Sports Mole previews Thursday’s Europa League clash between Anderlecht and Ludogorets Razgrad, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Anderlecht will look to maintain their 100% start in the Europa League when they welcome Bulgarian champions Ludogorets Razgrad to Brussels on Thursday night.
The Belgian side produced one of the standout results of matchday two, going away to Real Sociedad and taking all three points, but they suffered a disappointing defeat domestically at the weekend.
Match preview
© Imago
For the 1983 UEFA Cup winners, Anderlecht could hardly have made a better start, winning as favourites on home soil over Ferencvaros on matchday one, before that stunning win in San Sebastian last time out.
That leaves Anderlecht as one of the five teams who have taken six points from the first two matchdays in the Europa League, and they are favourites to claim another here.
Three points for David Hubert‘s side will see the club record three straight victories at the start of a European campaign for the first time since 2011, when they won all six group games in this competition.
However, just a second defeat of the season came their way at the weekend, when Anderlecht were stunned by Beerschot, losing 1-0.
When considering the quality of the opposition, it was a hugely disappointing defeat, as Beerschot had failed to win any of their first 10 games of the season, and were sitting six points adrift at the bottom before the weekend’s action.
It is a result that will leave a sour taste, as Anderlecht had gone into the international break four games unbeaten thanks to their two European victories and a 3-0 success over Standard Liege.
The home faithful will therefore be hopeful to see their side replicate the 2-1 win they managed over Ludogorets here in the Conference League preliminary playoff round in 2023, which forced a penalty shootout they went on to win.
© Imago
That defeat at the Lotto Arena means Ludogorets have now lost three of their last four games against Belgian opponents, so Igor Jovicevic will hope his players can carry their superb domestic form over into this competition here.
Ludogorets have been unstoppable in Bulgaria so far this season, as the 13-year-straight champions look set to defend their crown yet again, sitting on 31 points from a possible 33 so far.
Another routine evening saw them beat Septemvri Sofia 2-0 at the weekend, extending their run without conceding a goal to almost six-and-a-half hours, and that solid rearguard is what earned them their first point in this competition, as they drew 0-0 away to Viktoria Plzen on matchday two.
However, Ludogorets are the most toothless side in the competition at present, being one of just two teams yet to score, and they have recorded the fewest shots on target of any team – three.
A clean sheet away to Plzen last time out was their first in 13 trips on the continent, and unsurprisingly they remain winless in that time – losing on nine occasions.
Anderlecht Europa League form:
Anderlecht form (all competitions):
Ludogorets Razgrad Europa League form:
Ludogorets Razgrad form (all competitions):
Team News
© Imago
Anderlecht will be without veteran defender Jan Vertonghen as he continues to recover from the Achilles injury he sustained at the start of August, while Thorgan Hazard is a long-term absentee due to an ACL tear.
Jan-Carlo Simic should return to the side from the one that lost at Beerschot over the weekend, as he was serving a domestic suspension.
Leander Dendocker used the international break to recover from illness and also made a comeback at the weekend, while Marco Kana and Francis Amuzu are both back in contention following their recent injuries.
Anton Nedyalkov is the only certain absentee for Ludogorets, with a knee injury currently keeping him sidelined, and there are doubts over the fitness of Jakub Piotrowski after he was sent home early from the recent Poland camp and missed the weekend win.
Apart from Piotrkowski’s possible absence though, Jovicevic went very strong against Septemvri, playing all other 10 players who also featured in the draw with Plzen on matchday two.
Anderlecht possible starting lineup:
Coosemans; Foket, Zanka, Simic, N’Diaye; Degreef, Dendoncker, Rits, Vershaeren, Stroeykens; Vazquez
Ludogorets Razgrad possible starting lineup:
Bonmann; Witry, Dinis Almeida, Verdon, Son; Chochev, Pedro Naressi, Camara; Caio Vidal, Rwan Seco, Rick
We say: Anderlecht 2-0 Ludogorets Razgrad
Despite a poor result at the weekend, Anderlecht will be favourites for this one given their excellent start in Europe, and the factor of home advantage.
Ludogorets are notoriously poor travellers on the continent, and with no win in 13 away from home in Europe, facing a side with a 100% record so far is not ideal.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.