Liam Duckstein
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CSKA Sofia enter this second leg of the UEFA Europa League Third Qualifying Round with a commanding 3-0 advantage from the first leg played in Tel Aviv. Maccabi Tel Aviv, under former Scottish international Kenny Miller, face a near-impossible task at the Vasil Levski National Stadium in Sofia. CSKA Sofia’s coach Hristo Yanev will want to manage the game carefully and avoid any early mistakes that could let Maccabi back into the tie. What makes this match interesting is that the Israeli side has actually been in decent scoring form across their last five matches, netting nine goals in total, so a clean sheet for Sofia is not guaranteed even with the aggregate lead.
Two players stand out heading into this fixture. Santiago Godoy has been sharp for CSKA Sofia, scoring twice and adding two assists in his last three appearances, making him the most dangerous creative outlet in their attack. For Maccabi Tel Aviv, Sayd Abu Farhi is the man to watch, having scored four goals in his last five matches and consistently generating shooting opportunities, with five total shots in that same period.
A hot stat from this tie: Maccabi Tel Aviv scored five goals against Sheriff Tiraspol in a single league match, showing they are capable of big offensive outputs when the pressure is off. With three goals needed to overturn the deficit here, that kind of output would need to be repeated against a much tougher opponent.
| 🏆 Tournament: | UEFA Europa League 2026/27, Third Qualifying Round |
| 🏟 Venue: | Vasil Levski National Stadium, Sofia |
| 🗓️ Date: | 13.08.2026 |
| ⏰ Time: | 20:00 CEST |
CSKA Sofia vs Maccabi Tel Aviv Prediction
CSKA Sofia are in an excellent position to advance. They won the first leg 3-0, and their recent domestic form backs that confidence up, with six wins and two draws from their last eight matches. At home, the Bulgarian side will look to control possession and kill the tie early.
Maccabi Tel Aviv have lost their last match and carry the psychological weight of needing to score three goals without conceding. That is a very difficult ask against a team that has been grinding out results consistently. We predict CSKA Sofia to win this match and progress to the next round.
CSKA Sofia commit very few recorded fouls across their recent games, suggesting a disciplined defensive structure. Maccabi Tel Aviv, on the other hand, have accumulated 12 fouls and 10 yellow cards in their last five matches, showing a tendency to get physical when under pressure. Their pass accuracy figures also suggest they struggle to build sustained attacking moves, which will make it harder to break down a well-organized Sofia backline. With CSKA likely to sit deeper and manage the game, corners and set pieces could be the most active battleground, and Maccabi’s desperation to attack may open space for Sofia on the counter.
| 🔥Hot Tip: | CSKA Sofia to win both halves |
| ⚽Total Goals: | Under 2.5 |
| 💥Both Teams To Score: | No |
| 🎯Total Corners: | Over 8.5 |
Team Analysis
CSKA Sofia have been one of the more consistent sides in this qualifying phase. Across their last five matches, they have beaten Septemvri Sofia 3-0 in the Bulgarian top flight, won the first leg of this tie 3-0 against Maccabi Tel Aviv, beaten Dunav Ruse 2-1, defeated Qarabag 5-4 in a dramatic encounter, and edged Botev Plovdiv 3-2. That run covers four wins and one draw across competitive fixtures, with the Qarabag match standing out as a high-intensity performance that showed their attacking depth. Their ability to win tight games and also put big scorelines on weaker opponents speaks to a balanced squad.
Maccabi Tel Aviv’s recent matches tell a more mixed story. Their last outing was the 3-0 defeat to CSKA Sofia in the first leg, which followed two wins over Sheriff Tiraspol, including a 5-0 demolition, and a 3-1 win over Hapoel Beer Sheva. Before that, they suffered a 0-1 home loss to IMT Novi Beograd. The pattern shows a team capable of winning against lower-ranked opposition but struggling significantly when the level rises. Their only win over a club ranked inside the top 200 in recent games was against Sheriff Tiraspol, who sit at rank 130 but have been inconsistent themselves.
