Read our prediction for CSKA 1948 Sofia vs Panathinaikos below. This preview was written by a sport journalist who is specialised in betting tips and predictions.
CSKA 1948 Sofia vs Panathinaikos Prediction & Betting tips
The second leg of the UEFA Conference League third qualifying round between CSKA 1948 Sofia and Panathinaikos FC kicks off on Tuesday, August 11, 2026, at 18:30 local time at the Vasil Levski National Stadium in Sofia, Bulgaria. The tie remains completely open after a 1-1 draw in Athens on August 5. Panathinaikos controlled the pace with 69% ball possession and 567 accurate passes, taking the lead through an early goal from Adriano Jagušić. However, CSKA 1948 Sofia proved incredibly resilient in a deep defensive block, racking up 38 clearances and capitalizing on a quick transition to equalize via Georgi Rusev. Panathinaikos will dictate the tempo, but CSKA 1948 Sofia have shown masterclass organization, having previously eliminated Spartak Trnava after two consecutive 0-0 matches. Dutch center-back Stefan de Vrij anchors the Panathinaikos defense and must successfully handle direct aerial balls to prevent CSKA 1948 from finding second-ball options inside the box.
CSKA 1948 Sofia:
The Bulgarian team is expected to maintain their compact 4-4-1-1 formation, focusing on absorbing heavy pressure and searching for vertical counter-attacks with forward Atanas Iliev. They enter the match full of domestic confidence following a 3-1 away win against Lokomotiv Sofia.
CSKA 1948 Sofia possible team: Petr Marinov – Jonathan Medina, Reyan Daskalov, Lasha Dvali, Ognjen Gašević – Nedeljko Piščević, Emil Tsenov, Bircent Karagaren, Talis – Radoslav Kirilov, Evgeni Serdyuk (or Atanas Iliev)
Panathinaikos:
The Greek giants will deploy their expansive 4-3-3 setup, emphasizing wing play to stretch Sofia’s mid-block. Though they have the superior attacking depth, their defensive consistency has been heavily questioned by local media after conceding sloppy chances in the previous qualifying phase against Paksi FC.
Panathinaikos possible team: Iñaki Peña – Davide Calabria, Stefan de Vrij, Tuba, Georgios Kyriakopoulos – Pedro Chirivella, Adam Gnezda Čerin, Facundo Pellistri – Anastasios Bakasetas, Nabil Zarouri, Rasmus Rustander
CSKA 1948 Sofia vs Panathinaikos head to head matches
05.08.26 UECL Panathinaikos vs CSKA 1948 Sofia 1:1
05.07.23 CF Panathinaikos vs CSKA 1948 Sofia 1:0
* Our advice is: BTS / NO
* Selection odd for this bet is: 1.85
* This analyis is from our perspective and we highly recommend to inform also yourself about all details that can be decisive in your choise to bet!
