Sheriff vs Utrecht: Europa League Prediction (25.07.2025)

On July 25, 2025, at 00:00 WIB, the first leg of the UEFA Europa League quarterfinal qualification round between Sheriff and Utrecht will take place in Tiraspol. Bookmakers consider the visitors as favorites. The Dutch side is given a 54% chance of winning, while a draw is estimated at 24%, and Sheriff’s chances of victory stand at 22%. Let’s examine the current form of both teams and offer a prediction.

Sheriff

The Yellow and Blacks failed to win the title last season, finishing second behind Milsami. However, Sheriff managed to defeat that very opponent in the final of the Moldovan Cup. In the current league campaign, the team has been working hard from the start to avoid giving their rivals any chance.

In the first round of Europa League qualification, Sheriff faced Prishtina. After a dominant 4–0 home win, they traveled away with little urgency and suffered their first official defeat in 11 months, losing 1–2. Before that, their last loss came in the summer of the previous year in the Conference League qualifying semifinal against Slovenian side Olimpija.

Utrecht

The Dutch Eredivisie has recently gained momentum and is now starting to rival Ligue 1 in popularity. Eredivisie clubs are delivering increasingly impressive performances in European competitions. Expectations are similar for Utrecht, who finished fourth in the domestic league last season. The team enters Europa League qualification following a series of friendly matches, as the Dutch season doesn’t resume until August. Nevertheless, they played five friendlies, which should be enough to build match fitness and integrate new players.

It’s worth noting that Utrecht has had noticeable difficulties qualifying for European competitions. The last time they featured in Europa League qualification was in 2019, but they failed to reach the group stage. The club hasn’t appeared in the main round of a European competition since the 2010/11 season.

Stats and Head-to-Head Record

There are no previous meetings between the two clubs. This will be their first encounter.

Prediction

For the Sheriff vs Utrecht match, the prediction favors the underdog. Despite competing in a less competitive league, the Moldovan side has more European experience. Moreover, their season is already underway, and their players are in match rhythm. Therefore, it’s reasonable to expect that Sheriff will at least put up a fight in their home leg. The recommended bet is Sheriff with a +1 handicap at odds of 1.61.