Both teams know how to attack: prediction for Lugano vs Maccabi Tel Aviv on 20.08.2026
On Thursday, August 20, Lugano will host Maccabi Tel Aviv in the first leg of the Europa Conference League play-off round. The clash will take place at AIL Arena, with the opening whistle scheduled for 20:30 local time. This marks the first official meeting between the sides, and a coveted spot in the main phase of the tournament is at stake.
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Lugano: the Swiss side are hitting their stride
Lugano approach this decisive qualification stage in fine form. Mattia Croci-Torti’s men have recently defeated Vaduz 2-1, Dukagjini 5-1, Grasshopper 4-1, NSI Runavik 2-0, and Zurich 5-0, before drawing 2-2 with the Faroese club. The Swiss outfit have netted at least twice in five of their last six official outings.
Lugano are especially convincing in attack. In Conference League qualifiers, they swept past Dukagjini 6-1 on aggregate and NSI Runavik 4-2. One of the key figures of their European campaign has been the experienced Kevin Behrens, who has five goals in four tournament matches. The official squad list also features Renato Steffen, Yanis Cimignani, Elias Pilstrom, and Uran Bislimi.
However, their defensive situation is far from ideal. Even during this successful stretch, Lugano conceded against Vaduz, Dukagjini, Grasshopper, and twice to NSI Runavik. Moreover, according to up-to-date FotMob reports, Daniel Dos Santos, Martim Marques, and Claudio Cassano are sidelined through injury.
Maccabi Tel Aviv: strong response after home setback
Maccabi kicked off their European campaign in the Europa League. The Israelis confidently overcame Sheriff, winning 5-0 away and 1-0 at home, but the next round against CSKA Sofia proved much trickier. After a 0-3 home defeat, Kenny Miller’s side hit back with a 3-1 away victory, but it wasn’t enough to keep their Europa League hopes alive. Now, Maccabi drop into the Conference League play-offs.
Their latest result shows the Tel Aviv outfit can create chances even under significant pressure. Their squad boasts plenty of attacking threats: Osher Davida, Hélio Varela, Ester Sokler, Yonas Malede, Dor Peretz, and Sagiv Jehezkel. However, they’ll be without striker Ion Nicolaescu, who is sidelined with a cruciate ligament injury.
On the road, Maccabi have already thrashed Sheriff 5-0 and beaten CSKA 3-1 in the current European qualifiers. So it’s unlikely the visitors will stay on the defensive in Switzerland: securing a positive result ahead of the return leg is key, and their goal-scoring potential is undeniable.
Probable line-ups
The teams’ recent starting elevens suggest Lugano will line up in a 3-4-1-2, with Maccabi opting for a 4-3-3.
- Lugano: von Ballmoos — Papadopoulos, Mai, Bichsel — Cimignani, Bislimi, Grgic, Pilstrom — Steffen — Behrens and one of the attacking group.
- Maccabi Tel Aviv: Melika — Asante, Kamara, Shlomo, Revivo — Sissoko, Peretz, Shahar — Davida, Sokler, Varela.
Key facts ahead of the match
- Lugano have scored 20 goals in their last six official matches.
- The Swiss side have scored at least twice in five of those six games.
- Maccabi have netted eight times in their last four European fixtures.
- The Israelis have won both previous away qualifiers — 5-0 against Sheriff and 3-1 against CSKA.
- The teams have never met in official competition before.
Attacking potential should shine: Lugano vs Maccabi Tel Aviv prediction
Lugano are in great attacking rhythm right now and will surely look to build an advantage at home ahead of the return leg. The team scores freely, with Behrens and his teammates regularly finding space even against deep-lying opponents.
However, betting on a clean home win looks riskier. Maccabi have already shown away to Sheriff and CSKA that they can exploit space and create chances in transition. Despite Lugano’s prolific attack, their defense is not flawless, and their injury issues further boost the visitors’ chances of getting on the scoresheet. So the most intriguing option here looks to be both teams to score.
Prediction: both teams to score — yes.
