AEK Aims to Continue Home Dominance Against Universitatea Craiova in Conference League

ATHENS (Interstat) — AEK will look to capitalize on its strong home form when it hosts Romania’s FC Universitatea Craiova in a UEFA Europa Conference League group stage match on Thursday.

The Greek side enters the contest at OPAP Arena riding momentum from a 2-1 away victory over Turkish club Samsunspor on Dec. 11. That result improved AEK’s form in the competition, which includes a notable 1-0 win at Italy’s Fiorentina on Nov. 27 and a 6-0 demolition of Scotland’s Aberdeen on Oct. 23. However, its home performances have been mixed, with a draw against Shamrock Rovers and a heavy loss to Slovenia’s Celje.

Universitatea Craiova arrives after a narrow 2-1 home defeat to the Czech Republic’s AC Sparta Praha on Dec. 11, which snapped a positive run. The Romanian club had secured consecutive 1-0 victories over Germany’s FSV Mainz 05 and Austria’s SK Rapid Wien in November. Its campaign began with a qualifying round loss to FK Sarajevo in July, but it successfully navigated subsequent rounds against Spartak Trnava and Başakşehir to reach the group stage.

The matchup presents a contrast in continental consistency. AEK, a more familiar name in European group stages, will rely on its experience and attacking prowess, evidenced by the six-goal outburst against Aberdeen. Universitatea Craiova has built its progress on disciplined defense and efficiency, keeping three clean sheets in its last five European matches.

According to Interstat’s game simulator, AEK is projected to secure a 2-0 victory. The prediction aligns with the host’s need to solidify its standing in the group and the visitor’s struggle to score on the road in recent outings.

Kickoff is set for 9 p.m. local time (1900 GMT) on Dec. 18. The result could prove crucial for both clubs’ ambitions to advance to the knockout phase of UEFA’s third-tier club competition.