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Maccabi Tel Aviv and CSKA Sofia will both aim to put themselves in pole position to reach the Europa League play-offs when they begin their third-round qualifying tie on Thursday at the Adjarabet Arena.
The hosts made light work of Sheriff in the second round, while the visitors required penalties to overcome Qarabag after a 0-0 aggregate stalemate.
Read our prediction, preview and betting tips for the game below, and make sure to check out today's betting tips page for more of our expert predictions.
Maccabi Tel Aviv vs. CSKA Sofia key stats
- Both Maccabi Tel Aviv and CSKA Sofia have won each of their last three matches.
- The away side are also unbeaten in their last nine matches across all competitions.
- Seven of the hosts' last nine matches have produced at least three goals.
Maccabi Tel Aviv vs. CSKA Sofia preview: More European fireworks from Maccabi
Maccabi Tel Aviv vs. CSKA Sofia — Tale of the Tape
| Maccabi Tel Aviv | vs | CSKA Sofia |
|---|---|---|
| N/A | Position | 5th (Bulgarian Parva Liga) |
| N/A | Points | 7 |
| N/A | Goals For | 5 |
| N/A | Goals Against | 3 |
| N/A | Clean Sheets | 1 |
| N/A | Home / Away Rank | 6th |
Looking to put last season's abysmal Europa League campaign – seven defeats from eight group-stage matches (D1) – behind them, Maccabi Tel Aviv are determined to return to Europe's secondary competition for a third consecutive year.
Kenny Miller's side received a bye into the second round of qualifying and cruised past Sheriff Tiraspol 6-0 on aggregate to book their spot in the third round.
The Yellows head into their next assignment buoyed by a blistering start to the season, recording three consecutive wins for the first time since April as Miller continues to impress in his debut campaign.
Maccabi's winning run has seen them score nine goals while conceding just once, and the Israeli giants will be eager for another solid defensive display as they look to put one foot in the final qualifying round against OFI Crete.
Thursday's hosts have rarely faced Bulgarian opponents in Europe, with their only previous encounter coming against Levski Sofia in the 2023-24 Conference League third qualifying round.
A 2-1 home win in the second leg was enough to see them through after a first-leg draw, but with the home leg first this time, Maccabi are under more pressure to take control from the outset.
Unlike Maccabi, CSKA Sofia's Europa League qualifying journey has been anything but straightforward, dating back to the opening round against Irish side Derry City.
After a 3-2 first-leg win, Hristo Yanev's men looked set for extra time as they trailed 1-0 heading into the final 16 minutes of the return leg, before Ioannis Pittas' strike and a Barry Cotter own goal sealed progression.
CSKA then narrowly edged past Qarabag on penalties to keep their European dream alive, having not featured on the continental stage since the 2021-22 campaign.
Balancing continental commitments with domestic duties, CSKA have started their league season in fine form, collecting seven points from a possible nine to stand as one of five unbeaten teams so far.
As a result, Thursday's visitors arrive in good form but will be wary, having failed to score in each of their last two away competitive matches and three of the last four.
Maccabi Tel Aviv vs. CSKA Sofia guide & betting tips
| Maccabi Tel Aviv | vs | CSKA Sofia |
|---|---|---|
WWW |
Form | DDWWW |
| 9 | Goals For | 5 |
| 1 | Goals Against | 3 |
WW |
Europa League qualification | WWDW |
Whispers predicts: Maccabi Tel Aviv 2-1 CSKA Sofia
Maccabi have been the more convincing of the two teams during their respective qualifying campaigns, and it is hard to look past them claiming a first-leg win at 9/10 (1.90).
However, the visitors are capable of breaching the hosts' solid defence, so BTTS – Yes at 4/5 (1.80) is a strong selection.
Only two of Maccabi's last nine matches have yielded fewer than three goals, making over 2.5 goals at 21/20 (2.05) another appealing pick.
> Home to win at 9/10 (1.90) | Likelihood: Possible
> Over 2.5 goals at 21/20 (2.05) | Likelihood: Probable
> BTTS – Yes at 4/5 (1.80) | Likelihood: Probable