Ludogorets will host Ajax in the first leg of their UEFA Europa League playoff-round tie on Thursday at the Stadium Ludogorets Arena.
Ludogorets will host Ajax in the first leg of their UEFA Europa League playoff-round tie on Thursday at the Stadium Ludogorets Arena. The hosts began their European campaign in the first qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League. However, they were eliminated from the second round earlier this month. Nevertheless, Ludogorets booked their spot in the Europa League playoffs with a 6-3 win on aggregate over Astana. They recorded a 5-1 win in the home leg and overturned a one-goal deficit from the first leg. The Eagles have been rather inconsistent in their recent games. They had three defeats in their last six games. As a result, it can be said their home record is quite good. The Eagles have scored 18 goals while conceding just twice in their last five games. Naturally, Ludogorets will be hopeful of a positive outing against Ajax.
In contrast, Ajax are in the playoffs after finishing third in the Eredivisie table last season. This is the first time since the 2017-18 campaign. De Godenzonen have endured a rather slow start to their season, with just one win from three games thus far. If friendlies are taken into consideration, they have just one win from their last five games. They will play for the first time in a qualifying match since the 2019-20 season. Ajax is a powerhouse in European football. So, even though Ludogorets has a great record against a Dutch side, it will be a difficult one for the Eagles. De Godenzonen will not bow down so easily.
Ludogorets’ probable starting lineup: Sluga, Witry, Verdon, Sundberg, Heister, Goncalves, Piotrowski, Yordanov, Tekpetey, Seco, Despodov
Ajax’s probable starting lineup: Gorter, Rensch, Medic, Hato, Salah-Eddine, Tahirovic, Van den Boomen, Borges, Kudus, Bergwijn, Brobbey
Ludogorets
| Opponents | Score |
| Cherno More | 1-0 (L) |
| Astana | 5-1 (W) |
| CSKA Sofia | 3-0 (W) |
| Astana | 2-1 (L) |
| Botey | 0-5 (W) |
Ajax
| Opponents | Score |
| Excelsior | 2-2 (D) |
| GA Eagles | 0-1 (L) (p.s.o 2-4) |
| Heracles | 4-1 (W) |
| Dortmund | 3-1 (L) |
| Augsburg | 3-1 (L) |
Ludogorets will face Ajax for the first time in this level of competition.
The UEFA Europa League Qualification match between Ludogorets and Ajax will take place at the Stadium Ludogorets Arena on Thursday at 11:30 pm IST.
| Ludogorets vs Ajax | Key Details |
| Date | August 24 (Bulgaria) |
| Venue | Stadium Ludogorets Arena |
| Kickoff time in the Netherlands | 8:00 pm |
| Kickoff time in Bulgaria | 9:00 pm |
| Kickoff time in India | 11:30 pm |
The qualification matches of the UEFA Europa League can be watched on the official website of UEFA worldwide. For Chinese fans, this match will be telecasted on QQ Sports Live. On the other hand, Dutch fans can watch the match on RTL 7, Ziggo Sport Select and Ziggo Sport 14. While Bulgarian fans can watch the game on Play Diema Xtra and Diema Sport 3.
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