CSKA Sofia vs OFI Crete – News and Probable Lineups

With the aim of completing their task and earning a spot in the League Phase of the 2026-27 Europa League, OFI Crete will visit the Vasil Lexi National Stadium in Bulgaria to take on CSKA Sofia in the second leg of their playoff matchup this Thursday night.

The Greek side has positioned themselves well for qualification following a 3-0 victory at home in the first leg last week.

Match overview

CSKA Sofia last qualified for the proper Europa League in the 2020-21 season, and the Bulgarian club is confronted with a substantial challenge on their own ground if they wish to prolong their involvement in Europe’s secondary tournament.

Overcoming a three-goal deficit from the first leg is a feat that has never been accomplished by any team participating in the qualification phase of the competition, leaving the Armymen with very little room for error as they attempt to break their five-year absence from European competitions.

Head coach Hristo Yanev did not hold back in his analysis following a dismal first leg in Heraklion, asserting that “everything that could go wrong went wrong” and highlighting the “fundamental errors” committed by his team that led to their downfall. He has also urged his players to maintain better emotional control after concluding the match with only 10 players.

The Armymen will be glad to return to the Vasil Lexi National Stadium, where they have experienced just one loss in their last nine competitive matches. Indeed, Yanev’s squad can take encouragement from their previous home match over a week ago, where they convincingly defeated Botev Vratsa 5-0 in the Bulgarian league, even while playing a man down for the entirety of the second half.

On the other hand, OFI has secured victory in only two of their last eight competitive away fixtures, yet they have commenced the new season positively with consecutive home triumphs without conceding a single goal.

Just three days after their first-leg European success against CSKA Sofia, Christos Kontis’s squad opened the new Greek Super League campaign with a straightforward 2-0 win over Volos on Sunday, thanks to an own goal in the sixth minute and a penalty converted by Thiago Nuss shortly after the half-hour mark.

The winners of last season’s Greek Cup have gradually increased their profile domestically, and they are now aiming for Europa League qualification for the first time in their history, having previously been eliminated in the second round against Apollon Limassol in 2020-21.

While Kontis will be vigilant against any sense of complacency ahead of their journey to Sofia, the visitors’ substantial advantage allows them the luxury of a draw or even a one or two-goal defeat to progress to this year’s League Phase.

Team News

CSKA Sofia probable starting XI:

Lapoukhov; Rodriguez, Gbamin, Ivanov; Pastor, Ebong, Panayotov, Eto’o, Yordanov; Zwarts, Pittas

OFI Crete probable starting XI:

Christogeorgos; Poungouras, Sielis, Kostoulas? Apostolakis, Bouchalakis, Androutsos, Athanasiou; Cantalapiedra, Nuss, Fountas

For CSKA Sofia to have a realistic chance of executing a remarkable comeback, they will need to take control of the match from the outset and deliver a significantly improved and disciplined performance on home turf.

However, it is anticipated that OFI will handle the pressure effectively and utilize the space available to secure victory both in the match and overall, seizing their chances on the counter-attack to make history and reach the main draw of the Europa League for the very first time.