Can Levski Sofia Maintain Their Defensive Solidity Against Viktoria Plzen? Prediction | October 22, 2026
Viktoria Plzen host Levski Sofia on October 22 in the third round of the UEFA Europa League league phase. Both sides won their most recent matches, but their European campaigns have started differently: Viktoria have lost both opening fixtures, while Levski have already collected their first point.
Viktoria Plzen
Viktoria Plzen arrive after a 3–2 win over Jablonec in the Czech league. They established a 3–0 lead but allowed their opponents to score twice, highlighting the inconsistency that has affected their performances this season. Viktoria currently sit ninth in the Czech league, 11 points behind leaders Slavia Prague and 4 points off second place. Their domestic position leaves room for improvement, while their European results have added pressure to Thursday’s fixture.
The Czech side lost 0–3 at home to Union Saint-Gilloise in their Europa League opener before suffering a 1–2 away defeat to Ferencvaros. After two rounds, they have no points, with 1 goal scored and 5 conceded, leaving them 31st in the overall standings. Viktoria will be eager to get their league-phase campaign moving before losing further ground.
Their recent results have been high-scoring, with all of their last 6 matches featuring over 2.5 goals. However, Levski’s more cautious approach could make it difficult for the hosts to turn this fixture into another open contest.
- Possible Viktoria Plzen lineup: Tapaj, Gabriel, Prebsl, Dweh, Doski, Hrosovsky, Pirgic, Memic, Panos, Sojka, Kabongo.
Levski Sofia
Levski Sofia come into this match after winning their latest Bulgarian Cup fixture to advance to the next round. They had also won their previous league match and currently lead the Bulgarian league by 1 point.
This season Bulgarian champions began their European campaign in Champions League qualifying and progressed through several rounds, including a victory over Kairat Almaty. Their run ended against AEK Athens in the final qualifying stage, sending them into the Europa League.
Levski lost their opening league-phase match 0–1 at home to Salzburg but earned their first point in the second round with a 1–1 draw away to NEC Nijmegen. They took the lead in the Netherlands but conceded after the break, missing the opportunity to secure their first European win of the campaign.
The Bulgarian side have generally favoured a more controlled approach in recent matches. Their last 5 games all finished with under 2.5 goals, and Levski kept clean sheets in 3 of those fixtures. They have also scored first in 5 of their last 7 matches, giving them a chance to dictate the tempo if they take an early lead.
- Possible Levski Sofia lineup: Vutsov, Aldair, Dimitrov, Makoun, Maicon, Moubarik, Grujic, Serginho, Kusso, Reinaldo, Bala.
Head-to-Head
The teams have not met in an official competitive match. However, they have faced each other in friendlies, with Viktoria Plzen unbeaten in those encounters, recording 2 wins and 1 draw.
Key Trends
- Viktoria Plzen have lost both of their opening Europa League matches.
- Viktoria’s last 6 matches have seen over 2.5 goals.
- Levski’s last 5 matches have seen under 2.5 goals.
- Levski are unbeaten in their last 3 matches.
- Levski scored first in 5 of their last 7 matches.
- Viktoria Plzen are unbeaten against Levski in 3 friendly meetings.
Prediction
Viktoria Plzen need a positive result after losing their first two Europa League fixtures, but their recent performances have exposed some defensive weaknesses. Levski Sofia arrive with greater defensive consistency, having seen under 2.5 goals in each of their last 5 matches. Their tendency to score first could also prove important, particularly if Viktoria push forward in search of the points they need. The hosts have the advantage of playing at home, but taking greater risks could leave them vulnerable to Levski’s counterattacks. With Viktoria under pressure to improve their European record and Levski capable of keeping the game tight, the visitors have a chance to make this a competitive encounter. Levski’s recent defensive discipline could help them limit Viktoria’s scoring opportunities, while the hosts’ pressure to secure their first points does not guarantee a more efficient attacking display. With the visitors’ last 5 matches all producing under 2.5 goals, this could develop into a closely contested game with limited scoring. Recommended Bet: Under 3 Total Goals.
