Both teams were eliminated in the first qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League, but The New Saints and Differdange 03 still have a chance to compete in a European tournament this season: the Conference League qualifiers. On Wednesday, July 24, the two sides will meet at Park Hall in Oswestry for the first leg of the second qualifying round of the 2025/26 UEFA Europa Conference League. The hosts, after winning their domestic league, squandered their chance to progress in the Champions League qualifiers by losing to Macedonian side Shkëndija. After a 0-0 home draw, Craig Harrison’s men were defeated in extra time in the return leg, conceding the decisive 2-1 goal in the 116th minute through an unfortunate own goal. With their Champions League dreams behind them, The New Saints are now one of the top contenders to reach the final stage of the Conference League—a competition they already took part in last season. That recent European experience could be crucial in this two-legged tie against Luxembourg champions Differdange 03. Pedro Silva’s team has reached the second round of the Conference League qualifiers for the third consecutive time and is now hoping to finally break through, though it won’t be easy. Unlike the Welsh side, Differdange showed significant struggles in their UCL qualifier against Drita, falling 4-2 on aggregate. Despite their domestic dominance—two league titles and a national cup in the past two seasons—their European form remains shaky. Given the circumstances, The New Saints appear slightly better positioned to win the first leg and move on to the next round. However, it would be unwise to underestimate the determination of the Luxembourgish side.

The New Saints' Recent Form and Key Stats

By losing in extra time to Shkëndija in the Champions League qualifiers, The New Saints confirmed a troubling trend. This was their fifth consecutive match without a win since the end of the domestic league, including friendlies and European qualifiers. Their attack is under particular scrutiny, having scored just once in their last three matches.

TNS come off a season in which they won both the domestic league and the FA Cup, but their European run in the Conference League remains the highlight. Last season, they failed to progress past the group stage, collecting only 3 points from 6 matches (one win, five losses). At home, however, the Saints were dominant in the league, with 14 wins and 2 losses, averaging 2.94 goals scored and 0.94 conceded per game.

Differdange 03's Recent Form and Key Stats

Differdange 03 are coming off two straight defeats against Drita, which ended their Champions League journey at the first hurdle. Prior to those losses, they played two friendlies: a 2-1 win over UNA Strassen and a 0-0 draw against RAAL La Louvière. A bright spot has been defender Theo Brusco, who scored 3 goals in his last 4 matches.

In the 2024/25 BGL Ligue, Pedro Silva’s men had a strong away record with 13 wins and 2 losses, averaging 2.4 goals per game. Their defense was nearly unbreakable, conceding only 5 goals away from home all season. However, the 2025/26 season started poorly with a 1-0 away loss to Drita, where the Luxembourg champions managed just one shot on target.

The New Saints vs Differdange 03 Prediction and Tactical Overview

The BetMines prediction for The New Saints vs Differdange 03 is clear: the home side has a 65% chance of winning, while the visitors have only a 15% chance. A draw is more likely than an away win, at 20%.

The New Saints boast a strong home record, having won 11 of their last 12 matches at Park Hall. Overall, they’ve lost just one of their last 23 matches in all competitions. Even in the goalless draw against Shkëndija, they created more chances but lacked clinical finishing.

Differdange 03 struggled away from home against Drita, barely threatening the opposing goalkeeper. Including friendlies, they’ve scored just once in their last four away matches. This suggests they may adopt a more defensive setup at Park Hall, hoping to keep the tie alive for the second leg.

• The New Saints vs Differdange 03 Prediction by BetMines: The New Saints to win (1) – 65%
  
  
• The New Saints vs Differdange 03 Prediction by BetMines: At least one team to fail to score – 55%

Predicted Lineups The New Saints vs Differdange 03

THE NEW SAINTS (4-3-3): Shepperd; Craig, McGahey, Bodenham, Redmond; Holden, Corness, D. Williams; J. Williams, Brobbel, Wilson. Manager: Harrison.

DIFFERDANGE 03 (3-5-2): Felipe; D’Anzico, Bedouret, Brusco; Franzoni, Bruninho, Pinto, Borges, Lempereur; Abreu, Hadji. Manager: Pedro Silva.