Ludogorets vs Ferencváros: Resumen

Ludogorets and Ferencvárosi TC played out a tense goalless draw in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League third qualifying round tie at the Huvepharma Arena. Both sides showed attacking intent throughout the 90 minutes but ultimately lacked the cutting edge to break the deadlock.

The Bulgarian champions, led by coach Rui Mota, dominated possession for large periods but couldn't convert their territorial advantage into goals. Erick Marcus came closest for the hosts when his spectacular long-range effort crashed against the crossbar midway through the second half, leaving the Hungarian supporters holding their breath.

Former Ireland international Robbie Keane's Ferencvárosi side thought they had snatched a crucial away goal when Barnabás Varga bundled home from close range after a goalmouth scramble, but their celebrations were cut short as VAR ruled the striker had used his arm in the process.

The atmosphere at the Huvepharma Arena was electric throughout, with the passionate Bulgarian supporters creating a wall of noise to back their team. The traveling Hungarian contingent made their presence felt too, particularly when their team survived periods of intense pressure.

This result leaves the tie perfectly balanced heading into the second leg in Budapest on August 12th. Both teams will feel they have a genuine chance of progressing to the playoff round, where a place in the lucrative Champions League group stage awaits the winner. For "Ludogorets", this represents another opportunity to return to Europe's premier club competition after several near misses in recent qualifying campaigns, while "Ferencvárosi TC" are aiming to build on their strong European performances from previous seasons.

We created enough chances to win the game today, but we must be more clinical in the final third. I'm satisfied with our defensive organization and the way we controlled large parts of the match. Everything is still to play for in Budapest, and we'll be ready for the challenge," stated Rui Mota, Ludogorets head coach.

"Coming to Bulgaria and securing a draw is a good result. We had to weather some storms but also had our moments going forward. The disallowed goal was unfortunate, but that's football. We're confident we can finish the job at home with our supporters behind us," commented Robbie Keane, Ferencvárosi TC manager.

"It was a physical battle throughout. They have quality players who can hurt you if given space, so we had to stay disciplined. We're halfway through this tie, and we believe in our ability to progress," said Anton Nedyalkov, Ludogorets captain.

"The atmosphere was intense, but we handled it well. We've shown we can match them, and now we have home advantage for the decisive leg. Our fans will create an even more intimidating environment in Budapest," remarked Dénes Dibusz, Ferencvárosi goalkeeper.

"Both teams showed why they are champions of their respective countries. It was tactical chess at times, with neither wanting to make a costly error. The return leg should be fascinating with both teams likely to take more risks," analyzed Viktor Goncharenko, former CSKA Moscow coach and Champions League expert.

Possession: Ludogorets dominated with 59% compared to Ferencvárosi's 41%

Shots: The Bulgarian side registered 14 attempts with 4 on target, while the visitors managed 9 shots with 3 testing Bonmann in the Ludogorets goal

Corners: Ludogorets 7-3 Ferencvárosi TC

Yellow Cards: Ludogorets 1 (Bernhard Tekpetey), Ferencvárosi 3 (Bence Ötvös, Callum O'Dowda, Cebrails Makreckis)

Passing Accuracy: Ludogorets completed 87% of their passes compared to Ferencvárosi's 79%

Individual Performances:

• Erick Marcus was the most creative player on the pitch with 4 key passes and 3 successful dribbles
• Pedrinho won 8 duels for Ludogorets, more than any other player
• Dénes Dibusz made 4 saves for the Hungarian side, including a spectacular stop from Caio Vidal's close-range header
• Gavriel Kanichowsky covered the most ground with 11.7km

Ludogorets' midfield trio of Stanić, Kaloč, and Pedrinho won the battle in the center of the park, completing 156 passes between them, compared to 107 from Ferencvárosi's midfield unit. However, the visitors were more direct in their approach, recording a higher xG (Expected Goals) value of 1.27 compared to Ludogorets' 1.14 despite having fewer attempts on goal.

