Bulgaria vs Republic of Ireland Prediction, Preview, Predicted Lineups and Team News | UEFA Nations League

Bulgaria vs Republic of Ireland Preview

• Competition: Nations League
• Date: Thursday, 20 March
• Kick-Off Time: 07:45 PM GMT
• Venue: Hristo Botev Stadium

The Bulgaria vs Republic of Ireland match will be played on Friday, 21 March at the Hristo Botev Stadium, as both teams will lock horns against each other in an exciting battle in the UEFA Nations League.

Ireland travel to Plovdiv for a play-off tie in the Nations League as the visitors will hope to avoid relegation to League C. The hosts finished second in their League C group with nine points, whereas Ireland finished second last in third place in their League B group with six points from their six fixtures in the competition. Ilian Iliev has been charged for 12 games and his side has only conceded more than one goal once in their last 10 games, though they only found the back of the net six times in that period. Bulgaria's record at home has not been particularly strong, with the team failing to win nine of their 11 most recent matches at home, losing on four occasions. Ireland will be a good test for them and they will have to be at their best to get a good result at home.

Ireland is going through some tough times for sure but they do have players on their side who can turn around the situations. They did lose their last game against England in the Nations League by 5-0 but they will be confident going into this game as they have performed well against Bulgaria in the past. The visitors' performance on the road has been concerning given they have been defeated in six of their last eight away from home. Heimier Hallgrimsson will have to make sure that his boys stay motivated and give their all on the pitch against Bulgaria. This will be a mouthwatering clash for sure.

Bulgaria Team News

The hosts are missing defender Kristian Dimitrov who pulled out of the initial squad due to injury. The rest of the players are fit to play the upcoming games.

Republic of Ireland

Will Smallbone and Callum O'Dawda both of them are injured for the upcoming fixture for the away team. The rest of the players are fit to play against Bulgaria.

https://www.sportsdunia.com/football-prediction/netherlands-vs-spain-prediction-preview-lineups-20th-march-2025

Bulgaria vs Republic of Ireland Predicted Lineups

Bulgaria Predicted Lineup (4-3-3):

Goalkeeper: Mitov

Defenders: Popov, S Petrov, A Petkov, Nurnberger

Midfielders: Panayotov, Kraev, Milanov

Forwards: M Petkov, Kolev, Kirilov

Republic of Ireland Predicted Lineup (4-4-2):

Goalkeeper: Kelleher

Defenders: Doherty, Collins, O'Shea, Brady

Midfielders: Moran, Cullen, Knight, Milanov

Forwards: Parrott, Ferguson

Bulgaria vs Republic of Ireland Head-to-Head Record

Both teams have faced each other 12 times, in which Both teams won three games, and six matches ended in draws. In the last five fixtures, four games ended in draws and Ireland won one game.

Key Players to Watch in Bulgaria vs Republic of Ireland

Andrian Kraev (Bulgaria)

Kraev is the main engine of the midfield for Bulgaria, even though he has only played 10 games for the National team, he is a key player for his country. He is tall and strong and does not shy away from making some rough tackles on the pitch. Despite having a tall and lanky structure he is a decent dribbler who can go past players to create space for himself. He is not a player who scores a lot of goals but Kraev can find players who can score. He is equally comfortable in short as well as in long passes. Last season he left his country to play in Liga Portugal for Casa Pia and now due to his good form surely he will be a key player in the upcoming fixture. This season he has played 20 games in which he has scored once and has got seven yellow cards.

Evan Ferguson (Republic of Ireland)

Just as capable of instigating attacking moves as he is finishing them, Ferguson can drop deep and drive with the ball or spray passes out wide. His height and build also allow him to play with his back to the goal or peel off the back of defenders to attack crosses into the box. A traditional target man, a poacher, or a false nine Ferguson can adapt quickly to his side's needs. Once inside the penalty area, Ferguson is extremely agile. He can adjust his body quickly and effectively to work himself the best possible shooting opportunity. Due to his versatility, he doesn't particularly favour one particular angle of approach toward the goal. As a result, he can score in a greater range of situations. This season he hasn't played that much and has made only five appearances for West Ham.

Bulgaria vs Republic of Ireland Prediction

Quality-wise both teams are on the same level and surely this will be a closely contested match for sure. Both teams have players in their squad who can help the team to get the win. Despite Bulgaria being the home side they can't afford to take Ireland lightly. Both teams will have to give their best to get a good result. Most probably this match will end in a draw.

Predicted Score: Bulgaria 1-1 Republic of Ireland

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