Mannheim - Lukko

[Jake]

04.09. - 20:00 CET
EUROPE: Champions League - Round 4

I favour the Finnish team Lukko in this match. The current Finnish league champion is leading their group C and will definitely want to advance to the playoffs.
They have played three games so far, losing once after extra time and winning twice. They lost to Lausanne after extra time when they conceded goal for equalizer at 59:57 to make it 2:2. They won the second match against Mannheim 5:1. And in the third game they made up for their first loss to Lausanne and beat them 3:0.

Mannheim is one of the best teams in Germany. They usually make it to the playoffs, but usually end up in the playoffs. They last won the title in the 2018/19 season and then 2014/15.
They have played three games in the Champions League so far, but two of them against a weak Cardiff from Great Britain. Perhaps not surprisingly, they beat them 7:2 and 5:0. However, the third game was against Lukko and Lukko beat them 5-1. So if they face a better opponent, they are in trouble this year.

I think Lukko will win. They also had more shots on goal in the first game (39:30). The qualitative difference between the Finnish and German leagues is very significant (as the first game has already suggested) and at these odds I'll go for the handicap on the Finnish champion.

My bet:
Handicap: Lukko -1.5 @ 3.27 (local bookie)

 

[Lucas]

So if they face a better opponent, they are in trouble this year.

it's just one match mate... where 4 goals Lukko scored from 5 on 3 power-play situations...

So good luck, you will need it I think!

 

[Jake]

Yes that's true, but it means that Mannheim players can't keep up against fast Finnish players and that's why they often foul. And as the first game showed, Lukko can play these power plays and use them in goal, while Mannheim can't defend these opponent's power plays.
And I just believe that the course of the match will be the same as in the first match. Mannheim players' indiscipline and thanks to that Lukko players will have a lot of chances that will turn into goals.

 

[Lucas]

That’s all okay, I was just pointing to that claim like they are already done

 

[Jake]

My bet:
Handicap: Lukko -1.5 @ 3.27 (local bookie)

Mannheim 2:1 Lukko (after penalty shootout) = Bet KO