- Odds: Sheriff are the clear favourites at 1.7, while Aluminij are priced at 4.6 and the draw at 3.5.
- Home record: Sheriff are unbeaten at home in all current competitions (W5, D0, L0) and have conceded just 1 goal in 5 home games.
- Away form: Aluminij have lost 4 of their last 6 away matches.
Sheriff are a quality outfit and the favourites to win
FC Sheriff Tiraspol are a very good soccer team, they are a well-drilled and proactive unit under Victor Mihailov, who has been at the helm since 1 June 2025, and they are the likeliest winners in this UEFA Europa League Qualification 2026 tie against Aluminij.
Sheriff are the only team from Moldova in this season's competition and they are clear favorites in the betting at 1.7. Aluminij are available at 4.6 and the tie is priced at 3.5, although the visitors are the underdogs.
Aluminij are underdogs in betting and they will be very tough to beat
The visitors are a decent football team in their own right with Jure Arsič having them set up to be very pragmatic and structurally sound. They play a 3-5-2 or 3-4-1-2 formation, with wing-backs, a sturdy defensive block, and a team designed to absorb pressure before counterpunching.
It is a classic game-up for Aluminij as Sheriff look to get at them in a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 hybrid system, with high fullbacks, a single pivot and fast vertical transitions.
Sheriff have been in better form recently
Aluminij have won 1, drawn 1 and lost 3 of their last 5 competitive fixtures. They drew 0-0 at home to Primorje Ajdovscina and lost 3-0 away to NK Maribor in their two most recent Prva Liga 2025/2026 matches.
Sheriff won 3-0 at home to FC Real Sireti before drawing 0-0 away to Politehnica Chisinau in the Super Liga 2026/2027. In all competitions, Sheriff have won 6, drawn 3 and lost just 1 of their last 10 and Aluminij have won 3, drawn 1 and lost 6 of their last 10. Sheriff are the clearer form team and their record suggests they don't drop many points.
Home advantage can decide the tie
Home and away stats
- The Moldovan's have an exceptional home record, averaging 2.20 goals scored and just 0.20 goals conceded per-match at the Sheriff Stadium in all of their current competitions.
- Aluminij average just 0.50 goals scored and 1.83 goals conceded on their travels, suggesting they will be running after the game for large periods of the match.
Key players
- Jayder Asprilla is the danger man for Sheriff, netting 2 of their 6 goals across the last 5 competitive matches, while Bamba Susso has carried Aluminij's frontline, netting 2 of their 2 only goals in the last 5 games.
Prediction
A Sheriff win and under 3.5 goals is a solid pick in the correct score market as it fits the odds, the home side's overall profile and their tendency to control games and their opponents. Aluminij's best route will be to keep it tight early on, but Sheriff have the quality to edge it and control the overall tie.
