Recap
After a solid start to the season, Botev Plovdiv have hit a difficult period, suffering two consecutive defeats without scoring a single goal. Their task becomes even more complicated with Mendes (5/0) and captain Nedelev unavailable for this match.
They now face reigning champions Levski Sofia, who arrive with plenty of confidence despite missing out on the Champions League league phase after their defeat to AEK in Athens. Levski will instead compete in the Europa League league phase, which is still an excellent achievement and reflects the quality of the squad.
For me, Levski have the strongest squad in the Bulgarian league and their domestic start has been perfect: five wins from five matches with an impressive 15:2 goal difference.
The visitors have shown excellent consistency both defensively and offensively, while Botev are currently struggling to find their rhythm. With Levski coming off a disappointing European result, I expect them to respond positively and use this match as an opportunity to restore confidence.