Nijmegen vs Levski Sofia Prediction, H2H Stats & Statistical Bets 15 October 2026
🔊 NEC Nijmegen host Levski in the second round of the UEFA Europa League league phase. The Dutch club began the tournament with a heavy defeat to Juventus and will be looking to use this home match to get their first points on the board. Levski also lost in the opening round, going down to Salzburg. The visitors come into this match on the back of a positive result in their domestic league and will be hoping to take advantage of the hosts' defensive problems.
The head-to-head clash gets underway
📊 The two sides have never met in an official match.
Nijmegen: a European lesson from Juventus
NEC Nijmegen returned to European football after a long absence and began their Europa League league phase with a heavy defeat against Juventus (0-5). They were already three goals down by half-time and conceded twice more in the second half. The Dutch side made defensive errors and were unable to contain their opponents' attacking play. Their Eredivisie results have been mixed. Following a defeat to Cambuur (0-3), Nijmegen drew with Go Ahead Eagles (1-1) and later shared the points with Ajax by the same score. The match against the Amsterdam club showed that the team are capable of competing against stronger opposition, generating 1.11 xG, though they have so far been unable to pick up points consistently.
The club are managed by Dick Schreuder, who has been in charge since July 2025 on a contract running until the summer of 2028. After personnel changes, the squad needs time to develop cohesion, and the heavy defeat to Juventus highlighted the problems in defence. In attack, Tjaronn Chery plays an important role, capable of contributing to chance creation and helping the team get the results they need. Dušan Tadić brings experience from the Premier League, while Bryan Linssen can threaten the opposition goal inside the box.
Match Results: NEC Nijmegen
Levski sit atop the Bulgarian league, but remain pointless in European competition.
Levski come into this match against NEC Nijmegen as the reigning Bulgarian champions. In the league they have been in strong form: in their most recent fixture they beat Cherno More away from home 2-0, with goals from Mehdi Mubarak and Reynaldo. After ten matches, the Sofia side have nine wins and one draw, with a goal difference of 23-4. They remain top of the table.
Julio Velázquez has been in charge of Levski since January 2025. The Bulgarian club are now looking to carry their domestic form into Europe. However, their start to the Europa League league phase has been disappointing: they lost to Red Bull Salzburg 1-0. Despite the match being relatively even, Levski failed to register a single shot on target. Ahead of the game against NEC Nijmegen, they need to improve their accuracy and make better use of the chances they create.
Match Results: Levski Sofia
Latest news
NEC Nijmegen
❌ Dick Schreuder has a number of injury concerns to deal with ahead of the match against Levski. Bram Nuytinck is definitely out having undergone ankle surgery. Filippo Sandler is also sidelined through injury and will not be available.
❓ There is more uncertainty around those who might still feature. Emre Mor is recovering from a groin injury and is targeting a return in mid-October, but his involvement in this match is in serious doubt. Kay Sierrhuis has picked up an injury, the nature of which has not been specified, and Schreuder described him as doubtful alongside Dennis Geiger. Geiger missed a week through illness, so his fitness is also uncertain. Ayodele Thomas is a separate case - he missed the Ajax match for disciplinary reasons, and his availability for the Levski fixture remains unclear.
Levski Sofia
❌ Velásquez has his own injury concerns ahead of the match. Mustafa Sangaré will definitely not play: he picked up a new injury in the match against Cherno More on 11 October and was substituted as early as the 37th minute. Radoslav Kirilov is also unavailable and is on the absentees list. Akram Buras is not yet ready - he is recovering from a muscular thigh injury, has not yet returned to training with the squad, though there has been some progress.
❓ There is considerably more uncertainty around those who might still feature. Asen Mitkov returned from the youth national team with some issues, and Velásquez described his condition as a "minor ailment". Mazir Soula had also been feeling unwell and his condition was being assessed day by day. Nikola Serafimov is also in the process of recovering - he is making progress and has already been doing some partial work with the group, but his readiness for the match has not yet been confirmed.
⚽ Goals Prediction
Despite losing to Salzburg in the first round of the Europa League, Levski head into this match on the back of a win in their domestic league and are looking to take advantage of their opponents' defensive problems. Nijmegen concede regularly - they have let in a goal in 18 of their last 19 matches. That trend strengthens the case for the Bulgarian club to score. Levski are capable of exploiting space and creating chances, particularly if the hosts again struggle in possession when building out from the back. Our prediction: Levski to Score: Yes at 1.42*.
🚩 Corner Kick Prediction
There is no particular reason to expect a high number of corners in the match between Nijmegen and Levski. If the hosts control possession for long periods and the visitors focus on staying compact and hitting on the counter, the game could pass without sustained pressure near the byline. Levski's statistics support this scenario: Total Corners - Under 10.5 has landed in ten consecutive matches involving the club. That run backs the case for a low overall corner count. Bet: Total Corners - Under 10.5 at odds of 1.55*.
🟨 Yellow Cards Prediction
Both teams lost in the first round and are keen to pick up points. If the match is closely contested, the battle for control and attempts to break up quick attacks could lead to bookings. An additional factor is Levski's match against Salzburg, in which the referee showed six yellow cards - one to the Bulgarian side and five to the Austrians. That result suggests matches involving Levski can be accompanied by physical play and a high number of bookings. The bet is Total Yellow Cards - Over 2.5 at odds of 1.38*.
*Odds are indicative and may vary depending on the bookmaker.
⭐ Editor's Prediction
NEC Nijmegen are at home and, following their draw with Ajax, can expect a more competitive match than in the opening round of the Europa League. The trend shows that NEC Nijmegen have both scored and conceded in 10 consecutive home matches. Levski also come into this game on the back of a positive result in their league. At the same time, the hosts' defensive problems mean they cannot be considered clear favourites. Predicted score: 1-1. Editor's prediction: Both Teams to Score - Yes.
Will this prediction come true?
No comments
Betting Tips: NEC Nijmegen - Levski Sofia
in last 6 games.in 14 of last 15 away games.
in 28 of last 29 NEC Nijmegen games.in last 15 NEC Nijmegen home games.in last 23 home games.in 21 of last 23 home games.Comparison of Teams Stats
Other predictions