3': Early chance for Ludogorets as Bernhard Tekpetey cut inside from the right wing but dragged his shot wide of Dibusz's far post

17': First meaningful attack from Ferencvárosi with Barnabás Varga heading O'Dowda's cross just over the crossbar

32': Yellow card for Bernhard Tekpetey after a late challenge on Cebrails Makreckis near the halfway line

42': Best chance of the first half fell to Caio Vidal, whose powerful header from six yards was brilliantly saved by Dibusz

54': DISALLOWED GOAL! Ferencvárosi thought they had taken the lead when Barnabás Varga bundled the ball home after a corner, but VAR ruled it out for handball

64': Spectacular effort from Erick Marcus as his 25-yard strike rattled the crossbar with Dibusz beaten

73': Double substitution for Ludogorets with fresh legs introduced to inject pace into their attack

79': Tactical shift by Keane as Ferencvárosi moved to a more defensive 5-4-1 formation to secure the draw

88': Last opportunity of the match fell to Pedrinho, who fired over from a promising position after good work by Son on the left flank

The match began with Ludogorets adopting their typical 4-3-3 formation, looking to dominate possession and create overloads in wide areas. Ferencvárosi countered with a compact 4-2-3-1 setup, looking to absorb pressure and strike on the counter. As the match progressed, both teams grew more cautious, prioritizing defensive solidity over attacking adventure, particularly in the final twenty minutes when the prospect of a favorable draw became increasingly attractive to both sides.

This goalless draw adds another chapter to what has become a familiar European rivalry between Ludogorets and Ferencvárosi TC. The clubs have now faced each other seven times over the past six years, with their history of encounters producing tightly contested matches.

Prior to this meeting, Ferencvárosi held a slight edge with two victories from their last four competitive encounters, compared to Ludogorets' single win and one previous draw. Their most recent meeting before this match came in the 2023/24 Europa Conference League group stage, where the Hungarian side secured a 2-1 victory in Budapest before Ludogorets earned a 1-1 draw in the return fixture in Razgrad.

On the tactical front, this latest encounter highlighted the contrasting approaches of the two sides. Ludogorets, under Portuguese coach Rui Mota, prioritize possession-based football with technical midfielders like Pedrinho and Erick Marcus at the heart of their creative play. Ferencvárosi, guided by former Premier League striker Robbie Keane, adopt a more direct style, utilizing the physicality of Barnabás Varga as their focal point in attack.

The individual battle between Anton Nedyalkov, Ludogorets' experienced captain, and Lenny Joseph, Ferencvárosi's dynamic winger, was particularly fascinating. Nedyalkov used all his defensive nous to limit Joseph's influence, winning 7 of their 11 direct duels.

In midfield, Filip Kaloč and Bence Ötvös engaged in a compelling contest, with both players showing technical quality while not shying away from the physical aspects of the game. Ötvös's yellow card came after a series of robust challenges as he attempted to disrupt Ludogorets' rhythm.

Both goalkeepers – Hendrik Bonmann for Ludogorets and Dénes Dibusz for Ferencvárosi – demonstrated why they are among the best in their respective leagues, making crucial interventions when called upon to ensure the match ended goalless.

In the context of the UEFA Champions League qualifying rounds, this result leaves both teams with everything to play for in the second leg. With the aggregate score at 0-0, "Ferencvárosi TC" will have the slight advantage of playing at home, though "Ludogorets" have shown they can be resilient on their travels in European competition.

This is the third qualifying round of the Champions League, meaning both teams are still two rounds away from reaching the lucrative group stage. The winner of this tie will advance to the playoff round, while the loser will drop into the Europa League playoff round.

Ludogorets currently sit in 6th position in the Bulgarian First League after the early rounds of the 2025/26 domestic season, having experienced a somewhat stuttering start to their title defense. Their path to this stage of Champions League qualifying has been challenging, requiring extra time to overcome both Dinamo Minsk (3-2) and Rijeka (3-1) in previous rounds.

Ferencvárosi TC, meanwhile, are positioned 11th in the Hungarian NB I, though they've played fewer games than most teams due to their European commitments. They entered the Champions League qualifiers in the second round, narrowly defeating FC Noah of Armenia 6-4 on aggregate in a high-scoring tie.

Both clubs are serial champions in their respective countries – Ludogorets having dominated Bulgarian football for over a decade, while Ferencvárosi have established themselves as Hungary's premier club in recent years. Progression to the Champions League group stage would represent a significant achievement for either side, both in terms of prestige and the substantial financial rewards it brings.