Arda Kardzhali (home)
- The winter friendlies have kept them sharp and ready for the trip south to Arda Kardzhali, who go into this game on the back of a five-game unbeaten streak of three wins and two draws from before the break.
- Arda sit in 10th place with 24 points after 19 games and will be looking to bridge the gap between themselves and the mid-table clubs while ensuring they are not dragged into the relegation playoff zone ahead of the league split.
PFC CSKA Sofia (away)
- PFC CSKA Sofia go into Friday’s Parva Liga fixture in 5th place with 31 points from 19 games, firmly in the mix for a playoff spot for the Championship round.
- They have done well to consolidate their top-six status with a positive run of results that took them into the winter break after league victories in late November and December and a Bulgarian Cup win on 13 December 2025.
Head-to-Head
Recent head-to-heads have been tight, with four of the last six matchups decided by a single goal or finishing all tied up .
Key Players
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Birsent Karagaren is Arda’s spearhead and is always a threat in the box, but the running of Ivan Tilev from midfield and the pace and creativity of Atanas Kabov and Svetoslav Kovachev down the wings make them a dangerous team on their day.
- Key Arda names:Birsent Karagaren, Ivan Tilev, Atanas Kabov, Svetoslav Kovachev
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Santiago Godoy leads the line with 10 league goals and is a constant threat in the penalty area and on the shoulder of the defender.
- Key CSKA names:Santiago Godoy, Ioannis Pittas, Ivan Turitsov, Bruno Jordão, Olaus Skarsem
Betting Insights
- The bookmakers make CSKA heavy favorites at 1.45 for this game, but the odds on the visitors at 7.55 and the tie at 3.94 do not take into account the close nature of this fixture.
- Under 2.5 goals at 1.72 looks about right for this clash as it is likely to be a cagey, tight affair with a single moment of brilliance or defensive lapse likely to settle it.
Prediction
- A few days of cold and wet weather in Sofia should see the pitch play slower, so set pieces and defensive organization will be even more important for both teams on Friday.
- CSKA should edge it, but the momentum that Arda have going into the game means a draw or even an upset can’t be ruled out, so we’re taking the safer option of a CSKA win by either 1-0 or 2-1.
