Ferencvárosi
In the first leg of the third qualifying round of the UEFA Europa League, Ferencvaros host Gornik Zabrze at Groupama Arena in Budapest 5 August 2026 at 19:15 BST.
The Hungarians have been in European competition mode since the start of July and have already come through two rounds. Gornik have just dropped out of Champions League qualifying and enter a new tournament already up to speed, with no pause and no time to ease themselves in.
Ferencvaros are a club from a different level in this tie. Last autumn, the Hungarians played in the league phase of the UEFA Europa League, losing only once in eight rounds, and reached the knockout stage. That kind of experience does not disappear over one off-season: Balazs Borbely's side know how to play two-legged ties and understand the value of the first goal at home.
Qualifying has confirmed that. The Hungarians dismantled Vojvodina over two legs (5:1), then knocked out Twente — a solid Eredivisie club who are clearly stronger than their current opponents. In Enschede, Ferencvaros won (2:1), then held on at home (2:2), despite playing almost an hour with ten men after Philippe Rommens' sending-off. This team can drag out tough matches even when short-handed.
The Hungarians have players capable of deciding things in attack. Lenny Joseph produced 16 goals and 10 assists last season, and in the Netherlands he scored twice and effectively carried the first leg. Alongside him is Naby Keita, who has added class and speed of thought in midfield. Rommens will miss the game through suspension, but the depth of the squad covers that gap without a drop in quality.
Gornik's results against Fenerbahce sound impressive: 0:1 in Istanbul and 1:1 at home. They need to be read differently. The Poles spent two matches sitting in a low block, picked up four yellow cards in the return fixture and scored only once in 180 minutes. That is discipline, not attacking power. Holding midfielder Jaroslaw Kubicki is out until the autumn with a broken arm.
The only concern could be the Hungarians' start in the league: a defeat to Paksi (2:4) and a goalless draw with Vasas. But Borbely has been rotating in domestic rounds, while in Europe he started with three straight wins and still has not lost. The priority is obvious.
At home, Ferencvaros are stronger in every department, sharper in terms of European rhythm and motivated to settle the tie in Budapest. We are backing a home win.
Javier Alberola (Spain)
Matches – 9 (international fixtures, 2024–2026);
Average fouls per match – 21;
Average yellow cards per match (including second yellows) – 4;
Matches with red cards – 1 out of 9;
Matches with penalties – 1 out of 9.
|
Balazs Borbely
|
coach | ||
| Player | Matches | Goals | |
|
Line-up
|
|||
|
Dénes Dibusz
|
gk. | 0 | 0 |
|
Attila Osváth
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Mariano Gómez
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Toon Raemaekers
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Carlos Eduardo Lopes Cruz
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Gavriel Gilad Kanichowsky
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Kristoffer Zachariassen
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Márius Dumitru Corbu
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Bamidele Isa Yusuf
|
fw. | 0 | 0 |
|
Jonathan Alberto Levi
|
fw. | 0 | 0 |
|
Lenny Alvin Pico Joseph
|
fw. | 0 | 0 |
|
Substitutes
|
|||
|
Ádám Gábor Varga
|
gk. | 0 | 0 |
|
Guédé Nathan Zohoré
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Olivér Zoltán Nagy
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Callum Joshua Ryan O'Dowda
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Edgar Sevikyan
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Ádám Nagy
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Aleksandar Ćirković
|
fw. | 0 | 0 |
|
Daniel Arzani
|
fw. | 0 | 0 |
|
Kenan Kodro
|
fw. | 0 | 0 |
|
Zsombor Gruber
|
fw. | 0 | 0 |
|
Zétény István Varga
|
fw. | 0 | 0 |
|
Ádám Gyula Bagi
|
fw. | 0 | 0 |
|
Michal Gasparik
|
coach | ||
| Player | Matches | Goals | |
|
Line-up
|
|||
|
Philipp Schulze
|
gk. | 0 | 0 |
|
Erik Janža
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
José Manuel Sánchez Guillén
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Maximilian Solomon Dietz
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Michal Sáček
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Rafał Janicki
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Kacper Urbański
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Lukáš Sadílek
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Taofeek Ajibade Ismaheel
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Erik Prekop
|
fw. | 0 | 0 |
|
Yvan Ikia Dimi
|
fw. | 0 | 0 |
|
Substitutes
|
|||
|
Wiktor Kania
|
0 | 0 | |
|
Ondřej Zmrzlý
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Patryk Warczak
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Paweł Piotr Bochniewicz
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Bastien Donio
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Maksym Khlan
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Michał Miłosz Rakoczy
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Sondre Liseth
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Peter Federico González Carmona
|
fw. | 0 | 0 |
Ferencvárosi
Twente
Twente
Ferencvárosi
Ferencvárosi
Vojvodina
Vojvodina
Ferencvárosi
Gornik Zabrze
Fenerbahce
Fenerbahce
Gornik Zabrze
| # | Team | Form | Matches played | W | D | L | G | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1
|
Juventus
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5:0 | 3 |
|
2
|
Crystal Palace
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4:0 | 3 |
|
3
|
Sparta Prague
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4:1 | 3 |
|
4
|
Beşiktaş JK
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4:1 | 3 |
|
5
|
Saint-Gilloise
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3:0 | 3 |
|
6
|
Ferencvárosi
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3:1 | 3 |
|
7
|
Benfica
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2:0 | 3 |
|
8
|
Bayer 04
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2:0 | 3 |
|
9
|
OFI Crete
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2:0 | 3 |
|
10
|
Bournemouth
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2:1 | 3 |
|
11
|
Lyon
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2:1 | 3 |
|
12
|
União Torreense
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2:1 | 3 |
|
13
|
Olympiacos Piraeus
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2:1 | 3 |
|
14
|
Red Bull Salzburg
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1:0 | 3 |
|
15
|
Omonia
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1:0 | 3 |
|
16
|
Sunderland
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1:0 | 3 |
|
17
|
Dinamo Zagreb
|
|
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0:0 | 1 |
|
18
|
Hapoel Be'er Sheva
|
|
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0:0 | 1 |
|
19
|
Rennes
|
|
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0:0 | 1 |
