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. The score of the first match was 1-0 in favor of Ludogorets. Dinamo Minsk vs. Ludogorets: prediction and statistics.
Dinamo Minsk
Vadim Skripchenko's team lost 0-1 in the first leg, conceding the decisive goal late in the match. This defeat marks their second loss in the last five Champions League matches (2 wins, 1 draw), with both losses coming against Ludogorets. Notably, Dinamo Minsk has scored only two goals in this period. To advance to the next qualifying round, they need to win by at least two goals in regular time.
- 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 were scored in 90 minutes in the club's last five Champions League matches.
- At least one of the opponents failed to score in regular time in Dinamo Minsk's last five Champions League matches.
Predicted lineup for Dinamo Minsk (3-5-2)
Denis Shpakovsky – Roman Begunov, Alexey Gavrilovich, Vladislav Kalinin – Vadim Pigas, Ivan Bahar, Maksim Myakish, Yevgeny Malashevich, Fard Ibragim – Dushan Bakic, Mustafa Dzimet.
Ludogorets
The Bulgarians secured their fifth win in the last 14 Champions League matches (1 draw, 8 losses) with their first-leg victory. Additionally, they kept a clean sheet for the first time in four previous matches in this European competition. To advance to the next qualifying round, Rúben Amorim's team needs to avoid defeat in 90 minutes, and if they lose by one goal, extra time will be played.
- The club has lost in regular time in 6 of their last 7 away Champions League matches.
- The team conceded in 90 minutes in their last seven matches in this European competition.
- A maximum of three goals were scored in regular time in 7 of Ludogorets' last 9 Champions League matches.
Predicted lineup for Ludogorets (4-3-3)
Sergio Padt – Anton Nedyalkov, Dinis Almeida, Son, Edwin Kurtulush – 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 meeting between these opponents didn't feature many goal-scoring opportunities, and I don't expect a high-scoring game in this return leg. Both teams have not been prolific in front of goal in the Champions League. Dinamo Minsk has not scored more than one goal in their last five matches in this competition, and they have managed just one goal in their last three encounters with Ludogorets. However, they have been solid defensively, conceding only three goals in their last five Champions League matches.
Ludogorets also struggles to create chances, especially in away games. In their last 12 away matches, they have only scored more than one goal twice, and in five of those matches, they failed to score at all. However, they have only conceded three goals in their last three away matches. I believe Rúben Amorim's team will prioritize a solid defensive performance in the return leg, and Dinamo Minsk will struggle to make an impact in attack.
My prediction: Total under 2.5 goals
