- CSKA Sofia have won 7 of their last 10 all-competition matches, drawing two and losing just one.
- Maccabi Tel-Aviv have won 5 of their last 10 all-competition games, drawing two and losing three.
CSKA to continue their European surge
Hristo Yanev has really got his players in shape since taking over as Head Coach on 24 September 2025 and PFC CSKA Sofia's recent performances have seen them surge in the UEFA Europa League Qualification 2026. CSKA come into this game on the back of a four-game winning streak, which includes last week's 3-0 win over Maccabi Tel-Aviv in the same competition.
CSKA have kept things tight in all games this season, conceding just 15 goals at an average of 1.50-per-game, and that compactness can be a real problem for Maccabi Tel-Aviv's tempo-first game plan. CSKA's players are also quite comfortable in a vertical, counter-attacking style, so if Maccabi Tel-Aviv loses the ball in midfield, CSKA will like it.
Ioannis Pittas has been CSKA's man in the final third in Europe, scoring 3 goals in 5 matches in the UEFA Europa League Qualification 2026. Joel Zwarts is in equally good shape, however, and CSKA have scored 8 goals across their 5-match winning run, with Zwarts getting 4 of them.
A close game at Vasil Levski
Maccabi are a solid side and Kenny Miller's men have done very well to string together 4 wins in their last 5, the one loss coming in the shape of a 3-0 defeat. Miller has pushed his side towards a more energetic, wide-heavy and higher-tempo approach since taking over on 1 July 2026, and that can cause real problems for CSKA in this game.
Sayed Abu Farkhi is Maccabi's sharpest edge, having scored twice in 3 UEFA Europa League Qualification 2026 games, as well as 4 in his last 5 all-competition appearances. Maccabi's wide-forward pattern and set-piece approach should still be able to stretch CSKA out, but they'll need to have more control if they are to avoid being picked off on the counter-attack.
Game is close to call
The head-to-head result last week gives CSKA a psychological advantage and the form of the teams points towards them as likely winners on Thursday, but this is a tight game on paper and the odds reflect that. CSKA Sofia (2.0), draw (3.1) and Maccabi Tel-Aviv (4.05) are all short enough to turn our noses up at, so we're going with Under 2.5 goals (1.75) and Both teams to score No (1.93) in what should be a cagey affair at Vasil Levski, Bulgaria.
