CSKA Sofia
- CSKA are a side in the right mood to finish the job on Thursday when they face Maccabi Tel-Aviv at Vasil Levski, Bulgaria.
- Hristo Yanev's side are well drilled and have been very compact, organised and ruthless in transition since he took charge on 24 September 2025.
- They are on a four-game winning run in all competitions after a 3-0 win.
- They have been very stingy at the back, conceding 15 goals in all competitions at a rate of 1.50 per game.
- The odds are pretty even with CSKA at 2.0, the draw at 3.1 and Maccabi at 4.05.
Maccabi Tel-Aviv
- Maccabi Tel-Aviv have won five of their last ten in all competitions (Won 5, Drawn 2, Lost 3).
- Kenny Miller's side have a lot of energy and are happy to play a high-tempo game with wide runners and combinations.
- But they have been caught out when the ball has been turned over in midfield and CSKA's compact mid-block and vertical counters is a nasty combination for them to play against.
- Sayed Abu Farkhi has been Maccabi's most productive player of late with two in three in UEFA Europa League Qualification 2026 and four in the last five.
- The Israelis are playing good football and have won four of their last five games, but they did suffer that 3-0 defeat to CSKA in the most recent fixture in this series.
Head-to-Head
PFC CSKA Sofia are in the best form of the two sides since the 3-0 head-to-head result in UEFA Europa League Qualification 2026.
Key Players
- Ioannis Pittas has been CSKA's most reliable finisher in Europe, notching three times in five matches in UEFA Europa League Qualification 2026.
- Sayed Abu Farkhi has been Maccabi's most productive player of late with two in three in UEFA Europa League Qualification 2026 and four in the last five.
Betting Insights
- The odds market shows CSKA at 2.0, draw 3.1 and Maccabi at 4.05.
- Suggested market: under 2.5 goals at 1.75 and both teams to score - No at 1.93.
Prediction
CSKA have the quality and the momentum to win, but Maccabi's pattern of play and threat from set-pieces should cause CSKA some problems, even if they're not quite good enough to prevent a repeat of the first-leg result.
