Preview: Qarabag FK vs. CSKA Sofia - prediction, team news, lineups

Qarabag FK welcome CSKA Sofia to Tofiq Bahramov Republican Stadium on Thursday, aiming to secure a positive result in the first leg of their Europa League second qualifying round.

The Azerbaijan outfit have played the league phase in either the Europa League or Champions League in three consecutive years, and will hope to extend that run by ultimately making it to the tournament proper this season.

Match preview

Qarabag's long-time serving manager Qurban Qurbanov has taken the Azerbaijan club to great heights in Europe, reaching the Europa League group stage in 2014-15, advancing to the Champions League proper in 2017-18 and reaching the knockout round of any competition on the continent in 2021-22.

The latter came in the Conference League, even if that continental sojourn ended with a 6-1 aggregate defeat at the hands of Marseille.

Notably, though, the Horsemen's deepest run on the continent was in this competition, when they reached the Europa League round of 16 in 2023-24 before falling to a marginal 5-4 defeat against Bayer Leverkusen.

Even if their very next campaign in Europe's second-tier club competition ended in the league phase, the Blue and Whites' most recent outing on the continent saw them break new ground in the Champions League, advancing to the knockout playoff round before falling 9-3 on aggregate to Newcastle United.

Months after their thrashing by the Magpies, last season's Azerbaijan Premier League runners-up returned to qualifying action by thrashing Icelandic club Vestri 6-0 on aggregate.

Now, they aim to secure a positive result to put a foot into the third qualifying round, where Sheriff Tiraspol or Maccabi Tel Aviv await.

Standing in their way are CSKA Sofia, who are bidding to reach the tournament proper in Europe after a five-year absence.

That 2021-22 campaign saw CSKA reach the group stage of the Conference League, even if they finished bottom of a group comprising Roma, Bodo/Glimt and Zorya.

Having fallen in the playoff round of the Conference League in 2022-23 and the Europa League second qualifying round in 2023-24, this iteration are seeking to be third-time lucky after recent disappointments.

Managed by Hristo Yanev, the Bulgarian outfit are looking to reach the tournament proper in Europe after a two-year absence from the continent.

They have started that ambition with an entertaining 5-3 aggregate triumph over Derry City in the first qualifying round, where Ioannis Pittas was the undoubted hero, scoring three of the Reds' five goals.

The forward will hope to have another strong showing over the next week in Baku and Sofia as the 31-time Bulgarian champions look to reach the league phase in the second or third-tier competition.

Qarabag FK Europa League form:

CSKA Sofia Europa League form:

CSKA Sofia form (all competitions):

Team News

While their domestic league season has yet to begin, Qarabag head into Thursday's fixture with a seemingly clean bill of health after avoiding apparent injury in the first qualifying round success over Vestri.

Zakaria Sawo scored two of the Horsemen's six goals in the comfortable first qualifying round triumph, while assisting a further three, highlighting the home team's reliance on the forward.

Pittas may not have set up for the visitors from Bulgaria, even if the forward's two goals in the first leg and third in the tie in last week's win in Northern Ireland aided their progress to the current round.

Still, the Army Men have the threat of last season's 13-goal forward Leandro Godoy and James Eto'o, who scored four and assisted 10 in league play for the Reds, to call on for their Qarabag tie.

Qarabag FK possible starting lineup:

Kochalski; Silva, Huseynov, Varkonyi, Langa; Bicalho, Jankovic; Kashchuk, Kady, Zoubir; Sawo

CSKA Sofia possible starting lineup:

Lapoukhov; Pastor, Rodriguez, Ivanov, Martino; Eto'o, Jordao, Sensi; Solot; Godoy, Pittas

We say: Qarabag FK 3-1 CSKA Sofia

Qarabag have shown in recent seasons that they are no strangers to pushing deep into European qualification and that experience should matter on Thursday.

Although CSKA Sofia may find the back of the net, the Azerbaijan side look more polished and more likely to make their dominance count in the key moments.

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