The New Saints face a difficult task against Ludogorets if they are to progress in the Europa League.
Ludogorets are a serial European side, having been in the group stages of both the Champions League and the Europa League in recent years.
They have a number of full-internationals, who TNS will have to contend with.
Here are the star men that could cause Scott Ruscoe’s side problems on Thursday.
Embed from Getty ImagesClaudiu Keșerü
Probably the toughest opponent that The New Saints backline will face is 32-year-old Claudiu Keșerü.
The Romanian forward has been prolific at most clubs he’s been to over the last few years.
Arriving in Bulgaria in 2015, Keșerü has set the Bulgarian League alight with his goalscoring record.
He scored 15 league goals in 28 appearances in his first season, before beating his first season with 22 goals, he continued to beat his record for a third year, scoring 26 goals in 30 games. He had to settle for less in his fourth season, scoring 20.
He’s started as he’s meant to go on, scoring four goals in two appearances this season for Ludogorets.
In total, he has scored 105 goals in 174 appearances for the Bulgarian side in just five seasons.
[getty src=”117238511″ width=”594″ height=”395″ tld=”co.uk”]Mavis Tchibota
Mavis Tchibota is one of the most recent additions to the Ludogorets squad having signed for the Bulgarian side this July.
The Congolese winger has wasted no time in making an impact though having contributed five assists in as many games with three coming in the previous rounds of Europa League Qualifying.
Tchibota signed from Israeli outfit Bnei Yehuda Tel Aviv FC for whom he made 73 appearances for.
The 23-year-old is a tricky player who likes to dribble and take on his opponents in one-on-one situations.
His ability to provide key passes and crosses could also prove to be dangerous for The New Saints.
[getty src=”1143102256″ width=”594″ height=”440″ tld=”co.uk”]Marcelinho
Operating in the number 10 role is veteran playmaker Marcelinho, a vital player in Ludogorets’ system.
The Brazillian born man registered has registered very impressive stats over the last three seasons, particularly in his ability to assist.
Marcelinho recorded 17 assists in the 16/17 season, 12 in the 17/18 season and a personal best of 18 last season.
The 34-year old seems to be getting better with age and remains a key player for the Bulgarian side.
It will certainly be a challenging tie for TNS and they will have to be at the top of their game if they are to progress in the competition.
(Featured Image: Rolandhino1)
Leave a Reply