- PFC Levski Sofia are unbeaten in their last ten games in all competitions (Won 8, drawn 2)
- AEK Athens are unbeaten in their last four away games in all competitions (Won 2, drawn 2)
- Levski are 100% at home this season in all competitions, conceding just 0.17 goals per game on average.
Levski and AEK have a similar blueprint
The sporting and financial weight in this UEFA Champions League qualification tie cannot be understated and there is plenty of juice for both PFC Levski Sofia and AEK Athens to feed on over the next week.
But the home side are coming into this tie on the back of a cracking run of five matches in which they have won four and drawn one. That run included a 2-0 home win over PFC Lokomotiv Plovdiv 1936 and a 1-0 away victory at Kairat Almaty.
Julio Velazquez has moulded his team into a tough, possession-heavy outfit that are very compact, building play patiently from the back and with full backs who can stretch the play. Reinaldo is their key man and the team's top scorer in the UEFA Champions League Qualification 2026 campaign with three goals in six appearances.
Velazquez has made his side hard to beat
AEK Athens are a similarly solid side that are difficult to beat, winning six, drawing three and losing only once of their last ten in all competitions. Their record of results over the last five has been patchy, but it's worked for them with three wins, one draw and one loss.
The win was a 3-0 home victory over K. Sint-Truidense a week after a 2-1 defeat to Samsunspor at home, so results have come in clusters. Marko Nikolic's men operate more vertically with their transitions and flank overloads, while Milan Vitalis has been their top scorer in the competition with one goal in two appearances.
Athens to edge this one out
AEK Athens are the narrow favourites at 51/50, but with Levski at 61/20 and the draw at 9/4 I'm going with the visitors to take the game with a narrow 1-0 scoreline. Under 2.5 goals at 39/50 is a nice fit here and a cagey tactical matchup looks more likely than an open shootout.
Koita has been in good form for AEK, bagging two of their six goals in the last five matches, so he is an option to score at any time for the visitors, but the best wager seems to be for the away win.
