Prediction: AEK Athens vs LASK Linz

AEK Athens begin their Champions League league-phase campaign on Tuesday evening when they welcome Austrian champions LASK Linz to the AEK Arena.

While the Greek champions are returning to Europe’s premier club competition for the first time since the 2018-19 season, LASK have reached this stage for the first time in their history after producing one of the most remarkable qualifying comebacks in recent memory.

AEK Athens

After years of waiting to return to the highest level of European club football, AEK Athens have finally secured their place back among the continent’s elite.

Marko Nikolic’s side booked their Champions League league-phase spot with an emphatic 4-0 aggregate victory over Levski Sofia in the playoff round. The tie was effectively settled in Athens, where AEK produced a dominant performance and demonstrated the attacking quality that has made them one of the strongest teams in Greece.

The hosts arrive in excellent form. They are yet to lose in 90 minutes this season and have recorded four clean sheets in seven matches across all competitions. Defensively they have looked organised and disciplined, while their attacking play has become increasingly impressive as the campaign has progressed.

Confidence will be particularly high following a comprehensive 5-0 victory over Aris at the weekend. That performance reinforced the growing belief around the club that this squad is capable of competing respectably in a league phase that includes glamorous encounters with Real Madrid, Manchester City, Roma and Borussia Dortmund.

Team News

AEK’s biggest selection issues relate to squad registration. Dereck Kutesa, Frantzdy Pierrot, Martin Georgiev, Christos Alexiou and Hakim Sahabo are all unavailable after being omitted from the club’s Champions League league-phase squad.

The attacking spotlight will once again fall on Barnabas Varga and Luka Jovic. Varga enters the contest after scoring in four consecutive matches, including a decisive brace against Levski Sofia, while Jovic remains one of the most experienced forwards in the competition.

LASK Linz

LASK’s presence in the league phase is one of the stories of this season’s competition.

The Austrian champions appeared destined for elimination when they found themselves trailing Celtic 4-0 on aggregate during their playoff tie. Not only had they lost the first leg 3-0 in Glasgow, but they also fell behind in the return fixture before producing an astonishing comeback.

Moses Usor sparked the recovery before LASK scored three further goals to force extra time, where Samuel Adeniran completed a famous turnaround with the winning goal in the 109th minute. The comeback instantly became one of the most memorable moments in the club’s history.

Since securing qualification, Dietmar Kuhbauer’s men have maintained their momentum. Victories over Altach, Wolfsberger AC and DSC have seen the Austrian side score 12 goals across their last three matches, suggesting their confidence remains sky-high.

The visitors will therefore arrive in Athens believing they can cause problems despite their lack of Champions League experience. Their attacking numbers have been outstanding in recent weeks, and they possess several players capable of hurting opponents in transition.

Team News

Christoph Lang has been the club’s most prolific league scorer so far this season with five goals, although it was Adeniran and Usor who stole the headlines against Celtic.

LASK are without long-term absentee Ramiz Harakate, while Art Smakaj and Cheikne Kebe are unavailable after being left out of the European squad.

Key Factors to Consider

• AEK Athens are unbeaten in all competitions this season.
• The Greek champions have kept four clean sheets in seven matches.
• LASK overturned a 4-0 aggregate deficit against Celtic to reach the league phase.
• Barnabas Varga has scored in four consecutive matches for AEK.
• The Austrian champions have scored 12 goals in their last three games.
• This will be LASK’s first-ever Champions League league-phase match.

Conclusion

LASK’s spectacular comeback against Celtic ensures they cannot be underestimated, and their recent attacking form suggests they are capable of troubling any defence.

However, this is a significant step up in quality and atmosphere. AEK have been consistently impressive throughout the early stages of the season, possess greater experience at European level and have looked particularly strong on home soil.

While LASK should contribute to an entertaining contest, AEK’s superior balance at both ends of the pitch may ultimately prove decisive. The Greek champions are backed to begin their Champions League campaign with a valuable home victory.

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