Djurgardens vs Rapid Vienna Prediction: Swedish outfit can gain first-leg advantage

Djurgardens will be hoping home advantage proves crucial when they welcome Rapid Vienna to the 3Arena in Stockholm for the first leg of their UEFA Conference League quarter-final (20:00, TNT Sports 6). 

Below are James Mason's Djurgardens vs Rapid Vienna predictions, complete with all the latest team news and match odds. 

Football Odds

Team News

Rasmus Schuller was forced off after just 12 minutes of Djurgardens' victory over Sirius on Saturday with a thigh injury and he is expected to be sidelined until the start of May. 

The midfielder joins goalkeeper Malkolm Safqvist, who dislocated his elbow during the last-16 success over Pafos, in the treatment room. 

Rapid are without forwards Guido Burgstaller, who suffered a season-ending head injury back in December, as well as Nikolaus Wurmbrand (hip issue). 

Djurgardens vs Rapid Vienna Odds

Djurgardens are 15/8 to pick up the win on home soil, with the draw priced at 9/4 and Rapid Vienna 6/4 favourites to take a lead into the reverse fixture. 

Djurgardens to win @ 15/8

This is a tough clash to call between two teams that qualified automatically for the last-16 stage of the UEFA Conference League, with both collecting 13 points from six matches as fourth-placed Rapid Vienna finished one position ahead of Djurgardens. 

Vienna scraped past Borac Banja Luka 3-2 on aggregate, requiring extra-time in the second leg, while Djurgardens turned around a 1-0 first-leg deficit to beat Pafos 3-1 to reach the quarters. 

Djurgardens recently kicked off the new Allsvenskan season with a 1-0 defeat to Malmo at the end of March, but they bounced back with a 1-0 victory of their own against Sirius last time out. 

That was a timely success for the Iron Stoves and they will fancy their chances of getting the better of a Vienna outfit that are on a two-game losing run and are struggling badly on the road. 

Rapid are without a win in their last eight away fixtures, losing five and drawing three, and they may struggle against a Djurgardens side who have won six of their last seven UEFA Conference League assignments at home.

Team with most booking points - Djurgardens @ 7/5

Djurgardens haven't been afraid to get stuck in during the UEFA Conference League and they have picked up 24 yellows, leaving them tied-11th in that department. 

Rapid have been better behaved than their Swedish opponents, receiving just 16 yellow cards, and they are yet to pick up a red, unlike Djurgardens who have had one player sent off. 

In what could be a tense, gritty affair between two sides desperate not to make a mistake in the first leg, the tackles could fly in and the hosts look capable of picking up the most booking points.

Offers

Acca Flex: Place a pre-match 5+ leg Football accumulator and get a CASH bonus up to 100% if all of your selections win or your money back as CASH if one leg lets you down

You can read all our latest Football Betting Tips at our dedicated Betfred Insights content hub.