Things to know about MSK Zilina
Last season: 3rd
Qualified through: League position
Coach: Pavel Hapal
Star: Zxdenko Strba, Tomas Majtan, Ceesay
Links to Örebro: More than you would think. Both teams were founded in 2008, and through this 100+ years they have played each other twice in the Intertoto Cup, in two consecutive years 1969 and 1970. Both times it ended in two home wins, and Örebro beaten quite badly away (4-1 and 4-0).
Comment: I have got no expert report here, but Zilina was probably the worst team in the Champions League group stage least season, losing all six games and with a 0-7 defeat at home to Olympique Marseille as the low mark. Still, they played in the Champions League last season and no other team in the second round have such bragging rights. The team became a Slovak power house in the early 2000s, winning the league for the first time in 2002 and after that dominating the national scene. But last season was not very impressive after that win against Sparta Prague from rivaling Czech Republic (I understand Sparta had loads of players unavailable in those games). Maybe we the pressure of the Champions League, Zilina did one of their worst seasons in the league for a long while, by far distanced by both Slovan and Senica.
This is how we beat them: I think Zilina is one of the possibly overrated teams. They have won important experience in Europe but clearly have struggled to find their best football.
Chance of Örebro winning: 40%
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