Match Preview: Pittodrie under the lights as Aberdeen host FCSB in a finely poised first leg. Expect set-piece traffic for the Dons, FCSB’s tidy ball progression, and a controlled total.
Picks: Aberdeen (0) DNB; Under 2.5 (lean).
🔴 Aberdeen vs FCSB — UEL Play-off, 1st leg
Thu, 21 Aug 2025 • Pittodrie Stadium, Aberdeen • 19:45 BST (21:45 Kyiv)
Under 2.5 (lean)
BTTS — No (lean)
*Kick-off and venue per UEFA; re-check line-ups before publishing.
Match Preview
Aberdeen vs FCSB — UEFA Europa League Play-off (1st leg)
Pittodrie Stadium, Aberdeen • Thursday, 21 Aug 2025 • Kick-off 19:45 BST (21:45 Kyiv)
Volatility: controlled
Set-piece value: ↑
Overview
Aberdeen to lean on width, early crosses and crowd momentum to tilt xG at home; corners and indirect free-kicks are key levers.
FCSB arrive with clean progression through a double pivot and rapid wide breaks; disciplined block out of possession.
Tactics & Key Factors
Aberdeen
- Structure: 4-3-3/4-2-3-1; wide overloads and second balls around zone-14.
- Threats: outswing corners, near-post flicks, early diagonals to isolate FB–CB channels.
- Risk: transition defence if both full-backs push simultaneously.
FCSB
- Structure: 4-2-3-1; pivots to beat the first line, 10/winger rotations in half-spaces.
- Plan: compress mid-block, break wide-to-inside, attack cut-backs.
- Risk: aerial duels on defensive set pieces vs Aberdeen’s size.
Key Match-ups
- Aberdeen set pieces vs FCSB aerial unit: repeat restarts shape chance volume.
- Wide channels: Dons’ diagonals and early crosses vs FCSB full-back positioning.
- Transitions: home counter-press vs FCSB’s first pass out.
iStatica Probability Model
Market guide: 1X2 ≈ Aberdeen 2.30–2.60 • Draw 3.10–3.40 • FCSB 2.70–3.00 • Under 2.5 ~1.75–1.95 • ABE (0) DNB ~1.70–1.90
Prediction
Aberdeen (0) — DNB
Home crowd + set pieces; draw cover fits a balanced first leg.
Under 2.5 Goals (lean)
Controlled tempo and set-piece dependency cap chance volume.
Alternative: BTTS — No
Correlates with a low-event first-leg script.
Model scoreline: 1–0 or 1–1.
Probable Line-ups (to be confirmed)
Aberdeen (projected)
XI: GK; RB, CB, CB, LB; DM; CM, CM; RW, ST, LW. Late fitness checks may alter XI.
FCSB (projected)
XI: GK; RB, CB, CB, LB; DM, DM; RW, AM, LW; ST. Can flatten into 4-5-1 without the ball.
Odds Snapshot
- 1X2: Aberdeen 2.30–2.60 — Draw 3.10–3.40 — FCSB 2.70–3.00
- Props: Under 2.5 ~1.75–1.95 • Aberdeen (0) DNB ~1.70–1.90 • BTTS No ~1.85–2.05
*Ranges illustrative; confirm with your bookmaker feed before publishing.
