- The odds are all square here at 157/100, so the bookies see this as a proper coin-toss.
- FC Lugano won 2-1 in the head-to-head just 1 day ago, which is a fresh advantage for the Bianconeri.
- Lugano are unbeaten in their last 5 (W4, D1, L0), while Maccabi have won 3 and lost 2 in their last 5.
An intriguing test of European mettle for Maccabi and Lugano
Maccabi Tel-Aviv's recent form in UEFA competitions has been mixed, losing to PFC CSKA Sofia before beating them 3-1, and then losing to Lugano. The Yellows have been in the mix, but also wobbled, and they come into this clash having scored an average of 2.00 goals per-match in all competitions, but also with a few wobbles to show for it (20 goals scored). The Bianconeri have been in solid form of late, drawing 2-2 with NSI Runavík, thrashing Vedeggio Calcio 10-1 in the Swiss Cup and beating Maccabi Tel-Aviv 2-1 in the UEFA Conference League Qualification 2026. Mattia Croci-Torti has done a great job since his appointment on 20 September 2021, his patient 4-2-3-1 system is full of structure, pressing bite and vertical punch.
Lugano to eke out a narrow victory
While Maccabi are in the shape to score goals and also keep them out, they'll need to overcome an in-form Lugano side, who have scored 3.40 total goals per-match across their last 10 (T9, C9) and conceded just 0.90. This looks like a game where Lugano's controlled possession and aggressive counter-press could match up nicely against a flexible Maccabi side who can also push wide and exploit set-pieces.
We're going for Lugano to win and for both teams to score - 'Yes' at 13/20. Under 2.5 goals at 91/100 is also a fine play given the shape of the tie, but we think Lugano are just about strong enough to force the pace here.
Kevin Behrens is Lugano's talisman, the red-hot talisman with 6 goals in 5 UEFA Conference League Qualification 2026 matches. Ido Shahar tops Maccabi's scoring for this competition with 1 goal in 1 game, while Roy Revivo has 3 assists in Maccabi's last 5 in all competitions.
Kenny Miller's side have been in fine form since 1 July 2026, when the Israeli boss took the reigns. He has a flexible, high-performance setup that can play ball-dominant football and also switch to a more direct game. This looks a little bit closer for Lugano, who are 8-1-1 across their last 10 matches in all competitions to Maccabi's 5-1-4.
