Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the UEFA Europa League match.
In the Champions League qualifiers, Slavia Prague were just minutes away from forcing extra time in their second leg against Lille ( 2:3 on aggregate). It seems that one of the contenders for advancing to the playoffs will take a proactive approach in their away game against Ludogorets – both sides have drawn a tough opponent in the first round.
Ludogorets Razgrad
The main European qualifying competition exposed weaknesses in Ludogorets that even less competitive opponents exploited: Dinamo Batumi and Dinamo Minsk, both inflicted narrow away defeats on the Bulgarian side (0:1 in both matches), and then Qarabağ struck them hard (2:7) over 120 minutes in Razgrad. In the national championship, they face no serious competition, but with the return of European competitions, the level of their opponents will significantly increase, impacting their defensive reliability.
Slavia Prague
So far this season, Slavia Prague have suffered only one setback when they lost away to Lille (0:2), despite having enough chances to score at least once (10-17 in shots). Following the international break, the Czech side claimed three consecutive clean-sheet victories in their domestic league – they are tied with Sparta Prague on points (both with 22 points from 8 rounds). Over the weekend, their coach rested key players David Zima, Mads Madsen, and Mick van Buren – all are expected to start in Bulgaria.
Ludogorets Razgrad vs Slavia Prague Prediction
Both teams have roster issues, but only Slavia Prague displayed consistent performance in the European qualifiers. Ludogorets will struggle to impose their style against a dangerous opponent, making a bet on the visitors with a (0) handicap optimal.
