- Home form: The home team Botev Plovdiv have won four and drawn one of their last five matches in all competitions, including a 5-0 win over Spartak Varna and a 1-1 draw with Lokomotiv Plovdiv.
- Away form: Lokomotiv Plovdiv have won one, drawn three and lost one of their last five, the exception being a 0-5 defeat away to CSKA 1948.
Tight and tense Plovdiv derby likely to see few goals
With playoff places on the line, both PFC Botev Plovdiv 1912 and PFC Lokomotiv Plovdiv 1936 have plenty to gain from Sunday’s Plovdiv city rivalry match. There has been no love lost between the two Plovdiv clubs for decades, but this derby has gained extra spice from Lokomotiv’s Cup win over Botev this term and the abandoned fixture in the first half of the season.
PFC Lokomotiv Plovdiv 1936 are higher up in the Parva Liga table than PFC Botev Plovdiv 1912, currently sitting around fifth with 46 points to PFC Botev Plovdiv 1912’s eighth with 40, so there is much for both clubs to play for in this late-season clash. Both coaches will have prepared their teams to win, but neither side can afford to lose, which usually leads to a cagey affair.
This contest is set to be a classic ‘possession vs structure’ battle in which PFC Lokomotiv Plovdiv 1936 set up to be compact, structured and disciplined while PFC Botev Plovdiv 1912 look to break down their low blocks with wide play and movement. Dušan Kosić is a good coach who has put together a useful defensive team, although Lokomotiv have shown a few cracks recently, notably their 0 - 5 away defeat to CSKA 1948.
Plovdiv city derby will be a tough and physical contest
Home threat
Botev are in good form and have scored plenty of goals in the final third under caretaker coach Lachezar Baltanov, who has galvanised his players. The hosts play with good forward impetus and adaptability, able to overrun opponents when they overload the flanks and press high up the field.
Lokomotiv will have to be on their game to counter the Botev threat, particularly from the wings.
- Their best forward is Franklin ‘Mascote’ who has scored the goals that have given Botev the wins they have needed.
- Nikolay Minkov is another who has contributed as a creative force on the right.
- The visitors rely on Juan Perea for the target man role and the goal-scoring, while goalkeeper Bojan Milosavljević has kept a succession of clean sheets in one-goal games when Lokomotiv have needed them.
Away concerns
The away side will be without centre-back Martin Ruskov, and midfielder Parvizdzhon Umarbayev is doubtful.
Lokomotiv’s counter-attack may land a winner
The hosts are a shade favored for this game at 1.94, while Lokomotiv are 3.85 and the draw 3.35. So we’ll back Botev to take the win at a little under even odds, although a tie is a much more likely result.
Under 2.5 goals at 1.71 is our main selection here because we expect Lokomotiv to keep it tight and a charged-up derby day atmosphere at Stadion Hristo Botev to slow the ball down.
This fixture has been closely fought since 2005. Three of the last four derbies have been either drawn or settled by a one-goal margin, which fits our prediction of a tight, tense and edgy affair that could be decided by a moment of brilliance or a mistake by either side.
