KuPS vs Universitatea Craiova - prediction, team news, lineups

KuPS invited Universitatea Craiova to the Kuopion Keskuskentta connected Thursday evening for the archetypal limb of their UEFA Europa League qualifying circular tie.

In their erstwhile outing, Keltamusta claimed a 1-0 league triumph against Gnistan, portion Alb-albastrii dismantled Petrolul 4-0 astatine the Stadionul Ion Oblemenco.

Match preview

Despite sitting 4th successful the Veikkausliiga array astatine the opening of the Championship Group stage, KuPS earned 23 points from their last 10 league fixtures to clasp the rubric successful 2025 and arsenic a effect entered the UEFA Champions League qualifying rounds this summer.

After losing some location and distant to Azerbaijani broadside Sabah Baku, Miika Nuutinen’s men person erstwhile again dropped to the Europa League qualifying signifier though, a signifier that they person joined successful 5 of the erstwhile 8 seasons.

As a effect of claiming a 3-1 aggregate triumph against Latvian outfit RFS successful their astir caller information astatine this signifier a twelvemonth ago, Keltamusta met Danish giants FC Midtjylland successful the decisive qualification match, but fell to a resounding 6-0 decision and are inactive yet to vie successful the main tournament.

However, presently sitting beauteous atop the Veikkausliiga array aft 18 matches with 39 points, 5 wide of nearest challengers Inter Turku, KuPS volition beryllium assured that this clip astir they are amended equipped to spell each the mode and marque European nine history.

Although they person ne'er earlier faced Thursday’s opposition, Nuutinen’s men volition privation to rectify their wide grounds against Romanian teams, having fallen to a 2-1 aggregate decision erstwhile facing erstwhile apical formation broadside Gaz Metan successful 2011.

Ending their 35-year hold for a Romanian Superliga rubric successful the 2025-26 campaign, Univ Craiova subsequently booked their spot successful this season’s Champions League qualification signifier too.

However, aft dispatching ML Vitebsk astatine the archetypal hurdle, Alb-albastrii’s chances of a 2nd ever tourney quality were rapidly dashed successful the adjacent circular arsenic they fell to a 1-0 decision against Bulgarian broadside Levski successful the distant limb earlier lone managing a 2-2 gully astatine the Stadionul Ion Oblemenco.

Consequently, Filipe Coelho’s broadside person entered the Europa League qualifying signifier for the archetypal clip since 2000 and if they were to beforehand past KuPS, would surpass the 3rd circular for lone the 4th clip successful the club’s history.

Whilst they were connected the receiving extremity of a damaging 5-1 decision against Dinamo Bucuresti, Univ Craiova volition beryllium contented with their wide commencement to the play though, sitting 3rd successful the Superliga array with six points from their 3 fixtures and beating Universitatea Cluj connected penalties to assistance the Supercupa Romaniei past month.

Meeting Nuutinen’s men connected Thursday evening, past volition beryllium made for Alb-albastrii excessively arsenic they look a Finnish broadside successful either a competitory oregon affable fixture for the archetypal clip ever.

KuPS signifier (all competitions):

Universitatea Craiova form:

Team News

KuPS are definite to beryllium without 20-year-old Samuel Pasanen connected Thursday arsenic the midfielder continues to beryllium sidelined with a genu problem, portion positional spouse Jerry Voutilainen has been vacant for astir a twelvemonth too.

After making respective changes to his starting lineup against Gnistan connected Saturday, it is apt that Nuutinen this week reverts to fielding a akin broadside to the 1 that faced Sabah Baku, with Johannes Kreidl backmost betwixt the sticks, Petteri Pennanen captaining the squad from midfield and Jaime Jose Moreno Ciorciari starring the line.

As for the visitors, they volition miss some Pavlo Isenko and Alexandru Iamandache with genu injuries, though defender Juraj Badelj volition instrumentality from a suspension that helium picked up successful the decision against Dinamo Bucuresti.

Following a promising commencement to the season, Coelho has besides been without the services of Palestinian striker Assad Al Hamlawi recently, but volition beryllium assured successful the quality of chap guardant Steven Nsimba, who has netted 5 goals successful his erstwhile 7 games for Univ Craiova, including a brace against Petrolul past weekend.

KuPS imaginable starting lineup:

Kreidl; Puukko, Magassa, Adams, Antwi; Gasc, Pennanen, Touray; Jyry, Moreno Ciorciari, Armah

Universitatea Craiova imaginable starting lineup:

Popescu; Stevanovic, Rus, Screciu; Mora, Cicaldau, Mekvabishvili, Bancu; Matei, Nsimba, Baiaram

We say: KuPS 1-2 Universitatea Craiova

With some sides going good successful their respective league seasons, it is hard to archer who volition beryllium the much assured heading into Thursday's clash.

However, having travel agonisingly adjacent to progressing to the penultimate Champions League qualifying round, we judge the visitors volition person the spot betwixt their teeth this clip astir and are backing them to instrumentality a slender vantage backmost to Romania adjacent week.

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