Aberdeen vs FCSB Predictions

• Aberdeen have won five of their last nine competitive home games, losing only to Celtic during that span
• FCSB have lost two of their three away qualifying matches in Europe this summer
• FCSB have conceded two or more goals in five of their last seven matches

Cup kings should prosper against Romanian champions  

Aberdeen ought to be too strong for FCSB in the first leg of their Europa League play-off tie at Pittodrie on Thursday. Jimmy Thelin’s side lost their first two Premiership games of the campaign to a resurgent Hearts and champions Celtic, but finally got some winning momentum in the League Cup last weekend.

Thelin’s much-changed side ran out easy 3-0 winners at Morton and could be boosted by up to three new attacking signings before the Romanian side set foot in Scotland.

The Dons have a solid home record, barring a couple of recent losses to Celtic. The Hoops gained some revenge for last season’s Scottish FA Cup Final defeat by winning 2-0 at Pittodrie a couple of weeks ago, but Aberdeen will not be going up against a side as classy on Thursday.

FCSB are shipping too many goals

FCSB won the Romanian title by a couple of points last season, but their Champions League bid fell apart four games into the qualifiers. The warning signs were there in their first round tie against Andorran minnows Inter Club when they lost 2-1 in the principality before they suffered defeats in both legs of their subsequent assignment against Shkendija.

The Bucharest club then dropped into the Europa League qualifiers and overcame Kosovan outfit Drita 6-3 on aggregate. FCSB have already shipped 20 goals this season, albeit in 13 matches.

But they have conceded two or more goals in five of their last seven as defensive issues are not being solved by coach Elias Charalambous. The Dons were pinned back by Celtic and outfought by Hearts, but they had good chances to score in both games and can get the better of a poor FCSB side at home.