Maccabi Tel Aviv Faces Bulgarian Powerhouse CSKA Sofia in Europa League Qualifiers

Maccabi Tel Aviv advanced to the third qualifying round of the UEFA Europa League after a strong performance against Sheriff Tiraspol. Their next opponent will be CSKA Sofia, Bulgaria's most decorated football club with 31 league titles. Despite finishing fourth in the Bulgarian league last season, CSKA Sofia reached the Bulgarian Cup final, narrowly losing to Lokomotiv Plovdiv in a dramatic penalty shootout.

CSKA Sofia boasts a rich European history, highlighted by their 1981-82 run to the European Cup semi-finals, where they eliminated teams like Real Sociedad, Glentoran, and Liverpool before falling to Bayern Munich. The team’s attack is led by Argentine striker Santiago Leandro Godoy, the squad’s top scorer, and recently acquired midfielder Stefano Sensi, a surprising signing who previously played for Inter Milan.

CSKA Sofia began their Europa League qualifying campaign with a 5-3 aggregate victory over Irish side Derry City and then defeated Qarabağ FK on penalties after 210 minutes of play. For Maccabi Tel Aviv, overcoming CSKA Sofia is a crucial step toward securing a spot in the group stages of European competition. Success would advance them to the playoff round, guaranteeing at least a place in the UEFA Conference League group stage even if they lose in the playoffs.