Plan your ticket purchase for the AEK Athens - Levski Sofia football second leg in Champions League qualifying at OPAP Arena in Athens. The match on 26 August decides who advances after the 0-0 draw in Sofia, so prepare your journey, stadium access and ticket purchase in good time
AEK Athens - Levski Sofia: everything will be decided in Athens
After the 0-0 draw in Sofia, AEK Athens and Levski Sofia arrive in Athens with no room for calculation based on the result. The second leg is scheduled for 26 August at 22:00 at the OPAP Arena in Nea Filadelfeia, and the winner of the tie advances to the league phase of the Champions League. Since there is no away-goals rule, any victory within 90 minutes means progression, while another draw would send the match into extra time and, if the score remains level, to penalties.
The first match showed why this tie is difficult to reduce to a simple story of favourite and underdog. Levski started at home with a high press and tried to make AEK's first phase of build-up more difficult. AEK nevertheless created the most dangerous moment of the first half when Luka Jović hit the woodwork in the 20th minute, and shortly afterwards had another big chance. At the same time, Levski showed that they can attack the space as soon as they win the ball and that their 0-0 result did not come from passive defending.
Tickets for this match have been in high demand among supporters. Qualification will be decided in a single evening, and AEK's home ground provides an atmosphere in which the pressure on Levski can be intensified even further from the stands.
What is at stake for both teams
There are no points here and no opportunity to repair the impression in the next round. After the 0-0 draw in the first match, the return leg in Athens determines who continues into the league phase. That directly changes the way both teams have to manage risk.
AEK are the reigning champions of Greece and lost only two of 32 matches in the previous league season. Marko Nikolić's team built the title on a long unbeaten run, with Thomas Strakosha, Lazaros Rota, Filipe Relvas, Harold Moukoudi, Răzvan Marin and Luka Jović forming the backbone of the side. Jović scored 17 goals in the 2025/26 league campaign, so it is no coincidence that he was the player who came closest to scoring in Sofia.
Levski arrive in Athens with a different competitive rhythm. Julio Velázquez's team opened the Bulgarian league season with four wins from four matches and a goal difference of 9:2. In the previous qualifying round, Levski defeated Kairat Almaty 1-0 twice, first in Sofia and then in Kazakhstan.
- Levski - Dunav Ruse 2-1
- Lokomotiv Sofia - Levski 1-2
- Levski - Septemvri Sofia 3-0
- Levski - Lokomotiv Plovdiv 2-0
- Levski - Kairat Almaty 1-0 and Kairat Almaty - Levski 0-1
Such a run explains why the Bulgarian champions will not need to mentally adjust the team to a match in which one detail decides everything. Levski have already gone through several matches with narrow scorelines, and they did not concede a goal in either match against Kairat.
The first match revealed the key tactical battle
The most important clue for the return leg is not the 0-0 score itself, but the way it came about. In Sofia, Levski tried to gain territory through pressing and force AEK into quicker decisions in their own half. The home side had 52 percent possession and 15 shots, while AEK had 48 percent and 12 shots, confirming that the match was not one-sided.
AEK started with Jović and Zini in attack, while Lovro Majer and Aboubakary Koita provided creativity from the second line. When AEK managed to get through the first wave of pressure, space opened up between the lines. It is precisely there that the home side can seek a bigger role for Majer, Răzvan Marin and the wide players in the return leg.
Jović remains the clearest reference point. His 17 league goals last season give AEK a striker capable of finishing moves with very few touches, while his shot against the woodwork in Sofia showed how little space Levski's defence can afford to leave him in the penalty area. Barnabás Varga, Oleksandr Zubkov and Mijat Gaćinović are additional options Nikolić used from the bench in the first match.
Levski have several players who are already carrying the goalscoring burden in this European campaign. In the registered squad for the return leg, Reinaldo has three goals, Armstrong Oko-Flex has two, while Serginho scored the winning goal against Kairat in Sofia. Velázquez can use Reinaldo or Juan Perea through the centre of the attack, while Oko-Flex and Everton Bala provide speed in transition.
Four areas that could decide the match
- AEK's first pass: if Strakosha and the defensive line calmly play through the press, the home side can attack the space behind Levski's midfield.
- Jović against the centre-backs: Kristian Dimitrov and Nikola Serafimov will have to constantly control his movement between the centre-back and the full-back.
- Levski's transition: Oko-Flex, Bala and Reinaldo are most dangerous when the attack begins immediately after winning the ball.
- The second ball: Marin, Kaan Kairinen and Majer can give AEK control if the home side retain loose balls after duels.
For AEK, it is important that the pressure of playing at home does not turn into nervousness. If the goal does not come early, Levski will try to remain compact and force the home side into lower-quality finishes. For the visitors, the objective is to turn every longer period without defensive panic into an opportunity for a transition that can completely change the tie.
New players give AEK additional options
AEK refreshed their midfield during the summer. Lovro Majer arrived from VfL Wolfsburg and immediately received an important role, while Milán Vitális joined after a season in which he won the Hungarian championship with Győri ETO and was named player of the season. Kervin Arriaga also arrived from Levante ahead of this tie, a player who can cover both defensive midfield and centre-back.
Arriaga is already part of AEK's current squad. That does not automatically mean he will start the match, but he gives Nikolić another physically strong option. Alongside Majer, Marin, Kairinen and Petros Mantalos, the home side have more profiles available for different phases of the match.
