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A place in the main draw of the Europa League will be on the line when CSKA Sofia welcome OFI Crete to the Vasil Levski National Stadium this Thursday night for the second leg of their playoff tie.
The hosts will need to complete one of the all-time great European comebacks if they are to qualify, given they are currently 3-0 down after the opening leg.
CSKA Sofia should be well rested given they did not have league duties over the weekend, though OFI Crete will arrive with plenty of momentum having won their last three competitive outings.
Read our prediction, preview and betting tips for the game below, and make sure to check out our today's betting tips page for more of our expert predictions.
CSKA Sofia vs. OFI Crete key stats
- CSKA Sofia have lost just one of their six home games this season.
- OFI Crete have only managed three wins across their last nine away matches.
- CSKA Sofia have won all of their previous three European ties against Greek clubs
CSKA Sofia vs. OFI Crete preview: Hosts need a miracle
CSKA Sofia vs OFI Crete — Tale of the Tape
| CSKA Sofia | vs | OFI Crete |
|---|---|---|
| 4th (EFBET League 25/26) | Position | 7th (Greek Super League 25/26) |
| 63 | Points | 39 |
| 47 | Goals For | 43 |
| 30 | Goals Against | 55 |
| 3 | Clean Sheets | 7 |
| 2nd/4th | Home / Away Rank | 6th/7th |
CSKA Sofia have left themselves with a mountain to climb after enduring a disastrous first leg that ended in a 3-0 defeat and a red card for the Bulgarian side.
It was forward Mohamed Brahimi who received his marching orders for unsportsmanlike conduct in the opening game, just 25 minutes after coming on as a second-half sub.
The Bulgarian side were hoping to reach the main draw of a European competition for the first time since the 2021-22 season, when they bagged a spot in the group stage of the Europa Conference League.
While CSKA Sofia have historically won all three of their previous European ties against Greek opposition, their hopes of continuing that run look slim.
Nevertheless, Hristo Yanev’s side have scored three or more goals in half of their six home games this season – this includes a 5-0 home league win over Botev Vratsa a fortnight ago.
When it comes to OFI Crete, the Greek outfit could not have wished for a better start to the new season.
Christos Kontis and his men, who qualified for this Europa League playoff tie by winning the Greek Cup, kicked off their new campaign with a dramatic Super Cup victory over AEK Athens.
The club followed that up with the aforementioned 3-0 victory over CSKA Sofia, before opening their Greek Super League account with another solid 2-0 victory over Volos.
Three games, three wins, two clean sheets and one trophy – it is fair to suggest that confidence levels are sky high for the Crete club heading into this second leg.
The next big ambition for the club will be making an impact on the European scene – something they have not really done throughout their 100 year history.
The greatest achievement on the continent for the Crete club was arguably their second round victory over Atletico Madrid in the old UEFA Cup back in 1993-94.
CSKA Sofia vs. OFI Crete form guide & betting tips
| CSKA Sofia | vs | OFI Crete |
|---|---|---|
DWWLL |
Form (Europa League) | W |
| 4 | Goals For | 3 |
| 6 | Goals Against | 0 |
WWLWL |
All Competitions | WWW |
Whispers predicts: CSKA Sofia 2-1 OFI Crete
CSKA Sofia have no other option, but to go on the front foot and do their best to close down the three-goal gap.
While the hosts have a great goalscoring record at home, their propensity to go forward could also open the door for the visitors on the counter attack.
Bearing all this in mind, there are two betting markets that immediately deserve consideration.
Both teams to score, for instance, is currently available at a tasty price of 1/1 with most bookmakers.
Over 2.5 goals also offers decent value, with bookies pricing the market at around the 4/5 mark.
To find serious value, the correct score market is always a good option. As things stand, a 2-1 victory for CSKA Sofia is available at 8/1.
> Both teams to score at 1/1 | Likelihood: Probable
> Over 2.5 goals at 4/5 | Likelihood: Probable
> Correct score 2-1 at 8/1 | Likelihood: Outsider