Preview: AEK Larnaca vs Legia Warsaw - prediction, team news, lineups

AEK Larnaca will be hoping to make home advantage count once again when they welcome Legia Warsaw on Thursday for the first leg of their Europa League third qualifying round tie.

The Cypriot outfit have leaned heavily on strong showings at the AEK Arena in the previous two rounds and will be eyeing another key result on their turf against a side that remains unbeaten across all competitions this season.

Match preview

AEK’s campaign last term was something of a bittersweet ride, as they failed to mount a serious title challenge like the season before, though the Yellow-Greens still managed to end a seven-year wait for silverware.

While finishing second in the 2022-23 season and missing out on the top-flight crown only on goal difference earned them a place in the Conference League qualifiers, the Larnaca outfit will count themselves fortunate to be back in European contention after coming fourth last season, with their Cypriot Cup triumph opening the door to continental football.

This marks the club’s eighth appearance in Europa League qualifying, and they will be aiming to reach the group stage for just the fourth time, having last featured in the main tournament during the 2022-23 campaign.

Imanol Idiakez’s men have navigated their way to this point through resilience at home, first seeing off Partizan on penalties in a tie where both sides picked up wins on their own patch, before edging past Celje 3-2 on aggregate after sealing a 2-1 second-leg victory at the AEK Arena last week.

While AEK are hoping to ride their home form once more, they have no official competitive history with Legia, though the Cypriots can draw a sliver of confidence from their 1-0 friendly win over the Polish club back in 2016.

For a side unbeaten in their last 10 outings (W7, D3) – including friendlies – Legia will hardly be fazed by a result from an unofficial fixture, especially given their pedigree on the continental front.

Quarter-finalists in the UEFA Champions League during the 1995-96 season, the Militarians have reached the main stages of a European competition in nine of the last 14 seasons, including their run to the Conference League final eight last term, where they were eliminated by Chelsea.

Their dominance has continued in this season’s qualifiers, after Legia saw off Aktobe 2-0 on aggregate thanks to home and away wins, before edging Banik Ostrava 4-3 over two legs, having claimed a 2-1 victory in the second leg in Warsaw last week.

Edward Iordanescu’s men enter this encounter off the back of a goalless home draw with Arka Gdynia in their second Ekstraklasa outing of the new season — a result that leaves the Polish giants eighth in the standings and serves as a reminder of their patchy league form last term, when they finished fifth but booked a European place through domestic cup success.

AEK Larnaca Europa League form:

AEK Larnaca form (all competitions):

Legia Warsaw Europa League form:

Legia Warsaw form (all competitions):

Team News

AEK approach this contest with uncertainty hanging over the fitness of Swedish midfielder Marcus Rohden, who limped off in the second-leg win over Celje.

Argentine forward Enzo Cabrera is also a major doubt, having not featured since the first leg of their opening round tie against Partizan.

This could see Idiakez stick with the pairing of Djordje Ivanovic and Karol Angielski up front, especially with Waldo Rubio still uncertain due to his absence in the last match, while Venezuelan attacker Yerson Chacon will be pushing to start in the second line of attack after notching a goal and assist in that contest.

Meanwhile, Legia remain without teenage centre-back Jan Leszczynski, who continues his recovery from a cruciate ligament injury.

A heavily rotated side was named in the weekend stalemate against Arka Gdynia, with only goalkeeper Kacper Tobiasz and Japanese midfielder Ryoya Morishita retaining their place from the previous European fixture.

Iordanescu is expected to revert to the lineup that got the job done against Banik last week, with Morishita and Vahan Bichakhchyan likely forming part of a three-man forward line, although Jean-Pierre Nsame, who found the net in that encounter, remains a doubt after being left out of the weekend squad.

AEK Larnaca possible starting lineup:

Alomerovic; A García, Roberge, Milicevic, Ekpolo; L Gustavo; Pons, J Suarez, Chacon; Ivanovic, Angelski

Legia Warsaw possible starting lineup:

Tobiasz; Vinagre, Kapuadi, Zelazkowski, Wszołek; Elitim, Augustyniak, Kapustka; Morishita, Nsame, Bichakhchyan

We say: AEK Larnaca 2-1 Legia Warsaw

This tie has all the makings of a closely fought contest, but with AEK proving difficult to handle on their own patch, they could just edge it, even if both teams find the net.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.