After a tense first act in Sofia, AEK Athens and Levski Sofia bring their UEFA Champions League Playoff Round tie to Athens with the score still 0-0. The return match at the Allwyn Arena has a simple brief: someone has to find a way through. AEK have home support and the bookmakers on their side, but Levski arrive on a long unbeaten run and with clean-sheet confidence. It sets up a proper second-leg decider for a place in the group stage spotlight.

You can follow match momentum, live score and post-game Sofascore Rating updates on the AEK Athens vs Levski Sofia match page. For the wider picture, fixtures and bracket details sit inside the UEFA Champions League hub on Sofascore.

Where the tie stands

The first leg finished 0-0, a stalemate that masked a fair amount of activity. Levski out-shot AEK on target 3-1, but AEK created the two big chances and even hit the woodwork. Thomas Strakosha made three saves to preserve the clean sheet, while Levski’s Svetoslav Vutsov had a quieter night with one stop. AEK also led the duels overall and completed more passes, but their accuracy in the final actions deserted them.

As it stands, the aggregate is 0-0 and there is no away-goals cushion for either side. One moment of quality, or one mistake, could settle the playoff. The only head-to-head on record between these teams is that first-leg draw, so there is no historical trend to lean on. Managers Marko Nikolić and Julio Velazquez have met once, and that ended level too. Expect both to make small tweaks rather than wholesale changes.

Projected lineups and tactical shapes

AEK are listed to line up in a 4-4-2 featuring Strakosha in goal; Lazaros Rota, Harold Moukoudi, Filipe Relvas and Stavros Pilios across the back. The midfield four points to Lovro Majer, Kaan Kairinen, Răzvan Marin and Aboubakary Koita, with Luka Jović paired with Zini up front. It’s a structure that can morph into a 4-2-3-1 if Majer steps higher and Koita tucks inside. The wide players’ decision-making on crosses will be under the microscope after a low 17% accuracy in Sofia.

Levski are again set for 4-2-3-1, with Vutsov behind a back four of Aldair, Kristian Dimitrov, Nikola Serafimov and Álex Centelles. The double pivot lists El Mehdi Moubarik with Maicon, while Armstrong Oko-Flex, Serginho and Everton Bala support Reinaldo at nine. Expect Serginho to act as the passing hub and Dimitrov to command the line with his aerial timing. Vutsov’s distribution was sharp in Sofia, and Levski may lean on early diagonals to relieve pressure.

What the first-leg numbers say

Levski led shots on target 3-1 and took 15 total attempts to AEK’s 12, but AEK fashioned the game’s two big chances. The visitors to Sofia also hit the post, with Jović among the near-miss stories. AEK had 48% possession, completed 396 accurate passes to Levski’s 431, and produced more clearances under pressure. The duel split slightly favored Levski on the night, but AEK held ground-duel superiority over both halves combined.

Defensively, AEK posted 11 interceptions to Levski’s 6 and recovered the ball 37 times, numbers that underline their counter-press threat. Levski created more final-third entries in the second half and crossed more efficiently overall, landing 36% of their deliveries. Corners were scarce at 2-1, hinting at limited sustained pressure from either side. With expected goals registered at 0.00 vs 0.00 on the feed, the shot quality simply was not there. That should change with AEK pushing lines higher in Athens.

Players to watch

AEK Athens: Luka Jović is the featured pick, selected on the basis of highest market value for the team in this competition. Even so, his first leg offered a reminder of his penalty-box instincts, including the effort that struck the frame. He posted a Sofascore Rating of 6.3 in Sofia, with one key pass and three shots. If AEK generate cleaner service, Jović’s movement between the centre-backs can become the tie’s difference.

Levski Sofia: Maicon is also highlighted on a market-value basis and showed his two-way value in the first leg. Operating as a midfield screen, he finished with a Sofascore Rating of 7.4, three tackles, and one key pass. His ball-carrying broke AEK’s first line more than once, and he won the majority of his duels. Levski will again look to him to protect transitions and spring the wide players quickly.

Form streaks, referee and odds

Levski travel on a 19-match unbeaten streak and with six straight clean sheets, which explains their composure in tight matches. AEK’s recent trend points the other way in terms of entertainment, with more than 2.5 goals in seven of their last eight. Both sides have often struck first in their recent runs, with AEK doing it in four of five and Levski in five of seven. If that habit holds, the opening 20 minutes could be decisive.

French referee Clement Turpin takes charge and brings vast experience: 524 matches with 1,771 yellow cards and 103 reds. His presence usually keeps tempo high, but he will not hesitate when challenges are late. Notably, AEK’s recent matches have featured fewer than 4.5 cards in nine straight, and both teams trend under 10.5 corners. All of that hints at a controlled, tactical second leg rather than a set-piece festival.

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In the 1X2 market, AEK are clear favorites at 1.45, the draw is 3.80, and Levski stand at 6.50. On the Asian Handicap, AEK (-1) is priced around 1.80, with Levski (+1) at 2.00. Those prices reflect AEK’s home strength and the perception that their chance creation should normalize. Levski’s defensive streak and counter threat make them a stubborn underdog, so one goal could swing everything.

However it unfolds, this tie feels like it will reward the team that tidies up the final pass. For live momentum swings, player heat maps and instant Sofascore Rating updates, keep the match page open. The full Playoff Round picture sits inside the UEFA Champions League section on Sofascore. And if you like a subplot, watch the flanks: the crossing battle could decide who reaches the group stage.

Squad notes

Levski list several absentees ahead of the trip: Akram Bouras (M, missing), Mustapha Sangaré (F, missing), Oliver Kamdem (D, missing), Radoslav Kirilov (M, missing), and Stipe Vulikić (D, missing). AEK report no listed absences in the provided squad overview.