Ludogorets Razgrad vs FC Shakhter Soligorsk Predictions

BETTING TIP – LUDOGORETS -1 HANDICAP

CORRECT SCORE – 3-0 LUDOGORETS

• Ludogorets have reached the group stage in either the Champions League or Europa League in seven of the last eight seasons.
• Ludogorets managed five clean sheets in their final 10 home games of last season.

This will be the first competitive game for Ludogorets since May, while Shakhter have been competing in the ongoing Belarussian Premier League throughout June and go into the game in fine form – having managed 13 wins and a draw from 14 league games to date.

Bulgarian champions Ludogorets may only have played friendlies throughout June but they have taken on some good opponents.  The Eagles have faced Romanian outfit FC Cluj, Hungary’s Ferencvaros and Austria’s LASK in order to prepare for the tie with the Belraussian title winners and league leaders.

Ludogorets are looking to make a return to the Champions League Group Stage for the first time since the 2016-17 season having been eliminated in qualifying in all four seasons since – but they have reached the Europa League in each of those campaigns and have emerged from the group stage twice.

Shakhter are in form and should go into this match-up in confident mood given their awesome start to the domestic campaign, but Ludogorets have the quality and experience to get the job done regardless.

Ludogorets have 10 wins in their last 12 competitive home games, losing the other two, and it would be a big surprise if they were unable to win this one. The Bulgarians managed five clean sheets in their final 10 home games of last season, so we think they can take a big step towards the next round by securing a convincing win to nil ahead of the return fixture in Belarus.

A home win with a -1 handicap stands out in this fixture, and a 3-0 correct score is another strong option.