|
20
|
Sturm Graz
|
|
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0:0 | 1 |
|
21
|
Jagiellonia
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1:2 | 0 |
|
22
|
Anderlecht
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1:2 | 0 |
|
23
|
Lillestrom
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1:2 | 0 |
|
24
|
Real Sociedad
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1:2 | 0 |
|
25
|
AZ Alkmaar
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0:1 | 0 |
|
26
|
Celta
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0:1 | 0 |
|
27
|
Levski Sofia
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0:1 | 0 |
|
28
|
Celtic
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1:3 | 0 |
|
29
|
NK Celje
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0:2 | 0 |
|
30
|
Hoffenheim
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0:2 | 0 |
|
31
|
AC Milan
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0:2 | 0 |
|
32
|
Marseille
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1:4 | 0 |
|
33
|
Ararat-Armenia
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1:4 | 0 |
|
34
|
Viktoria Plzen
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0:3 | 0 |
|
35
|
Lech
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0:4 | 0 |
|
36
|
NEC Nijmegen
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0:5 | 0 |
| # | Team | Form | Matches played | W | D | L | G | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1
|
Juventus
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5:0 | 3 |
|
2
|
Crystal Palace
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4:0 | 3 |
|
3
|
Beşiktaş JK
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4:1 | 3 |
|
4
|
Bayer 04
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2:0 | 3 |
|
5
|
OFI Crete
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2:0 | 3 |
|
6
|
Olympiacos Piraeus
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2:1 | 3 |
|
7
|
Omonia
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1:0 | 3 |
|
8
|
Sunderland
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1:0 | 3 |
|
9
|
Hapoel Be'er Sheva
|
|
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0:0 | 1 |
|
10
|
Sturm Graz
|
|
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0:0 | 1 |
|
11
|
Sparta Prague
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
|
12
|
Saint-Gilloise
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
|
13
|
Ferencvárosi
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
|
14
|
Benfica
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
|
15
|
Bournemouth
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
|
16
|
Lyon
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
|
17
|
União Torreense
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
|
18
|
Red Bull Salzburg
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
|
19
|
Dinamo Zagreb
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
|
20
|
Rennes
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
|
21
|
Jagiellonia
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
|
22
|
Anderlecht
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1:2 | 0 |
|
23
|
Lillestrom
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1:2 | 0 |
|
24
|
Real Sociedad
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1:2 | 0 |
|
25
|
AZ Alkmaar
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
|
26
|
Celta
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
|
27
|
Levski Sofia
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0:1 | 0 |
|
28
|
Celtic
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1:3 | 0 |
|
29
|
NK Celje
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
|
30
|
Hoffenheim
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
|
31
|
AC Milan
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0:2 | 0 |
|
32
|
Marseille
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
|
33
|
Ararat-Armenia
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1:4 | 0 |
|
34
|
Viktoria Plzen
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0:3 | 0 |
|
35
|
Lech
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
|
36
|
NEC Nijmegen
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
| # | Team | Form | Matches played | W | D | L | G | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1
|
Sparta Prague
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4:1 | 3 |
|
2
|
Saint-Gilloise
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3:0 | 3 |
|
3
|
Ferencvárosi
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3:1 | 3 |
|
4
|
Benfica
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2:0 | 3 |
|
5
|
Bournemouth
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2:1 | 3 |
|
6
|
Lyon
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2:1 | 3 |
|
7
|
União Torreense
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2:1 | 3 |
|
8
|
Red Bull Salzburg
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1:0 | 3 |
|
9
|
Dinamo Zagreb
|
|
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0:0 | 1 |
|
10
|
Rennes
|
|
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0:0 | 1 |
|
11
|
Juventus
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
|
12
|
Crystal Palace
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
|
13
|
Beşiktaş JK
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
|
14
|
Bayer 04
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
|
15
|
OFI Crete
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
|
16
|
Olympiacos Piraeus
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
|
17
|
Omonia
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
|
18
|
Sunderland
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
|
19
|
Hapoel Be'er Sheva
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
|
20
|
Sturm Graz
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
|
21
|
Jagiellonia
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1:2 | 0 |
|
22
|
Anderlecht
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
|
23
|
Lillestrom
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
|
24
|
Real Sociedad
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
|
25
|
AZ Alkmaar
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0:1 | 0 |
|
26
|
Celta
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0:1 | 0 |
|
27
|
Levski Sofia
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
|
28
|
Celtic
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
|
29
|
NK Celje
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0:2 | 0 |
|
30
|
Hoffenheim
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0:2 | 0 |
|
31
|
AC Milan
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
|
32
|
Marseille
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1:4 | 0 |
|
33
|
Ararat-Armenia
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
|
34
|
Viktoria Plzen
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
|
35
|
Lech
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0:4 | 0 |
|
36
|
NEC Nijmegen
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0:5 | 0 |