Most Recent Head-to-Head Matches
These two sides have only met once competitively before this second leg, which was the first leg of this same qualifying tie.
| Statistic | CSKA Sofia | Maccabi Tel Aviv |
|---|---|---|
| Goals | 3 | 0 |
🚨Check out our dedicated CSKA Sofia vs Maccabi Tel Aviv stats page for more info.
Maccabi Tel Aviv. Source: Official Website
Pre-game odds and win probability: CSKA Sofia the favourite
- Moneyline CSKA Sofia 2.25 | Maccabi Tel Aviv 2.98
- Draw 3.25
- Over/Under Over 2.5 N/A | Under 2.5 N/A
- BTTS (both teams to score) Yes N/A | No N/A
The odds reflect a surprisingly open match on paper, with CSKA Sofia priced around 2.25 at most bookmakers. Given the 3-0 aggregate advantage, those odds represent decent value for a home win. Maccabi at around 2.98 seems generous to backers of the Israeli side, but the reality of the tie makes it very unlikely they can overturn the deficit. The draw market at 3.25 could be worth considering for those who believe CSKA will manage the game without pushing for goals, though we lean toward a Sofia win being the cleaner outcome here.
Possible Starting Lineups
CSKA Sofia possible starting eleven
- GK: Fedor Lapoukhov
- DF: Facundo Rodriguez, Ángelo Martino, David Samuel Custódio Lima
- MF: Jean-Philippe Gbamin, Stefano Sensi, Max Ebong, James Eto’o, Bruno Jordão
- FW: Santiago Godoy, Ioannis Pittas
This lineup is built around the players with the most playing time across the last three matches. Fedor Lapoukhov takes the goalkeeper spot with 300 minutes played. Facundo Rodriguez and Ángelo Martino are the most reliable defensive options based on appearances, with David Samuel Custódio Lima providing attacking width from the back having contributed two assists. In midfield, Jean-Philippe Gbamin and Stefano Sensi bring experience and discipline across 300 minutes each. Max Ebong has scored twice from midfield and deserves his place, while Bruno Jordão adds creativity despite his yellow card accumulation. Santiago Godoy leads the attack with two goals and two assists, and Pittas supports with two assists of his own. CSKA are expected to line up in their familiar 4-3-3 shape.
Maccabi Tel Aviv possible starting eleven
- GK: Ofek Melika
- DF: Mohamed Ali Camara, Raz Shlomo, Itai Ben Hamo, Sagiv Yehezkel
- MF: Issouf Bemba Sissokho, Roy Revivo, Ido Shahar, Itamar Noy
- FW: Sayd Abu Farhi, Dor Peretz
Ofek Melika is the clear first-choice goalkeeper with five appearances and two saves recorded. The defensive line features Mohamed Ali Camara and Raz Shlomo as the most consistent options, with Sagiv Yehezkel providing an attacking threat from deep having scored once and recorded three assists. Issouf Bemba Sissokho anchors the midfield with 450 minutes played and a goal to his name, while Roy Revivo has two assists in three appearances. Sayd Abu Farhi leads the attack with four goals in five games and is the biggest danger to CSKA’s clean sheet hopes. Maccabi are expected to use their 4-2-3-1 structure, likely pushing numbers forward from the opening whistle given the scoreline they need to chase.
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CSKA Sofia. Source: Official Website
TipsGG Match Prediction
CSKA Sofia hold every advantage going into this second leg. They are at home, they carry a three-goal aggregate lead, and their recent form across eight matches shows six wins and two draws with zero losses. Maccabi Tel Aviv have shown they can score goals against weaker opposition, but their 0-3 first leg performance and their pass accuracy numbers suggest they will struggle to break down a motivated Sofia side on their own ground.
Maccabi will need to attack from the start, which opens them up to counter-attacks. CSKA Sofia have the pace and finishing ability in players like Godoy and Ebong to punish those gaps. We predict a 2-0 CSKA Sofia home win, with the Bulgarian side managing the game comfortably and advancing to the next round of the Europa League. The best value bet remains CSKA Sofia to win, with under 2.5 goals as a sensible secondary market given how Sofia are likely to approach this fixture.
