Litex Lovech - Wisla Krakow

Litex Lovech take on Wisla Krakow in a game from the Third Qualifying Round in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday. The first leg will be played in Lovech and this means that the Bulgarian champions will probably have some advantage over their Polish rivals. However, I expect a very tight game as both teams will not be willing to risk a lot and my pick here is the “Under 2.5 goals” option at 1.60.

Litex Lovech have still not started the Bulgarian championship but they began their campaign in the Champions League two weeks ago against Montenegro champions Mogren Budva and emerged victorious. The Oranges won the first leg away from home 2:1 thanks to two late goals from their star striker Svetoslav Todorov. The returned leg was won easily 3:0 and this will be a boost for the players’ confidence. However, their coach Luboslav Penev will be very cautious in the first game and will hope not to concede a crucial goal at home. Litex conceded five goals at home for the whole championship last year and they will hope for another clean sheet on Tuesday.

Wisla Krakow also won the Polish championship last year and entered the competition in the Second Qualifying Round where they met Skonto Riga. Wisla won the first leg in Lithuania thanks to an own goal by Rode and the return leg in Krakow was easily won 2:0 with goals coming from Malecki and Serbian star Ivica Iliev. Iliev and Bulgarian Tsvetan Genkov will lead the attack on Tuesday and this means the Bulgarians must be very careful. Nine of Wisla’s last 13 games in official competitions finished with two or less goals and I think the same will happen again.

Both teams will be very careful not to concede a goal and I think they will leave the solution for the return leg in a week’s time.