Shamrock Rovers begin the long quest to make the UEFA Champions League proper when they travel to Malta to face Floriana in the first qualifying round on Tuesday.
The Irish side take on the Maltese champions in the first leg in Ta' Qali and they will be confident of securing a positive result.
Rovers, who won the Irish title by three points last season and are seven clear at the top in the current campaign, have taken part in the League Phase of the UEFA Conference League in the past two years, but are yet to make it as far in Europe's premier club competition.
Floriana, meanwhile, are 27-time Maltese champions, although last season's success was their first such domestic triumph in six years.
They have never progressed past the first qualifying round in the UEFA Champions League in the modern era, but will not be easy opponents on home turf in this first leg.
Floriana v Shamrock Rovers Tips Summary
Best Bet - Shamrock Rovers to win @ 8/11
Alternative Bet - Under 2.5 goals @ 3/4
Bet Builder - Half-time/Full-time - Draw/Shamrock Rovers and both teams to score - No @ 11/2
Floriana v Shamrock Rovers Prediction
Best Bet: Shamrock Rovers to win @ 8/11
Shamrock approach this first UEFA Champions League qualifier of the summer in rude health.
After winning the League of Ireland last season, Stephen Bradley's side are top once again - seven points clear of nearest rivals Bohemians - and firmly on course for a record-extending 23rd domestic crown.
Rovers are unbeaten in five matches, which includes league victories over Sligo, Galway and Waterford, while they tested themselves in a friendly against Scottish side Hibernian last week and also won that clash 1-0.
The Hoops progressed into the second qualifying round in this competition as recently as the 2024/25 campaign and this looks a very winnable tie over two legs for the Irish team as they aim to at least emulate that achievement.
Floriana are among Malta's best-known clubs but, unlike Tuesday's opponents, do not regularly go far in the drawn out summer qualifying process, with their best recent performance in Europe coming in 2020/21 when they reached the third qualifying round of the Europa League.
Also, in contrast to Shamrock, they are yet to resume their domestic season and are likely to meet a sharp and in-form Rovers team, determined to continue their impressive recent European form, albeit that has not been in this top-tier competition.
Alternative Bet: Under 2.5 goals @ 3/4
The Hoops have scored 40 goals in their 25 league games this season - they are joint-top scorers in the division along with second-place Bohs - and have found the back of the net in their last eight LOI Premier Division matches.
However, this could be a low-scoring affair, with these opening qualifiers often cagey in nature considering what is at stake.
There is the added factor of the second leg to come in Dublin next week, so Bradley will be well aware this tie is unlikely to be over after this first away trip.
Floriana were hardly prolific on their way to winning the Maltese title, scoring 51 goals in 32 games in the regular season - a ratio of just 1.6 goals per game - and there will be an element of rust in their squad with this being their first competitive outing since May.
Floriana v Shamrock Rovers Bet Builder Tip
Draw/Shamrock Rovers - Half-time/Full-time
Both teams to score - No
Pays 11/2
The Irish side's greater experience of these sort of ties should stand them in good stead and Rovers can edge what might be a tight first leg.
Backing the game to be level at half-time before the visitors go on to seal what could be a very valuable victory in the second half is the first half of the Bet Builder.
Bradley's men have been performing well in the second halves of matches lately, with both goals in their most recent outing against Sligo on Friday coming after the break when they turned round a 1-0 deficit to eventually win 2-1.
Combining a match-winning second-half display from Shamrock with a punt on both teams not scoring boosts the bet.
The Irish club do look stronger overall and are tipped to be sharper, fitter and technically a small step above their Maltese hosts on the night.
Rovers look more than capable of eking out a narrow win, while claiming a clean sheet as they aim to continue their solid away form by making it four wins in five on the road.
Key Match Stats
This is the first ever meeting between the two sides
Floriana are the record 27-time Maltese champions
Shamrock Rovers have been crowned Irish champions a record 22 times
Shamrock have won five of their last seven competitive games
Floriana have not played a competitive game since the middle of May
Floriana have only lost one of their last 16 competitive games, winning 11 and drawing four
The furthest Shamrock have progressed in the UEFA Champions League is the third qualifying round in 2011/12
Floriana have never got past the first qualifying round in the competition
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This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.
