Preview: CFR Cluj vs Alashkert FC - prediction, team news, lineups

CFR Cluj will welcome Alashkert FC to Romania on Thursday for the second leg of their Conference League second-qualifying-round tie.

The two sides come into the decisive leg all square after a 1-1 draw in Armenia last week.

Match preview

CFR Cluj come into the home leg of their first European qualifying tie of the season on Thursday with the hopes of booking a third round place in the running for the Conference League.

They earned entry at this stage with a third-placed finish in the Romanian Superliga in 2025-26, continuing their wait for a first top-flight title since 2022.

Following a productive pre-season run, the Ceferistii kicked off their new domestic campaign in mid-July with a trip to Otelul and fell to a disappointing 2-1 loss, before heading to Armenia to take on Alashkert in last week's first leg, coming away level as Andres Sfait equalised early in the second half of a 1-1 draw.

A first competitive win of the season under the new management of Antonio Folha then followed on Monday, as they dished out a 5-0 beating to FC Voluntari on home turf with Andrei Cordea and Stefan Drazic netting braces before Mario Camora added a fifth late on.

With confidence to take from that result and home advantage coming into the second leg with home advantage, CFR Cluj will bid to come out on top on Thursday to seal their progression to the third round of qualifying.

Their opponents, meanwhile, make the trip aiming to continue their run which began in the first round with an away win.

Alashkert FC began Conference League qualifying in the first round, following a fourth-placed finish in the Armenian Premier League in 2025-26, with Yelimay Semey the first team to stand in their way.

Vahe Gevorgyan's side scraped through that contest, drawing 1-1 at home and 2-2 away thanks to an own goal in the dying embers of extra time before prevailing in the penalty shootout.

Rafael Jesus then put them ahead in the first half of their home leg against CFR Cluj last week, before being pegged back, meaning FC Alashkert must again come out on top in an away leg if they are to take their run to the third qualifying round.

CFR Cluj Conference League form:

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Alashkert FC Conference League form:

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Alashkert FC form (all competitions):

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Team News

CFR Cluj made widescale changes between last week's first leg and their league win last time out, and Sfait will compete to earn his place back after scoring their leveller in Armenia and only featuring off the bench against FC Voluntari.

Cordea and Drazic have strong claims to keep their own places up front after each hitting braces on Monday, and they may join Sfait in a new-look front three for the home leg.

Karlu Muhar remains a key man in midfield this season, with Alin Fica and either Bruno Costa or Damjan Djokovic likely to join him.

Alashkert FC may be unchanged from their home leg with no competitive action since as their league campaign begins next week.

There is competition for attacking spots, though, with summer signings Domi Jaures Massoumou and Philip Ejike having featured off the bench last time out.

Raphael Jesus will keep his spot after scoring their opener, while midfielder Karen Nalbandyan led their scoring charts with 14 goals last season.

CFR Cluj possible starting lineup:

Valceanu; Kun, Pantalon, Abeid, Rocha; Muhar, Fica, Costa; Cordea, Drazic, Sfait

Alashkert FC possible starting lineup:

Beglaryan; Terteryan, Cesar, Matyukhin, Hakobyan; Nalbandyan, Piloyan, Sabobo; Farayola, Jesus, Massoumou

We say: CFR Cluj 2-0 Alashkert FC (CFR Cluj win 3-1 on aggregate)

CFR Cluj successfully navigated the away leg to come out on level terms, and we back them to make the most of home advantage and progress on Thursday on the back of a resounding league win at the weekend.

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