Ballkani vs Santa Coloma

Stadiumi Zahir Pajaziti sets the stage for a decisive Champions League qualifying tie between Ballkani and Santa Coloma.

Ballkani fought back from an early deficit to win 2-1 in the first leg and set one foot in the next qualifying round. But they’re only at the halfway point and can’t afford to get complacent if they’re to reach the second Champions League qualifying round for the first time in the club’s history. Interestingly, over the past two seasons, only two of Ballkani’s 14 home European fixtures have ended level (W8, L4), suggesting this tie could still go either way. Ilir Daja’s side can draw confidence from their formidable home record in 2024, as they’ve not lost any of their 12 competitive outings at the Stadiumi Zahir Pajaziti (W7, D5), notably netting 2+ goals on nine occasions.

On the other hand, Santa Coloma must haul back a narrow deficit on the road to secure a berth in the second Champions League knockout round for only the second time, having failed to do so in seven of their eight previous attempts. Ominously for the visiting team, the only time they achieved that feat was back in 2014/15, courtesy of a first-leg triumph on home turf. If it’s any consolation for manager Dmitri Cheryshev, his side last suffered defeat on the road in April 2023! They’ve since strung together a superb 16-game unbeaten run away from home (W13, D3). However, Santa Coloma’s notorious problems in the front third have seen them score one goal or fewer across their last four matches, casting doubt on their bid to turn this tie on its head.