CSKA Sofia welcome Monaco to the National Stadium Vasil Levski on Thursday 15 October, with kick-off at 16:45 UTC. The fixture marks the first match of the UEFA Europa Conference League league stage for both sides, in a competition that spans 35 teams.
Both clubs enter the match level on points, having played no league stage matches prior to this fixture. Monaco sit third in the table, placing them in the top third of the 35-team standings. CSKA Sofia are positioned 13th, placing them mid-table.
Monaco arrive in Sofia carrying the stronger recent form of the two sides. They have taken 11 points from their last five matches across all competitions, a run that includes wins over Paris Saint Germain, Lens and Marseille, alongside draws against Toulouse and Strasbourg.
CSKA Sofia have taken 8 points from their last five matches. That run features a heavy victory away at Maccabi Tel Aviv, a win at Derry City, two draws against Qarabag, and a defeat at home to Maccabi Tel Aviv. It is a sequence that reflects both consistency and vulnerability at the top end of the pitch.
With the league stage only beginning, both clubs sit on zero points, and the table offers no separation between them at this early stage. The match represents the first opportunity for either side to establish themselves within the 35-team field.