Ludogorets Razgrad will welcome Dinamo Minsk at Huvepharma Arena in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League second qualifying round.
The winner of this tie will very likely face Qarabag of Azerbaijan in the third qualifying round, considering their 2-0 first leg win over Lincoln Red Imps of Gibraltar.
Ludogorets advanced to this stage with a 3-2 aggregate win over Dinamo Batumi, while Dinamo Minsk narrowly defeated Pyunik Yerevan 1-0 on aggregate with a dramatic 90th-minute winner in the second leg.
In fact, Dinamo Minsk already visited Razgrad, albeit not to play against Ludogorets. The Belarusian side faced Cherno More Varna in the Europa League qualifiers nine years ago, when they claimed a 4-0 second leg victory after a 1-1 draw in Razgrad.
Reigning champions of the Bulgarian First League for the 13th consecutive time, Ludogorets are on a mission to reach the Champions League group stage for the first time since the 2016-17 season. The team has made it to the group stages of a European competition for the past eight years, showcasing their consistent performance on the continental stage.
Their journey began with a convincing 3-1 home victory over Dinamo Batumi, setting them up well for the away leg. However, an early goal in Georgia made for a nervy finish, but they held onto progress. Despite this success, Ludogorets have struggled on the road, losing their last five away legs in Champions League qualifiers. In contrast, their home form is impressive, having won 12 of their last 17 European matches at the Huvepharma Arena.
Georgi Dermendzhiev is likely to stick with the core that secured a 3-1 win in the first leg against Dinamo Batumi. The attacking trio of Rick, Bernard Tekpetey, and Rwan Cruz is expected to start again, having featured prominently in recent matches. In midfield, Pedro Naressi is set to partner with Ivaylo Chochev, while Polish international Jakub Piotrowski should start in an advanced role.
Meanwhile, Ludogorets Razgrad kicked off their domestic campaign with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over rivals CSKA-Sofia on Sunday night.However, it was a rather poor display by the Bulgarian champions, but they still managed to claim all the points.
Champions of Belarus for the first time in nearly two decades, Dinamo Minsk are back to Europe's premium competition and so far so good - they beat Armenian champions Pyunik Yerevan in the first qualifying round.After a goalless first leg in Hungary, where Dinamo play their European home games due to geopolitical reasons, it really looked like the second match was heading to extra-time. And then a last-gasp penalty made the difference as experienced defender Aleksey Gavrilovich converted it to send Dinamo Minsk through.
Dinamo Minsk, fresh off their first domestic title since 2004, are aiming to make a mark in the Champions League for the first time since the 2005-06 season. They finished last season seven points clear at the top of the table, securing a spot in Europe's premium competition. Although regulars in the Europa League between 2013 and 2021, Dinamo Minsk now look to take their success to the next level.
Their first qualifying round saw the Belarusian champions largely control their matches against Armenian side Pyunik Yerevan, though they only secured the winning goal in the final moments of the second leg. Vadim Skripchenko's squad enters this game with an impressive record, remaining unbeaten in their last 12 matches across all competitions and conceding just once in their last eight outings. They currently lead their domestic league, maintaining a remarkable 15-match unbeaten streak.
Despite their unbeaten record in the Belarusian Premier League, Dinamo Minsk suffered some setbacks in the Belarusian Cup and the Super Cup.First, Dinamo Minsk lost 4-3 on penalties to Torpedo Zhodino in the Belarusian Super Cup in early March, while their Belarusian Cup campaign ended in the semi-finals after a 2-1 aggregate loss to Neman Grodno.
Dinamo Minsk might also name an unchanged lineup from their second leg against Pyunik Yerevan. Pavel Sedko, who has scored five goals in the league this season, could make an appearance off the bench after recovering from a minor injury.
With 16 goals in 28 top-flight games last season, top scorer Vladislav Morozov made a switch to join Portuguese side Arouca in January.
Ludogorets Razgrad are strong favorites not only to win the first leg, but to beat Dinamo Minsk in both matches. Despite their away struggles, the Bulgarian champions will basically travel to a neutral venue in the second leg and we expect them to earn a good lead here, which was also the case in their clash against Dinamo Batumi.
Both teams come into this match in strong form, both domestically and in their opening qualifying round ties. While Ludogorets boast a strong home record in European competitions, Dinamo Minsk's unbeaten run in their last seven away matches (winning six of them) suggests a tough encounter but we believe that the Eagles have the quality to outplay their Belarusian opponents.
