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Botev Plovdiv and Maribor square off in the first leg of their UEFA Europa League first qualifying round clash on Thursday. Both sides head into the game off the back of a solid pre-season and we anticipate a thrilling contest at the Hristo Botev Stadium.
Having ended the 2023-24 campaign with four defeats in their final four league matches, Dušan Kerkez will be impressed with his side's performance in pre-season, where they won their two games.
The 48-year-old head coach guided Botev Plovdiv to a seventh-place finish in the Bulgarian Parva Liga before they secured third spot in the First Professional Football League qualifying round.
Botev have booked their place in the Europa League qualifiers after clinching the Bulgarian Cup title, courtesy of a thrilling 3-2 win over Ludogorets in the final on May 15.
Maribor, on the other hand, ended their pre-season on a high as they picked up a 2-1 victory over CSKA Sofia in their final warm-up game last Thursday.
This capped off a solid preparation for Ante Simundza’s men, who went unbeaten in five of their six friendlies, claiming four wins and one draw.
Maribor picked up 67 points from 36 matches to finish as runners-up in the Slovenian top flight last season and secure a place in the Europa League qualifiers.
Botev Plovdiv vs Maribor Head-To-Head and Key Numbers
- This will be the first-ever meeting between Botev and Maribor, who will both be looking to begin their rivalry on a positive note.
- Maribor are unbeaten in their last 12 competitive matches, claiming eight wins and four draws since March’s 2-1 loss against Kalcer Radomlje in the Slovenian Cup.
- Botev Plovdiv failed to win five of their last six competitive matches, losing four and claiming one draw since the first week of May.
- Maribor are unbeaten in their last eight away matches across all competitions, claiming three wins and five draws since March.
- Botev are on a run of just two wins in their last eight home games while losing three and claiming three draws since the start of March.
Botev Plovdiv vs Maribor Prediction
Off the back of a solid pre-season, Botev Plovdiv and Maribor will head into Thursday’s clash looking to secure a vital first-leg victory. However, we predict both sides will cancel out each other’s efforts, leaving all to play for in the second leg.
Prediction: Botev Plovdiv 2-2 Maribor
Botev Plovdiv vs Maribor Betting Tips
Tip 1: Result - Draw
Tip 2: Over 2.5 goals - Yes (There have been at least three goals scored in Maribor’s last six matches)
Tip 3: Over 4.5 cards - No (There have also been fewer than five bookings in the visitors’ last six outings)
