Ludogorets vs Hapoel Tel Aviv – News and Probable Lineups

In search of overturning a two-goal deficit, Ludogorets Razgrad will host Hapoel Tel Aviv at Huvepharma Arena for the return leg of their Conference League qualification fixture on Thursday.

The Eagles faced significant challenges in the initial match last week, leaving the Red Demons with a favorable position ahead of this crucial encounter in Bulgaria.

Match overview

Since their ascension to the top tier in 2011, Ludogorets Razgrad has secured an impressive 14 consecutive Bulgarian Premier League titles, only to finish in a surprising third place in 2026, trailing Levski Sofia by 14 points.

The disappointing trends for the Eagles have persisted into the opening of the 2026-27 season, as they succumbed to a defeat against Hapoel Tel Aviv at Diosgyori Stadium in Hungary last week during the first leg.

Conversely, despite their struggles on the European front, Ludogorets has returned to domestic play with a perfect record this month, securing consecutive wins against Lokomotiv Plovdiv and Dunav Ruse while maintaining clean sheets in both matches.

Winger Bernard Tekpetey, who played an instrumental role in both of the Eagles’ goals during their match on Monday night, will be eager to carry his domestic performance over to the European stage to help stave off elimination.

German head coach Thomas Reis, now in charge of only his fourth competitive match since his recent appointment at Huvepharma Arena, previously managed Turkish side Samsunspor during the Conference League last season.

Once competing in the second tier of Israeli football as recently as 2025, Hapoel Tel Aviv has made remarkable progress in a short span, finishing fourth in the Israeli Premier League last season.

The Red Demons achieved their next victory during the TOTA Cup UEFA qualifiers by defeating Beitar Jerusalem on July 18, allowing Elyaniv Barda’s side to progress to the preliminary rounds of this year’s Conference League.

Hapoel’s European campaign kicked off splendidly last week, with goals from Omri Altman and center-back Chico securing a 2-0 win in the first leg against Ludogorets.

Stav Turiel, who assisted in the recent triumph over the Eagles, was last season’s top scorer for the Red Demons and made his fifth appearance for the senior Israeli team in June against Albania.

The upcoming visit to Razgrad marks Hapoel’s return to European competition for the first time since the 2014-15 season, when they failed to qualify for the group stage of the Europa League after a two-legged defeat to Astana of Kazakhstan in the playoff round.

Team News

Substituted after an hour last week, Ludogorets duo Filip Kaloc and Alberto Salido could see themselves dropped from the starting XI.

Key player Chochev and in-form Tekpetey both began on the bench in the first leg but are likely to be reinstated in the Eagles’ starting lineup.

A consistent scorer for Ludogorets over the past three seasons, Kwadwo Duah is also pushing for a starting role following two appearances as a substitute.

After a solid defensive performance last time out, Hapoel Tel Aviv may stick with a central defensive partnership of Chico and Fernand Mayembo.

The Red Demons’ goalkeeper, Assaf Tzur, who clinched the Israeli Premier League’s Goalkeeper of the Season award last term, remains the undisputed number one in goal.

Ludogorets Razgrad probable starting XI:

Bonmann; Son, Kurtulus, Nedyalkov, Nogueira; Camara, Chochev, Tekpetey, Stanic, Cruz; Duah

Hapoel Tel Aviv probable starting XI:

Tzur; Coco, Mayembo, Chico, Leidner; Falcao, Kraev, Turiel, Boateng, Silva, Altman

With the advantage of playing at Huvepharma Arena, Ludogorets will be confident in securing a win on the night.

Nevertheless, Hapoel holds a two-goal lead and is expected to have sufficient resources to maintain their position in the next round.