Spain are the strong favourites to top Group E, and they are priced as short as 1.11 to secure a winning start in Sofia. Bulgaria are 19.0 to win on home turf, and 10.0 to take a point.

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• Spain scored 11 goals from four games in the Nations League playoffs

• In their two June friendlies, Bulgaria conceded four goals against Greece, and two against Cyprus

• Prior to those matches, Bulgaria were defeated 4-2 by Ireland across two legs in a playoff match in the Nations League

⚪ A Dismal Run of Form for Bulgaria

Bulgaria last qualified for the World Cup in 1998, where they were eliminated in the group stages. Their most recent outing on the international stage came at Euro 2004, but again, they were knocked out in the group stages. With that in mind, it comes as no surprise that Bulgaria’s rank of #84 in the FIFA rankings is the lowest of any Group E nation. 

In League C of the Nations League, Bulgaria did manage to finish second, having lost just one of their six games, although they were up only against Northern Ireland, Belarus and Luxembourg. The Lions were then beaten comfortably by Ireland in a promotion/relegation playoff match, meaning they will remain in League C. 

With one draw and three losses in their last four matches, shipping 10 goals in that time, Bulgaria have been in a poor run of form, and that looks set to persist against the European champions.

🔴 La Roja to Extend Their Reign of Dominance

Spain looked a cut above the rest at Euro 2024, deservedly winning the title back in July. Since then, they also reached the Nations League final and were unfortunate to lose on penalties. That only highlights how Luis de la Fuente’s side are a real force to be reckoned with, and it’s understandable why they are #2 in FIFA’s ranking system, only behind Argentina. 

Luis de la Fuente is likely to deploy a similar system as he did at the Euros, with PSG duo Fabian Ruiz and Vitinha controlling the midfield alongside either Rodri, who is still building his fitness up, or Martin Zubimendi. Nico Williams and Lamine Yamal will continue to provide threat from the flanks, with Ferran Torres up front. 

Drawn in Group E alongside Turkey, Georgia, and Bulgaria, Spain will back themselves to progress comfortably and lay the foundations for another strong tournament campaign.

📊 Bulgaria v Spain H2H

The last competitive meeting between Bulgaria and Spain came in the 1998 World Cup, with the Spaniards coming out as 6-1 victors.

These sides also faced off in a friendly back in 2002, and Spain came out victorious once again, this time by a 1-0 scoreline.

Football Predictions at Andy's Bet Club

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* I recommend waiting for confirmed team line-ups before placing any bets.

* All odds displayed correct at the time of publishing.