AEK are only just entering their domestic season. Before the first match against Levski, they played the Greek Super Cup against OFI, finished 2-2 after 90 minutes and lost on penalties. AEK's first league match comes on 22 August against Iraklis, four days before the return leg. According to the schedule, Levski also host Spartak Varna on 22 August, so managing playing time will be relevant for both coaches.
OPAP Arena and Nea Filadelfeia
The stadium at Fokon 11 in Nea Filadelfeia opened in 2022 and has 31,100 seats according to AEK's presentation. The venue, which many supporters still recognise as the OPAP Arena, is called ALLWYN Arena in AEK's current materials, while it also appears as AEK Arena in the European schedule. For visitors, the most important thing is that this is the same stadium in Nea Filadelfeia, north of central Athens.
The stadium is integrated into an urban neighbourhood, so the rhythm of the supporters can also be felt outside the stands. Levski played the first match in front of 38,976 spectators in Sofia, which means the visiting team already comes into this tie having experienced very strong pressure from the stands.
Seats in the stands disappear quickly when a match directly decides qualification. It is worth securing tickets in time, especially if the goal is to sit in a particular section of the stadium or arrive in a larger group.
How to get to the stadium
AEK's stadium presentation lists two practical stations on the green line: Perissos and Pefkakia. It is around an 11-minute walk from Perissos to the stadium and around 15 minutes from Pefkakia. On match night, public transport is a more sensible choice than trying to arrive by car immediately before kick-off.
- Perissos: around an 11-minute walk to the stadium.
- Pefkakia: around a 15-minute walk to the stadium.
- Address: Fokon 11, Nea Filadelfeia 143 41.
- Parking: the venue presentation lists a private indoor car park with 150 spaces, but does not confirm that it is available to all spectators on matchday.
- Entrances: the exact opening time of the gates for this match is not yet specified in the verified materials, so arrival should be planned with extra time.
Visitors arriving from central Athens should allow extra time after leaving the train because the pedestrian approaches become crowded as kick-off gets closer. Nea Filadelfeia is not an isolated sports complex but an urban neighbourhood, so it is more practical to arrive early than to try to get there immediately before kick-off.
What to expect in the stands
The atmosphere will have two sources of pressure. AEK supporters know that the home team no longer has another match in which to make amends, so every period of dominance will raise expectations. Levski, however, played the first match in front of almost 39,000 people and did not drop into a low block from the first minute.
If AEK take an early lead, Levski will have to open up their structure and take more risks, which could give the home side space for a second goal. If the score remains 0-0 for a long time, the psychological burden will gradually shift to AEK because every set piece, counterattack or lost ball becomes potentially decisive.
Ticket sales for this match are under way. For spectators who want to experience the full rhythm of the evening, the better plan is to arrive early, pass through security without rushing and be in the stands before the final part of the warm-up.
Players worth watching
Luka Jović is AEK's main attacking figure. He scored 17 goals in 29 appearances in the previous league season, and in Sofia he hit the woodwork once and then missed another big chance.
Lovro Majer brings technical quality between the lines. He started the first match, and in the return leg his ability to receive the ball under pressure could be crucial if Levski press high again.
Svetoslav Vutsov arrives in Athens as the goalkeeper who kept a clean sheet in the first match. Levski also did not concede in either match against Kairat.
Reinaldo is Levski's leading scorer in this European campaign with three goals among the players registered for the return leg. His role will be especially important if Levski get only a few opportunities to attack into open space.
Armstrong Oko-Flex gives the visitors one-on-one speed and a threat in transition. AEK will have to be careful about how high they push their wide players when the ball is on the opposite side.
Scenarios that change the return leg
AEK will naturally try to make use of home advantage, but the 0-0 draw in Sofia demands discipline. The most dangerous mistake would be to play as though the home side must score in the first 15 minutes. That is precisely when Levski can gain the most from transitions.
If AEK score first, Nikolić gains the option of introducing additional physical strength into midfield and using Varga or Zubkov against a defence that has to open up. If Levski take the lead first, the match changes completely: AEK then need to score at least once to force extra time, while the Bulgarian team can defend even more clearly in a compact shape and look for space behind the home full-backs.
If the score is level again after 90 minutes, extra time follows and then, if necessary, penalties. That is why bench depth, freshness and the quality of the penalty takers can become just as important as the starting line-up. AEK had already gone through a penalty shootout in the Super Cup against OFI only two weeks before the return leg, while Levski have shown in qualifying that they know how to protect a narrow lead.
For supporters in the stands, that means the evening should not be planned only until the end of regular time. The match could last considerably longer, and the return towards public transport after the final whistle will be slower if the tie is decided after extra time or penalties.
Sources:
- AEK F.C. - first match 0-0, Luka Jović's chances and the date and time of the return leg.
- AEK F.C. - 2025/26 season, Marko Nikolić and Luka Jović's 17 league goals.
- AEK F.C. - information about Lovro Majer, Milán Vitális, Kervin Arriaga and the current squad.
- AEK F.C. Arena presentation - capacity of 31,100, Perissos, Pefkakia and indoor parking.
- Levski.bg - first match, line-up, pressing and current results.
- Levski.bg - two victories against Kairat Almaty.
- FotMob - possession, shots and attendance in the first match.
- UOL Esporte - format of the two-legged tie, extra time and penalties in the event of a draw.