Ferencvaros vs Plzen

Ferencvaros will host Viktoria Plzen at the Groupama Arena in Budapest on Thursday evening for the first leg of their Europa League playoff tie. Both teams will be eager to secure a favorable result in this crucial encounter, with the overall winner of the two-legged tie earning a place in the last 16 against either Lazio or Athletic Bilbao next month.

Ferencvaros have established themselves as a competitive force in European football in recent years, marking their third consecutive campaign in the knockout rounds of a major European tournament. The Hungarian giants are looking to advance to the Europa League last 16 for the second successive season, having successfully accumulated enough points in the newly-introduced League Phase to progress.

The Budapest-based club, with a record 35 Hungarian league titles to their name, concluded the League Phase in 17th place with a total of 12 points. They secured four wins and suffered four defeats in their eight matches, scoring and conceding 15 goals. A dramatic 4-3 victory over AZ Alkmaar on matchday eight ultimately ensured their place in the playoffs, demonstrating their resilience and attacking prowess.

This thrilling victory was particularly significant as it was the first and only win in five matches under newly appointed head coach Robbie Keane, who took charge following Pascal Jansen's departure. Despite the triumph over AZ Alkmaar, Ferencvaros have struggled in domestic competition, failing to win any of their last three Nemzeti Bajnoksag I matches. They endured consecutive draws before suffering a setback in the Hungarian top flight, losing their position at the top of the league to Puskas Akademia, who now hold a two-point lead following a 1-0 victory last weekend.

Keane faces a challenging task as he aims to win over the Ferencvaros supporters, particularly after a difficult start to his tenure. However, he will be optimistic about his team’s ability to deliver in the Europa League. Ferencvaros have displayed their offensive capabilities on multiple occasions in European competition, notably scoring four goals in three of their last five Europa League fixtures, securing commanding victories over AZ Alkmaar (4-3), Malmo (4-1), and Dinamo Kiev (4-0).

On the other hand, Viktoria Plzen enter this fixture with confidence, having put forth a commendable performance in the League Phase of the Europa League. After reaching the quarter-finals of last season’s Conference League, the Czech outfit now has its sights set on progressing to the last 16 of the Europa League for the first time since the 2017-18 season.

Like Ferencvaros, Plzen accumulated 12 points in the League Phase, registering three wins, three draws, and two losses across eight matches. However, a 3-1 defeat against Athletic Bilbao on matchday eight denied them direct qualification to the last 16, forcing them to settle for 16th place and a spot in the playoffs.

Following that loss in Spain, Plzen endured another setback just days later, suffering a 2-1 defeat against Sigma in the Czech First League. This marked the first time since May 2023 that Plzen had suffered consecutive defeats in all competitions. However, they quickly bounced back with a morale-boosting 3-2 home victory over Liberec last weekend, restoring some confidence ahead of their European test against Ferencvaros.

Currently occupying second place in the Czech First League standings, Plzen trail league leaders Slavia Prague by a significant margin of 10 points with just nine matches remaining in their regular season campaign. Given the slim chances of reclaiming the domestic title, Plzen may place greater emphasis on their Europa League journey, looking to advance as far as possible in the competition.

Plzen’s form away from home has been inconsistent in recent weeks, having lost three of their last six matches in all competitions. Notably, they have suffered back-to-back away defeats leading up to this clash. However, the Czech side has been reliable in front of goal when playing on the road, scoring in each of their last six away matches in the Europa League. They have netted at least twice in four of those encounters, which should give them confidence heading into Thursday’s match in Budapest.

Both Ferencvaros and Viktoria Plzen have shown their ability to compete at this level, making this an intriguing contest between two sides eager to take a step closer to the Europa League last 16. With attacking firepower on both ends, fans can expect an engaging battle in the Hungarian capital, where the hosts will look to make home advantage count while the visitors aim to secure a valuable result to carry into the second leg.