Craiova vs Levski Sofia Prediction 29 July 2026
📢 How will the Universitatea Craiova vs Levski tie end up? Before the first leg of the second qualifying round of the Champions League, there was no clear favourite between these two. A narrow 1-0 home win has shifted the odds in the Bulgarian club's favour. But nothing is settled yet - the second leg is at Stadionul Ion Oblemenco, where the Romanians will try to turn things around. The real fight for a place in the next round is still to come.
Head-to-Head
📊 Last week's match was the first ever meeting between Universitatea Craiova and Levski.
Head-to-head statistics Craiova - Levski Sofia
Craiova Team Overview
Universitatea Craiova have never played in the Champions League before - the old European Cup aside. Winning the Romanian title gave them that chance, and the debut went well: they came through the first qualifying round against Maxline comfortably, 5-1 on aggregate. But a tougher opponent exposed some problems straight away. In the first leg against Levski, they conceded on the eighth minute and lost 0-1. The underlying numbers weren't bad - Craiova had more of the ball (57% to 43%) and more shots (13 to 9). None of it translated into a goal, though.
What could hurt them even more going into the second leg is what happened on July 25. Universitatea Craiova lost 1-5 away to Dinamo Bucharest, spending the entire second half with ten men. That kind of match takes something out of you - physically and mentally - right before a Champions League tie.
Match Results: Craiova
Levski Sofia Team Overview
Levski last played in Champions League qualifying back in 2009. Despite that long absence, they've done reasonably well so far - two wins and a draw. But the home leg against Universitatea Craiova was hard to call a clean success. They got the win, yet were second-best in most statistical categories, and a similar performance away from home might not be enough to go through.
Like their Romanian opponents, Levski played a league match over the weekend. Unlike Craiova, they won it - beating Lokomotiv Sofia 2-1 away from home. It was a tense game, though, and could have taken something out of them ahead of the second leg.
Match Results: Levski Sofia
🟨 Yellow Cards Prediction
The first leg was a rough affair, five bookings between the two sides. The second leg is unlikely to be any calmer. Levski's lead is slim, the tie is still very much alive, and Universitatea Craiova will need to take risks and fight harder for the ball. The visitors, meanwhile, will look to disrupt the hosts' attacks and protect their advantage. That's why we're backing total yellow cards over 4.5.
⚽️ Goals Prediction
The first leg was short on goals, most expected more than one, especially after the early opener. This match should be a different story. Universitatea Craiova need to overturn the deficit, so they'll push forward in numbers, giving Levski more room to hit on the counter. That kind of game opens the door for both teams to score. Add to that the fact that both teams scored in 6 of the Bulgarian club's last 7 away matches, and we're backing both teams to score (yes) at 1.87*.
🚩 Corners Prediction
In the first leg, Universitatea Craiova edged the corners count 4-3. With the pressure on the Romanian side to push even harder at home, they should dominate that department again. Universitatea Craiova to win corners at 1.49* looks the right call.
* Odds are approximate and may vary across different bookmakers.
⭐️ Editor's Prediction
The bookmakers see Universitatea Craiova as clear favourites for the second leg. That makes sense - even in Sofia, the Romanian side looked the better team. At home they'll push even harder, with a one-goal deficit to overturn. So our main bet is a Universitatea Craiova win. We think the hosts take it 3-1 and book their place in the next round.
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Betting Tips: Craiova - Levski Sofia
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in 16 of last 17 games.in last 8 away games.in 23 of last 24 home games.Comparison of Teams Stats
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