- Qarabag are favourites at 1.72 to beat CSKA Sofia who are 4.6 with the draw at 3.65 in this UEFA Europa League Qualification 2026 qualifying tie.
- Qarabag's Zakaria Sawo has scored two goals in two UEFA Europa League Qualification 2026 matches, while CSKA's top scorer is Ioannis Pittas with three in the same number of games.
- CSKA Sofia have won two and lost once in their last three away from home across all competitions.
Qarabag favourites to win, but pressure will be on them to do so
FK Qarabag will expect to take the lead in this UEFA Europa League Qualification 2026 contest, but PFC CSKA Sofia are no slouches and will be looking to make a game of it in Azerbaijan on Thursday.
The hosts come into the tie as the clear favourites based on their quality and the fact they have won their last five matches, but CSKA have won back-to-back matches against Derry City to also bring three wins to this game in their last five.
This is a clash of two different styles, with Qarabag's 4-2-3-1 formation offering a repeatable structure that keeps the ball and keeps its rhythm until a winger or number ten can burst forward.
CSKA have a much narrower playing style with a high-tempo press and prefer to attack directly and quickly when in possession. It will be interesting to see whether this game becomes a midfield battle for control and possession or a bit of a chaos.
Qarabag should win, but a cagey fixture looks likely
Qarabag boss Qurban Qurbanov has been in charge of the club since 2008 and has seen his team develop into a side with a clear identity and structure.
They have been ruthless in the last two weeks, crushing WSG Tirol 0-4 away from home before sealing the tie with 3-0 and 0-3 victories in the home and away legs of the next round against IF Vestri.
CSKA boss Hristo Yanev has been in the job since September 2025, but the side have looked much sharper in transition and much more aggressive out of possession since then.
CSKA Sofia are not a bad side by any means, but a team with the identity and quality of Qarabag should be winning this tie and at a shade of under even odds, the hosts look the way to go.
However, CSKA will give it a real go and this could easily be a scrappy European fixture with Under 2.5 goals at 1.85 and Both Teams To Score No at 1.88 our preferred bets.
