Bulgaria vs Estonia - prediction, team news, lineups

Bulgaria invited Estonia to the Stadion Hristo Botev connected Tuesday evening for matchday 2 of the 2026-27 UEFA Nations League campaign.

In their archetypal outing, the Lions fell to a disappointing 2-1 nonaccomplishment against Luxembourg connected location soil, portion the Blues held Iceland to a 1-1 gully astatine Laugardalsvollur.

Match preview

Following a hard World Cup qualifying run against immoderate highly pugnacious opposition, losing 5 of their six matches and finishing bottommost of a radical consisting of Spain, Turkey and Georgia, Bulgaria person experienced a mixed 2026 truthful far.

Aleksandar Dimitrov’s men started the twelvemonth well, claiming wins against the Solomon Islands and Indonesia to station a cleanable inaugural FIFA Series tournament, but faltered successful the pursuing affable fixtures, losing 1-0 astatine location to Montenegro and surrendering a pb connected 2 occasions to draw with Moldova astatine the Stadionul Zimbru.

Having narrowly missed retired connected promotion to League B, losing 4-2 connected aggregate to the Republic of Ireland successful past year’s playoff tie, the Lions volition beryllium disappointed with their commencement to the latest Nations League run excessively arsenic they erstwhile again gave up an aboriginal vantage to suffer against Luxembourg connected matchday one.

Coming up against Estonia successful their 2nd bout, a federation that they person not mislaid to successful immoderate of the anterior 3 meetings betwixt the sides, Bulgaria volition surely beryllium looking to bounce backmost accelerated up of consecutive distant matches successful the competition.

Despite enduring a likewise hard World Cup bid themselves, losing six of their 8 qualifying matches and finishing supra lone Moldova astatine the ft of Group I, Estonia person responded incredibly good to the disappointment.

Although they did sensation decision against Rwanda successful their 2nd FIFA Series fixture, the Blues are enjoying their champion tally of signifier since September 2022, winning each of their remaining 4 matches gathering up to this season’s Nations League run and triumphing implicit Lithuania to container lone their 3rd ever Baltic Cup title.

Finding themselves 1-0 down astatine half-time of their Nations League opener against Iceland, a broadside who are a immense 53 places supra them successful the FIFA Rankings, Jurgen Henn’s men volition beryllium delighted to person maintained their unbeaten tally too, with Maksim Paskoti’s extremity successful the 2nd play capable to gain the Blues a constituent successful Reykjavik connected Saturday evening. 

Travelling to Stadion Hristo Botev connected Tuesday to look Bulgaria, whom they mislaid 2-0 to successful their lone erstwhile distant meeting, Estonia volition beryllium hoping to usage their caller signifier to marque past connected matchday 2 and fortify their promotion propulsion successful Group 4.

Bulgaria Nations League form:

Bulgaria signifier (all competitions):

Estonia Nations League form:

Estonia signifier (all competitions):

Team News

Bulgaria’s biggest wounded miss is undoubtedly prolific Ludogorets midfielder Ivaylo Chochev, who is acceptable to beryllium retired for each of the 4 remaining Nations League matches with close genu pain.

Kiril Despodov and Filip Krastev articulation him connected the sidelines arsenic they proceed their betterment from ft and genu injuries respectively, portion Petko Hristov missed retired connected squad enactment owed to a deficiency of lucifer fitness.

However, the bully quality for the Lions is that Leeds midfielder Ilia Gruev has present recovered from a agelong word genu occupation and played the afloat 90 minutes connected Saturday evening.

Yoan Stoyanov has besides returned to the nationalist broadside aft a 2 twelvemonth absence, portion 27-year-old midfielder Asen Chandarov made lone his 2nd ever Bulgaria quality against Luxembourg and capped it with a goal.

Estonia’s 2nd highest each clip apical scorer Rauno Sappinen is presently unavailable with an undisclosed wounded and joins Nikita Mihhailov, Tony Varjund, Kristo Hussar and Marten-Chris Paalberg connected the sidelines.

Henn is besides without the services of 35-year-old striker Henri Anier, who sustained an injured thigh connected September 19, portion Vladislav Kreida is vacant owed to wellness reasons.

Having suffered a play ending injury, tearing his anterior cruciate ligament erstwhile playing for FC Banik Ostrava past month, 29-year-old winger Vlasiy Sinyavskiy volition beryllium retired of enactment for his state for the foreseeable aboriginal too.

Bulgaria imaginable starting lineup:

Naumov; Turitsov, K.Dimitrov, Ivanov, Velkovski; Tsenov, Gruev, Chandarov; Rusev, Petkov, Z.Dimitrov

Estonia imaginable starting lineup:

Hein; Peetson, Paskotsi, Kuusk, Mets, Schjonning-Larsen; Palumets, Poom, Kait; Ainsalu, Mustmaa

We say: Bulgaria 1-1 Estonia

Following a hard commencement to their Nations League campaign, triumph connected Tuesday is imperative for Bulgaria if they privation to beryllium warring for promotion to League B successful November.

However, facing an Estonia broadside that person rebounded highly good from their World Cup disappointment, we deliberation they volition conflict to respond this clip astir and volition beryllium pegged backmost erstwhile again successful matchday two.

For information investigation of the astir apt results, scorelines and much for this lucifer delight click here.