Ludogorets lead the Bulgarian Parva Liga, nine points ahead of their rivals Levski Sofia and Botev Plovdiv.
Razgrad’s priority will be progressing in the Europa League. Although they have dominated the Bulgarian scene for the last decade, the club has struggled to compete in Europe in the last four years.
Ludogorets owner Kiril Domuschiev has faced criticism for his management style. He has been using the club as a source of profits by selling incoming talents at a higher price to other leagues in Europe every year.
The club often purchases talents from the Brazilian market, like Igor Thiago. His transfer to Club Brugge made him the most expensive player in Parva Liga at €11 million.
The club recently fired head coach Georgia Dermendjiev after Qarabag eliminated Ludogorets in the Champions League qualification round (7-2). Although his team won the first round in Razgrad (2-1), the club often fires coaches if they fail to qualify for the Champions League.
This radical approach has led to a lack of stability in the team, and they almost failed to win the league last season. Ludogorets also lost the Bulgarian Cup final to Botev Plovdiv, leading to a disappointing end to the previous campaign.
Croatian head coach Igor Jovićević took over after Dermendjiev was dismissed. His team remains undefeated in Bulgaria, but his record in Europe has raised concerns.
Ludogorets lost against Slavia Praha (2-0) and Anderlecht (2-0) and drew against Viktoria Plzen (0-0). After three matches, the team remains winless in Europe and is about to welcome Ernesto Valverde’s Athletic Club.
Club captain Jakub Piotrowski is injured, while Caio Vidal is suspended, which further diminishes their chances against an opponent with more quality on the pitch.
While Athletic Club have lost several games in La Liga, they remain unbeaten in the Europa League.
However, Athletic’s focus remains on La Liga, with Ernesto Valverde’s team currently in sixth place with 19 points. The 1-1 draw against Real Betis showed a two-faced team, as Athletic dominated in the first half but were unable to make it count. Real Betis scored through Fornals, but Valverde’s in-game adjustments led to Alex Berenguer equalising in the 68th minute.
Athletic Club also failed to win the match preceding that encounter, a 0-0 draw against Mallorca. Samuel Costa’s recklessness earned him a red card, which led to a 10-man Mallorca, but Athletic was unable to find the break.
In Europe, Athletic Club drew against AS Roma (1-1) but defeated AZ Alkmaar (2-0) and Slavia Praha (1-0). Unai Simón is injured and will miss the match.
Bet hereThis is the first time the two teams meet. Ludogorets’ European record in the last few years has been underwhelming, with the team yet to secure a victory in the current Europa League campaign.
This record would make Athletic Club the favourite. However, Ernesto Valverde’s team hasn’t yet found success on the road in this competition, as their two victories came at San Mamés.
Ludogorets haven’t shown any signs of weakness in Bulgaria but have struggled to adapt to the Europa League’s tempo. Without their captain Piotrowski, the problems are as clear as crystal: the team finds it hard to attack efficiently. Vidal’s suspension makes matters only worse.
Although Athletic Club have lost their last two matches, they will arrive hungry for points and with an eye on breaking its away drought. Ludogorets seems the ideal opponent to achieve these goals.
While Ludogorets boasts a strong defensive record in Bulgaria, it is the opposite in the Europa League. The team’s offensive record is even worse, as Ludogorets hasn’t scored a single goal yet in the competition.
Nico Williams is likely to exploit his wing in favourable 1v1 matchups, creating chances against Ludogorets’ defence. He couldn’t ask for better conditions.
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