AZ Alkmaar vs Elfsborg Prediction 25.09.2024 | Europa League

• Competition: UEFA Europa League - Group stage
• Date: Wednesday, 25th, September 2024
• Kickoff: 17:45 UK / 18.45 CEST
• Venue: AFAS Stadion (Alkmaar)

AZ Alkmaar will be looking to make a strong start to their Europa League campaign as they host Swedish side Elfsborg at AFAS Stadion for the opening match on Wednesday.

Even though they fell short of Champions League qualification by a mere four points, the Cheese Farmers took comfort in their fourth-place finish in the Eredivisie last season, which granted them direct access to the newly-look Europa League. Reflecting on last year's European campaign, AZ Alkmaar faced embarrassment as they were only able to muster six points from six group matches, finishing in third place, a staggering six points behind Poland's Legia Warszawa, but this time they will aim to improve their performance on the continental stage.

In contrast to the Dutch opposition that qualified directly for UEFA’s second-tier tournament, Elfsborg needed to put in considerable work to secure their place in European football this season. On their path to the league phase of the Europa League, Di Gule have seen off Pafos, Sheriff Tiraspol, and Rijeka, before knocking out Scandinavian rivals Molde on penalties during the final round of qualification playoffs. Unfortunately, Hiljemark's side have fared badly in the draw, as they will face AS Roma, Tottenham, Galatasaray, Braga, Athletic Bilbao, and OGC Nice, with the only manageable clash being against Qarabag.

AZ Alkmaar vs Elfsborg Betting Tips: AZ ALKMAAR TO WIN

Should AZ manage to translate their stellar league start into Wednesday's match, it is expected to result in an easy win for the Dutch club in their Europa League opener. Since the start of the 2024-25 campaign, Maarten Martens' squad has dropped points only once in their first six Eredivisie matches, winning five of them to take second spot with just two points behind the dominant leaders PSV. In hopes of launching their European campaign on a high note, AZ will draw motivation from their recent home match, where they cruised to their largest Eredivisie victory in history by demolishing Heerenveen 9-1. The Swedish team is determined not to allow such humiliation, but they also cannot expect anything positive, especially given their recent form has dipped to just one win in the last five matches across all competitions. While Elfsborg might discover a way to unlock the shaky defense of the Dutch club, AZ's relentless attacking prowess should compensate for any potential defensive errors and result in a three-point haul as they kick off the group stage of the UEFA Europa League.