Match Information
Our pre-match preview Written before kick-off — see what we expected from this match
Match Overview
Levski Sofia host AEK Athens FC at the Vivacom Arena Georgi Asparuhov on August 18, 2026, in the UEFA Champions League Play-offs, a tie that offers passage into the league phase of Europe's premier club competition and carries the season-defining weight that comes with it. This is a single fixture within the play-off round, and for both clubs the outcome will shape their European campaign for the entire season ahead, making squad readiness and momentum crucial factors heading in.
Levski Sofia arrive having navigated two rounds of Champions League qualifying already, most recently overcoming Kairat Almaty 1-0 at home on August 4 and then winning 1-0 away on August 11 to progress through the 3rd Qualifying Round. That sequence, combined with a 2-2 draw away at Universitatea Craiova on July 29 in the 2nd Qualifying Round, shows a side that has had to fight through every stage rather than being handed a bye, and manager Julio Velazquez has kept a settled 4-2-3-1 shape intact through that run. Domestically, Levski have also been perfect, beating Septemvri Sofia 3-0 on August 1 and Lokomotiv Plovdiv 2-0 on August 7, giving them five results without defeat across all competitions in their most recent outings.
AEK Athens FC arrive off a different type of preparation, having contested the Super Cup Final on August 12, drawing 2-2 with OFI, alongside a string of pre-season friendlies including a 4-0 win over Kallithea on August 8 and a 3-0 win over St. Truiden on August 2, though they did lose 1-2 to Samsunspor on July 29. That mix of competitive and friendly fixtures makes it harder to gauge their sharpness against a Levski side that has been tested repeatedly in knockout football.
With no injuries reported for either side, both managers-where known-should be able to select from close to full-strength squads, adding further significance to team selection and tactical setup on the night.
Predicted Lineups
Levski Sofia
S. Vutsov; A. Neves, K. Dimitrov, N. Serafimov, A. Centelles; G. Trdin, M. Moubarik, A. Oko-Flex, Serginho, Everton Bala; Reinaldo
AEK Athens FC
T. Strakosha; S. Christakopoulos, H. Moukoudi, M. Todorski, L. Rota; P. Mantalos, L. Majer, R. Marin; N. Eliasson, L. Jović, O. Zubkov
Team Form Analysis
Levski Sofia
Levski Sofia Form Analysis
Levski Sofia's recent form reads as an unbroken run of success across five outings, comprising four wins and a single draw, with no defeats in the sample provided. Their Champions League qualifying campaign has been especially notable: a 2-2 draw away at Universitatea Craiova on July 29 was followed by back-to-back 1-0 victories over Kairat Almaty, first at home on August 4 and then away on August 11, showing composure in tight, low-scoring European ties. Domestically, the attacking output has been more emphatic, with a 3-0 win over Septemvri Sofia on August 1 and a 2-0 win over Lokomotiv Plovdiv on August 7 underlining a defense that has not conceded in either league fixture. Across all five matches, Levski have kept clean sheets in three, conceded only in the Craiova draw and the second Kairat Almaty leg, and scored in every match, suggesting balance between defensive solidity and going forward, having faced a mix of domestic and continental opposition on their way to this play-off tie.
AEK Athens FC
AEK Athens FC Form Analysis
AEK Athens FC's recent matches present a mixed picture built largely from friendlies and a domestic cup final rather than a run of competitive league fixtures. Their most recent match was a 2-2 draw with OFI in the Super Cup Final on August 12, a result that suggests defensive vulnerabilities were shared by both sides in a game that finished level. Before that, AEK put together an attacking sequence, defeating Kallithea 4-0 on August 8 and St. Truiden 3-0 on August 2, both at home, showing they can be ruthless in front of goal against a certain caliber of opponent. However, a 1-2 home defeat to Samsunspor on July 29 and a narrower 3-2 away win over PEC Zwolle on July 26 point to some inconsistency defensively during this preparatory period. With four goals conceded across the last two matches alone, and the nature of these fixtures being largely non-competitive, it remains difficult to fully project how AEK's form will translate into a high-stakes Champions League play-off environment.
Head-to-Head
Memorable Matches
No head-to-head history between Levski Sofia and AEK Athens FC is available, meaning this play-off meeting represents new territory for both clubs rather than the renewal of an established rivalry. Without a shared history of past encounters to draw upon, this tie will be shaped purely by current form and the stakes of the play-off round itself, giving both sets of supporters a fresh narrative to follow rather than one weighed down by previous results or psychological baggage from prior meetings.
Venue Factor
The Vivacom Arena Georgi Asparuhov will host this play-off encounter, with Levski Sofia enjoying home advantage at a venue that has been the backdrop for their recent domestic wins over Septemvri Sofia and Lokomotiv Plovdiv, as well as one leg of their Champions League qualifying tie against Kairat Almaty. Playing in familiar surroundings for a match of this magnitude can offer meaningful comfort, particularly given the demanding schedule Levski have already navigated through qualifying. For AEK Athens FC, traveling to Sofia for a continental play-off represents a different test
