AEK Athens vs. Levski Sofia – News and Probable Lineups

On Wednesday, AEK Athens will host Lexi Sofia at AEK Arena for the second leg of their playoff tie, with a coveted spot in this season’s Champions League group stage on the line.

Despite Luka Jovic hitting the crossbar with a half-volley, AEK was unable to break the deadlock during the first leg in Sofia. Marko Nikolic’s team returns home with intentions to complete the job against a side that has gone 19 matches without defeat as they prepare for this pivotal showdown.

Match overview

AEK’s pre-season and initial competitive match of the new season had featured a flurry of goals until they faced the formidable Lexi defence last week.

The Greek champions had scored two or more goals in five of their last six matches across all competitions before facing the Bulgarians. However, they were unable to overcome Svetoslav Vutsov in goal, even coming close twice during the match.

Statistics indicated that the Greek side had the upper hand in terms of clear-cut opportunities, potentially offering some hope for Nikolic, who has expressed disappointment over his team’s missed chances for a slender win heading into the second leg.

Nevertheless, the Serbian manager remains optimistic as his team gears up for this week’s clash, hoping to qualify for the Champions League for the first time since the 2018-19 season.

AEK came close three seasons ago but fell short against Antwerp in the playoff round, and this iteration aims to succeed where their recent predecessors failed to secure a place in Europe’s most elite club competition after an eight-year hiatus.

These prospects are further enhanced when Lexi fans recall their past meetings with clubs from Greece.

Though based on a limited number of matches, the Bulgarian giants’ three-match winless run against such teams does not favor their chances, having recorded two losses and a draw in previous encounters of this kind.

However, Julio Velazquez is likely to believe his squad can break that streak as the Blues strive to preserve their impressive 19-match unbeaten run, which was extended after last week’s stalemate in Sofia.

That draw was soon followed by a commanding 6-0 victory against Spartak Varna, highlighting their ability to score as they continued their impressive defensive record.

Velazquez’s charges have not conceded a goal in six games since their last encounter with Universitatea Craiova, which ended in a 2-2 draw during the second leg of their qualifying round.

With Vutsov maintaining a clean sheet since then, the Blues hope to utilize their solid defensive organization to make a return to the continent’s top tournament for the first time in two decades, dating back to the 2006-07 season.

Team News

Nikolic’s squad has remained fit during the early stages of this nascent season, and they approach Wednesday’s match in excellent condition ahead of Lexi’s visit.

After a frustrating outing in Sofia, Jovic netted twice in a convincing 4-0 league win over Iraklis, boosting his confidence before the crucial midweek fixture.

In addition to Barnabas Varga’s goal in that match, Razvan Marin’s creativity, contributing to two goals, also stood out as the Greek side looks to assert their dominance.

Meanwhile, Lexi will see Armstrong Okoflex return to form following a brace in their own 6-0 triumph over Spartak Varna before his early substitution to maintain his fitness for the challenge in Athens.

However, Velazquez’s squad faces some challenges with several injuries, as Akram Bouras (muscle), Oliver Kamdem (knee), Mustapha Sangare (muscle), Radoslav Kirilov (knee), and Stipe Vulikic (foot) will not be available for selection.

AEK Athens 2-0 Lexi Sofia (AEK Athens win 2-0 on aggregate)

AEK Athens probable starting XI:

Strakosha; Rota, Moukoudi, Relvas, Pilios; Majer, Kairinen, Marin, Koita; Jovic, Varga

Lexi Sofia probable starting XI:

Vutsov; Aldair, Dimitrov, Serafimov, Centelles; Moubarik, Mitkov; Okoflex, Serginho, Bala; Reinaldo

Despite Lexi’s impressive 19-match unbeaten streak and solid defensive record, facing the challenging atmosphere in Athens will pose their toughest continental test to date.

With Jovic in fine form following his goalscoring performance over the weekend, and Nikolic’s squad eager to end an eight-year absence from Europe’s top competition, the Greek giants could possess the additional quality needed in the final third to breach the resilient Bulgarian defense.