HAOK Mladost — Levski Sofia 3:1: result and stats

Zagreb's Bojan Stranić Hall will stage the first leg of a Champions League second qualifying round tie that carries a quarter-century of longing on one side and a quietly confident domestic dynasty on the other. HAOK Mladost host Levski Sofia with a place in the group stage of Europe's elite club competition at stake, and the form book offers little comfort to either camp: the two sides are separated by nothing at all in the eyes of the market.

A 27-year wait with a familiar look

Mladost have not played in the Champions League group stage for 27 years, and the men in Zagreb make no secret of how much that number drives them. Stipe Perić, the 204-centimetre middle blocker who spent the 2021/22 season with Dea Sport in Burgas, believes the two clubs share more than a trophy cabinet. "Levski is a club very similar to Mladost," he said. "They have a comparable history as major clubs, they are consistently among the favourites to win their domestic championships, and, like Mladost, they place great emphasis on developing a broad base of young players."

That intimate knowledge of Bulgarian volleyball gives the Croatian champions an unusually detailed read on their opponents. Perić expects a relatively young Levski squad complemented by two or three experienced players who have plied their trade abroad, and he has identified the visiting outside hitters as the men Mladost must contain. The hosts will not treat the tie as a formality; Perić was adamant that his side must approach it "without any calculations and with 100% focus."

Levski's blend of youth and veteran firepower

The Bulgarian champions arrive in Zagreb at the top of their domestic league with a maximum six points from two matches, having opened their campaign with a 3-1 home win over Dea Sport. That follows a third consecutive Bulgarian title, sealed in May with a dramatic five-set victory over Neftochimic 2010 in Game 4 of the finals, a match in which Todor Skrimov delivered 20 points and Gordan Lyutskanov added 19.

Those two outside hitters are the heartbeat of the side and the focal point of its attack. Skrimov, born in 1990 and standing 191 centimetres, brings a wealth of international experience, while the 197-centimetre Lyutskanov offers a more explosive option at the net. Around them sits a largely home-grown group that Levski have deliberately built through their own pipeline. The club's commitment to promoting young Bulgarian talent mirrors Mladost's own philosophy, and Perić was quick to note that even the younger members of the visiting roster have represented their country at some level.

The hosts' rhythm and rotation

Mladost come into the tie on a run of three straight domestic SuperLeague victories, the most recent a 3-0 away win at OK Varazdin Volley. They have also already navigated a European hurdle, eliminating Cypriot side Kuutio Homes Pafiakos with identical 3-1 victories home and away. The second leg in Zagreb was a slow-burner: Mladost dropped the opening set, trailed for long stretches, then found their serving rhythm and pulled away behind 21 points from Jan Pokeršnik and an MVP display from Ivan Zeljković.

The concern for coach Toni Kovačević is freshness. Mladost are playing every two or three days across two competitions, and captain Tsimafei Zhukouski has been managing a knee problem, playing through the pain in both legs against Pafos. Kovačević has used the domestic schedule to rest key men where possible, leaning on the second team in lighter SuperLeague fixtures. The Japanese libero Amane Kumagai and Montenegrin middle blocker Nikola Đurović add international texture to a squad that is deeper than its domestic results alone suggest, though Đurović did not feature in the Pafos rematch.

An even contest on the numbers

There is no clear favourite. The chances are rated about even, with Mladost at 50% and Levski at 50%, a split that has barely moved since the line opened. The scoring expectation sits around 184.5 points, unchanged from the opening mark, which points to a match that could easily stretch beyond four sets. For two teams with strong serving games and physical front rows, a tight, attritional contest looks the most likely shape of the evening.

What is at stake

The first leg is only half the story, with the return in Sofia to come and a group-stage berth awaiting the aggregate winner. For Mladost, the prize is a return to the sport's biggest stage after nearly three decades and the chance to bring elite European volleyball back to Zagreb. For Levski, it is confirmation that a golden domestic era can translate into continental progress. Perić's warning that "nobody comes here expecting to lose" applies equally to both benches, and with the teams so closely matched, the first leg may be decided by who manages the serving battle and the two Levski outside hitters more effectively.

Preview prepared from the match data · 4 November