FCSB take on the visitors Aberdeen in the second leg of UEFA Europa League Qualification final round. First leg result: 2-2. The match will be played on Thursday, August 28th at Arena Nationala (Bucharest).
FCSB cannot help but raise concerns. Steaua, under their new name, fought long and hard to reclaim their place at the top of Romanian football. In 2024, they finally managed to bring the league title back to Bucharest and followed it up with a Super Cup victory over main rivals CFR. However, since then, the capital giants have offered very few reasons for optimism. Their domestic form has been flat, with few wins and a lack of dominance. In the Champions League qualifiers, they struggled past Inter Escaldes, even losing the away leg in Andorra, before being eliminated by Shkëndija with back-to-back defeats. They at least restored some pride in the Europa League qualifiers, beating Drita more convincingly, scoring three goals in both legs. Despite this, their inability to consistently perform against stronger opponents raises questions about their true level. Recent draws in the domestic league further highlight their struggles to impose themselves, especially against mid-table sides.
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Aberdeen cannot compete with their opponents in terms of history and silverware, nor can they match Scottish giants Celtic and Rangers. Yet they often remain competitive, regularly finishing in third place in the Premiership. Last spring, however, they slipped to fifth, but compensated by lifting the Scottish Cup — their first major trophy in years and one that secured a Europa League spot. The new campaign has been difficult, starting with 0-2 defeats against both Celtic and Hearts, which raised concerns about their sharpness. They boosted morale by thrashing Greenock Morton 3-0 in the League Cup, though that win came against lower-league opposition struggling in the Championship, so it should not be overvalued. Against FCSB, they trailed 0-2 at home but showed character to salvage a 2-2 draw with a late equalizer in the 89th minute. Their resilience in European matches has often kept them competitive, even when their form domestically has been shaky.
Last week’s meeting was the first-ever clash between the two clubs. What Steaua could not achieve away from home, they are expected to deliver in Bucharest — the hosts should claim the victory.
Prediction for the match: FCSB to win.
