Borac Banja Luka arrive in Reykjavik with real European pedigree and a point to prove. They scraped through the playoffs via a penalty shootout against Maxline Vitebsk — that tells you everything about their resilience, even if it doesn't scream free-flowing football. They're battle-hardened, ugly when they need to be, and they've already travelled halfway across Europe once this round. That 0-0 grind against Vitebsk in the first leg, followed by the shootout drama, shows a side that can dig in and manage a tie. They won't be fazed by a cold Icelandic night at Víkingsvollur.

Vikingur, on the other hand, are flying. Three matches unbeaten, scoring at least two goals in each — they're a confident, front-foot side. They beat both Tuna and Hapoel at home this summer, teams of a similar level to Borac, and they've already got a 2-0 win over these exact opponents in the 2024/25 group stage. That memory will sting Borac, but it also gives them a clear picture of what to expect. Vikingur are sharp, but they're not used to facing a side that will happily sit in a low block and hit them on the break. Borac's recent results show a team that can absorb pressure and punish mistakes — exactly the profile that causes Vikingur problems.