The second leg of the first qualifying round of the 2025/26 Champions League between Dinamo Minsk (Belarus) and Ludogorets (Bulgaria) will take place on July 16 at the City Stadium in Mezőkövesd (Hungary). Dinamo Minsk vs. Ludogorets: prediction and betting odds, statistics.
Dinamo Minsk
Vadim Skripchenko's side lost the first leg away by a score of 0-1, conceding the decisive goal late in the match. This defeat marked Dinamo Minsk's second loss in their last five Champions League matches (2 wins, 1 draw), both times against Ludogorets. Notably, the team has scored only two goals during this stretch. To advance to the next round of qualification, Minsk must win in regular time by at least a two-goal margin.
- The team has not won in regular time in 9 of their last 12 home matches in European competitions (2 draws, 7 losses).
- No more than two goals have been scored in 90 minutes in the club's last five Champions League encounters.
- At least one of the opponents failed to score in regular time in Minsk's last five Champions League matches.
Predicted lineup for Dinamo Minsk (3-5-2)
Denis Shpakovsky – Roman Begunov, Aleksei Gavrilovich, Vladislav Kalinin – Vadim Pigas, Ivan Bakhar, Maksim Myakish, Yevgeny Malashevich, Fard Ibrahim – Dusan Bakic, Mustafa Dzimet.
Ludogorets
The Bulgarians, having won the first match, achieved their fifth victory in their last 14 Champions League outings (1 draw, 8 losses). Additionally, the club managed a clean sheet for the first time in four previous matches in this European competition. To progress to the next qualifying round, Rúben Amorim's side needs only to avoid losing in 90 minutes, and if Ludogorets loses by one goal, extra time will be played.
- The club has lost in regular time in 6 of their last 7 away matches in the Champions League.
- The team has conceded in 90 minutes in their last seven matches in this European competition.
- A maximum of three goals have been scored in regular time in 7 of the last 9 matches for the Bulgarians in the Champions League.
Predicted lineup for Ludogorets (4-3-3)
Sergio Padt – Anton Nedyalkov, Dinis Almeida, Son, Edwin Kurtulus – Aguibu Camara, Filip Kaloc, Jakub Piotrowski – Bernard Tekpetey, Caio Vidal, Eric Markus.
Referee
Giorgi Kikacheishvili (Georgia)
Matches – 10 (International matches, 2024/25);
Yellow cards shown (including second yellows) – 46;
Average yellow cards per match – 4.6;
Red cards shown – 2;
Average fouls per match – 24;
Penalties – 30%.
Dinamo Minsk vs. Ludogorets: Match Prediction
The first encounter between these opponents lacked scoring opportunities, and I do not expect a high-scoring game in the return leg. Both teams have not been prolific in front of goal in their recent Champions League outings. Dinamo Minsk has not scored more than once in their last five matches in this European competition, and in their last three encounters against Ludogorets, they have netted just one goal. However, the Belarusians have been solid defensively, conceding only three goals in their last five Champions League matches.
Ludogorets also struggles in attack, especially in away fixtures. In their last 12 away matches, the club has only breached opponents' defenses more than once on two occasions, and in five instances, they left the field without scoring. Meanwhile, in their last three away matches, the Bulgarians have conceded just three goals. I believe Rúben Amorim's side will prioritize a solid defensive display in the return leg, while the Belarusians may find it difficult to shine in attack.
My prediction: Total under 2.5 goals
