Ludogorets vs Paris Saint-Germain is the match of contrasts; on the one side is a club that is worth €45.10 million (Ludogorets) and on the other is a club that is worth €412.65 million (PSG). But both clubs are currently even on points before match day two in Group A.
Despite having dominated their first game, Paris Saint-Germain opened their Champions League campaign with a somewhat disappointing 1-1 draw against Arsenal. Ludogorets, meanwhile, travelled to Switzerland where they gained their first Champions League point away from home when they battled FC Basel to a 1-1 draw.
Now PSG will travel to Bulgaria’s capital, Sofia, to face Ludogorets Razgrad—the size of Ludogorets’ home ground means that the Bulgarian champion has to play its home matches in the Bulgarian capital (read more on this in our full Ludogorets Champions League preview).
The game will, therefore, take place on Wednesday at the Natsionalen Stadion Vasil Levski, which is named after the Bulgarian national hero and revolutionary, Vasil Levski. Despite sharing its name with the historic Bulgarian club, Levski Sofia, the stadium is actually currently the full time home of the fourth division club FC CSKA Sofia, a club that was formed by PFC CSKA Sofia fans who were unhappy with the merger of Litex Lovech and CSKA Sofia in the summer of 2016.
Levski, instead, play their home games at the Georgi Asparuhov stadium, which means that the Vasil Levski stadium with its 43,230 seats is often underutilized.
Ludogorets’ exile to Sofia for its Champions League matches, therefore, mean an often full house at the stadium and, with PSG’s star ensemble visiting the Bulgarian capital, it is certain that the stadium will be full.
For Ludogorets, the stadium has become somewhat of a fortress, as they picked up four points in the facility in the 2014-15 season—beating Basel 1-0, and drawing Liverpool 2-2.
Yet Paris Saint-Germain, led by manager Unai Emery, will provide a much bigger challenge than either Basel or Liverpool, as the Parisians are not only favourites, but also should walk away with a dominant victory.
Possible Line-ups
Paris Saint-Germain:
Formation: 4-3-3
Trapp – Maxwell, Marquinhos, Silva, Meunier – Pastore, Motta, Rabiot – Di Maria, Cavani, Lucas
Manager: Unai Emery
Ludogorets Razgrad:
Formation: 4-2-3-1
Stoyanov – Natanael, Palomino, Plastun, Cicinho – Marcelinho, Campanharo – Wanderson, Juninho, Jonathan Cafú – Keseru
Manager: Georgi Dermendzhiev
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