Slovenia vs Bulgaria Predictions

Slovenia took their push for a World Cup spot down to the wire, but they still finished fourth in their qualifying group. They’re still a side who are strong enough to push for top spot, as they chase promotion in the UEFA Nations League. This group looks quite close, with these two sides being joined by Cyprus and Norway. With one side gaining promotion, and earning the chance to make it to Euro 2020, and another going down to the bottom tier, this is going to be an interesting group to watch.

Slovenia kick off their campaign with a home meeting against Bulgaria. The hosts will be looking to improve on their fourth place finish in the last round of qualifiers, especially after earning a play-off spot in the Euro 2016 qualifiers. They missed the chance to make it to France, but they’ll be pushing for a place at the pan-European tournament in two years’ time. While Slovenia can obviously push for qualification the old fashioned way when the qualifying campaign starts, the Nations League offers a second chance.

A strong finish in this group offers the chance for a play-off for the top sides to make it to the Euros. That’s something both Slovenia and Bulgaria will be hoping to take part in. While the qualifiers see them face sides from the top bracket of European football, each tier of the Nations League will see one side qualify, with the four winners of the groups in League C going head to head for a place at the tournament. Those play-offs offer a second chance for sides to make it, and both of these two would welcome that.

The visitors finished a distant fourth in back to back qualifying campaigns, so the Nations League is great news for them. However, their big issue is producing results on the road, having lost six of their last seven matches away from home. They lost four of five trips in the World Cup qualifiers, while they were beaten in three of their last four in the race for Euro 2016, only picking up points at minnows Malta.

Meanwhile, Slovenia’s home form makes them a huge threat. They didn’t lose at their own ground during the last qualifying campaign, drawing with England and Scotland, along with claiming three wins. They’re unbeaten in eight home competitive games, and we see them having too much for a team who are poor on the road. For us, the value in this one is with the home win.