CSKA Sofia vs Maccabi Tel Aviv - prediction, team news, lineups

Aiming to decorativeness disconnected their Europa League 3rd qualifying circular tie, CSKA Sofia volition invited Maccabi Tel Aviv to Stadion Vasil Levski connected Thursday.

Heading backmost to Bulgaria with a three-goal pb from the archetypal leg, CSKA are firmly connected way to conscionable OFI Crete successful the playoffs.

Match preview

Played successful neutral Batumi, past week's archetypal limb saw CSKA prehend the pb aft lone 9 minutes, with Max Ebong starting the scoring earlier Leandro Godoy and Joel Zwarts some recovered the net.

As a result, the Sofia broadside already person 1 ft placed successful the Europa League playoffs, arsenic their latest continental travel continues.

Having qualified for Europe's second-tier tourney by claiming the Bulgarian Cup, CSKA are present conscionable a mates of steps distant from the league phase.

Hristo Yanev's men started disconnected successful circular 1 past month, erstwhile they defeated Derry City 5-3 connected aggregate earlier beating Qarabag connected penalties successful a tense second-round tie.  

Such signifier has extended to the home front, wherever CSKA are making a affirmative commencement to the caller Parva Liga campaign, picking up 10 points from a imaginable 12.

So, aft Sunday's 3-0 league triumph implicit Septemvri, the service nine volition present purpose to decorativeness the occupation they started successful Georgia.

Maccabi Tel Aviv's European 'home' games person been taking spot astatine Batumi's Adjarabet Arena, arsenic they cannot vie connected Israeli ungraded owed to UEFA sanctions.

That did not halt them completing a broad 6-0 aggregate triumph implicit Sheriff Tiraspol successful the 2nd qualifying round, but they present look acceptable for an aboriginal Europa League exit. 

Should they neglect to overturn their 3-0 shortage successful Sofia, the Yellows volition driblet down to the Conference League: Maccabi reached the past 16 of that contention successful 2024, earlier making the main signifier of the Champions League and Europa League respectively. 

So, Kenny Miller's men - who precocious returned to home enactment with a 3-1 Super Cup triumph implicit Hapoel Be'er Sheva - tin expect different continental campaign, nary substance what happens connected Thursday.

CSKA Sofia Europa League form:

CSKA Sofia signifier (all competitions):

Maccabi Tel Aviv Europa League form:

Maccabi Tel Aviv signifier (all competitions):

Team News

Following an unbeaten commencement to the season, CSKA manager Yanev is apt to support a settled side, led by skipper Bruno Jordao.

Ebong and erstwhile Inter Milan antheral Stefano Sensi should articulation the hosts' skipper successful midfield, portion ex-Everton subordinate Jean-Philippe Gbamin is acceptable to diagnostic successful cardinal defence.

Dutch striker Zwarts, who has scored successful 2 of his past 3 appearances, volition vie with Godoy and Ioannis Pittas to pb the hosts' attack.

Left-back Angelo Martino limped retired of Sunday's league win, truthful Andrey Yordanov whitethorn beryllium asked to commencement instead.

Meanwhile, Maccabi indispensable bash without experienced Moldova planetary Ion Nicolaescu, who is inactive sidelined by an ACL injury, meaning Abu Farchi should articulation Dor Peretz up front.

Farchi has recovered the nett 4 times successful arsenic galore competitory fixtures this term; nine skipper Peretz has notched 17 goals successful 90 UEFA contention appearances. 

CSKA Sofia imaginable starting lineup:

Lapoukhov; Ivanov, Gbamin, Rodriguez; Pastor, Ebong, Jordao, Sensi, Yordanov; Pittas, Godoy

Maccabi Tel Aviv imaginable starting lineup:

Melika; Asante, Shlomo, Camara, Revivo; Noy, Sissokho, Shahar; Varela, Peretz, Farchi

We say: CSKA Sofia 3-2 Maccabi Tel Aviv (CSKA Sofia triumph 6-2 connected aggregate)

Both sides won their home cupful past term, but CSKA are already up and moving successful the Bulgarian apical formation and seemed overmuch sharper past week.

So, they tin implicit the occupation and stroll done to the Europa League playoffs, portion Maccabi indispensable marque bash with the Conference League.

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