathan Silva – Pepe Rodrigues, Vlad Dragomir, Ivan Sunjic, Bruno Souza Silva – Jairo da Silva, Muamer Tankovic.
Djurgården
The Swedes finished fifth in the group stage, avoiding the playoffs. Djurgården started the main stage with a draw and a loss, but four consecutive wins helped the team secure a top-8 spot. The club scored in all games during this period but managed only one clean sheet. Advancing to the Conference League Round of 16, the Swedes matched their best achievement in this tournament.
- Both teams scored in 5 of Djurgården's last 6 Conference League matches.
- The team is unbeaten in 5 away games in the Conference League (3 wins, 2 draws).
- In 6 of their last 7 away games in this tournament, the club has not conceded more than one goal.
Projected lineup for Djurgården (4-5-1)
Jacob Rinne – Markus Danielsson, Keita Kosugi, Adam Stahl, Jacob Une Larsson – Besard Sabovic, Gustav Wikheim, Daniel Stensson, Tobias Gulliksen, Tokmac Chol Nguen – Deniz Hummet.
During the winter break, the team was taken over by Jani Honkavaara.
Pafos vs. Djurgården: Match Prediction
The Cypriots can consider their debut in European competitions a success. Juan Carlos Carcedo's team has suffered five defeats in this Conference League but has lost only once at home. Moreover, Pafos has won 6 out of 7 home matches in the Conference League. Despite generally solid defensive play, the team has conceded in 4 of their last 5 matches in this tournament, while scoring in 6 consecutive European matches.
The Swedes have performed well on the road in the Conference League, but one factor could significantly impact the club's upcoming results. Since the last round of the main stage, Djurgården has played only two official matches in the national cup, and the lack of match practice is likely to affect Jani Honkavaara's team negatively. Additionally, Djurgården's group stage matches were high-scoring, with both teams scoring in 5 out of 6 games.
Considering these factors, my prediction: Pafos will not lose and Total over 1.5 goals
* The starting lineup for each team reflects their lineup in their last match in this tournament.
