AEK Larnaca will look to complete the job after their dominant first-leg victory over Legia Warsaw when they travel to the Estadi de l'Exercit Polones on Thursday for the second-leg clash in the UEFA Europa League qualifiers.
Legia head into the second leg facing a difficult battle after suffering a crushing 4-1 defeat to the Yellow-Greens in the first meeting. The scoreline leaves them needing a near-perfect performance and a significant turnaround to keep their Europa League hopes alive.
Contents
Legia Warsaw vs AEK Larnaca prediction: A low-scoring encounter
Key statistics
- Their last meeting saw both teams score against each other.
- Both teams scored three or more goals in their last meeting.
- AEK have won their last two meetings against Legia.
Correct score prediction: Legia Warsaw 1-2 AEK Larnaca
Juan Ferrando's side have a perfect record against Legia, winning both of their previous encounters, a home victory in the first leg of this UEFA Europa League tie and an away win in a friendly, scoring a combined five goals while conceding only once.
Given Edward Iordanescu’s side’s heavy defeat in the first leg, they are expected to adopt a more attacking approach at home in search of redemption, which could see them grab a goal but also leave defensive gaps.
AEK, who have already shown their ability to score multiple goals against Leiga, are good enough to exploit those spaces, making a 1-2 scoreline a realistic prediction.
Pre-match odds and win probability: Larnaca given underdog odds
- Home: 8/13 (1.61) – 61.9%
- Draw: 3/1 (4.00) – 25.0%
- Away: 16/5 (4.20) – 23.8%
*Odds provided by Ladbrokes. Subject to change.*
Bookmakers see Legia as the favourites by a large margin, giving them roughly a 62% chance of winning, likely due to home advantage. A draw is priced at 25%, while AEK are given just under a 24% chance, despite winning the first leg convincingly. However, we believe that the Yellow-Greens could still get a win despite being the underdogs.
Head-to-head: AEK edge encounter
Ferrando's men have dominated this encounter, despite just meeting twice. Their head-to-head record shows two previous meetings, both won by Larnaca. The most recent was a 4-1 home victory in the first leg of their UEFA Europa League clash on 7 August, while their earlier encounter was a 1-0 away win in a club friendly. Across both games, AEK have shown their dominance in this fixture.
UEFA Europa League Qualifying 07/08/25
AEK Larnaca
Legia Warsaw
Club Friendly List 16/06/16
Legia Warsaw
AEK Larnaca
After reviewing our key Legia Warsaw vs Larnaca predictions, be sure to visit our website for the remaining football betting tips today.
Legia Warsaw preview: Key players missing
Iordanescu’s team are still without teenage centre-back Jan Leszczynski, who is continuing his recovery from a cruciate ligament injury. They fielded a heavily rotated side in the weekend’s draw with Arka Gdynia, with only goalkeeper Kacper Tobiasz and Japanese midfielder Ryoya Morishita keeping their spots from the previous European outing.
Predicted starting XI: Tobiasz, Vinagre, Kapuadi, Zelazkowski, Wszołek, Elitim, Augustyniak, Kapustka, Morishita, Nsame, Bichakhchyan
Poland Ekstraklasa 11/05/25
L
Lech Poznan
1
Legia Warsaw
0
Poland Cup 02/05/25
W
Pogon Szczecin
3
Legia Warsaw
4
Poland Ekstraklasa 26/04/25
W
GKS Katowice
1
Legia Warsaw
3
Poland Ekstraklasa 21/04/25
W
Lechia Gdansk
1
Legia Warsaw
2
UEFA Conference League 17/04/25
W
Chelsea
1
Legia Warsaw
2
AEK Larnaca preview: Injury hit squad
Ahead of the game, Argentine forward Enzo Cabrera remains a major doubt, having been sidelined for the first leg, while Waldo Rubio is still uncertain after missing the last match.
Predicted starting XI: Alomerovic (GK), A García, Roberge, Milicevic, Ekpolo, L. Gustavo, Pons, J Suarez, Chacon, Ivanovic, Angelski
Cyprus Division 1 12/05/25
W
Apollon Limassol
0
AEK Larnaca
3
Cyprus Cup 07/05/25
W
Omonia Nicosia
1
AEK Larnaca
2
Cyprus Division 1 04/05/25
W
Apoel Nicosia
0
AEK Larnaca
3
Cyprus Cup 30/04/25
D
Omonia Nicosia
0
AEK Larnaca
0
Cyprus Division 1 27/04/25
L
Aris Limassol
1
AEK Larnaca
0
Player to watch: Pawel Wszolek
Pawel Wszolek is in fine form after delivering a standout performance in his last outing, where he both scored and provided an assist against GKS Katowice. His direct running and intelligent positioning caused constant problems for the opposition defence, and his ability to combine finishing with chance creation makes him a dual threat. If he maintains that level, he could be the difference-maker once again.