Borac Banja Luka vs PAOK

Gradski stadion Banja Luka is the venue as Borac Banja Luka and PAOK go head-to-head in the second leg of their enthralling Champions League qualifying tie.

After squeezing past Albanian outfit Egnatia in the first Champions League qualifying round, Borac Banjaluka went above and beyond to keep this tie competitive, fighting back twice to lose 3-2 in the first leg in Greece last week. Still relatively new to European competition, the Bosnian team could make history and reach the third qualifying round of Europe’s elite club competition for the first time with an unlikely home win against PAOK. Even though the odds remain heavily stacked against Mladen Zizovic’s side ahead of the kick-off, they can find comfort in a decent home form in Europe, having only lost one of their last five continental assignments on Bosnian soil (W3, D1). Adding to Borac’s confidence, they’ve won five of their last six competitive matches at home (L1).

In the meantime, PAOK must approach this contest with caution if they’re to avoid crashing out of the Champions League second qualifying round for the first time in the club’s history. Despite their household status in Greek football and fourth Super League title last season, the White Blacks have never featured in the Champions League proper, an abysmal record Razvan Lucescu’s men are keen to defy this season. PAOK didn’t fare well in the off-season, losing four consecutive warm-up games in the build-up to last week’s first-leg clash, underscoring the importance of entering this fixture without complacency. The odds back the Greek giants for success in this tie, yet they’ve only won once on their last five road trips in all competitions (D2, L2).