Radoslav Kováč plans lineup changes for Viktoria Plzeň

FC Viktoria Plzeň hosts PFC Levski Sofia at the Doosan Arena on October 22, 2026, at 21:00 local time in the third round of the UEFA Europa League league phase, seeking their first points in the competition under head coach Radoslav Kováč.

Both clubs enter the fixture searching for momentum after difficult starts in Europe. Plzeň opened the league phase with a 3–0 home defeat against Royale Union Saint-Gilloise and followed it with a 2–1 loss away to Ferencváros in Hungary. Levski Sofia earned one point from their opening two fixtures, losing 0–1 at home to Salzburg before securing a 1–1 away draw against Nijmegen.

Radoslav Kováč Prepares Three Lineup Changes and Strict Locker Room Rules

Plzeň manager Radoslav Kováč confirmed during his pre-match press conference that he will make three changes to his starting lineup compared to their previous outing, balancing player workloads against a demanding schedule that includes domestic league fixtures and an upcoming MOL Cup match.

The 46-year-old coach emphasized the need to maintain tactical structures while managing minutes. We are also dealing with player minutes. Some key players are needed for set pieces, which they take. There are a lot of changes, certain synergies and automatisms are slowly coming. We don’t want to break everything completely, Kováč said.

Alongside tactical adjustments, Kováč instituted a stricter disciplinary code within the squad following his appointment, including a ban on mobile phones in the dressing room. We need the guys to communicate with each other much more. Not that we come to the locker room a minute after training and everyone stares at their phone. These are things we won’t tolerate here, Kováč told reporters. The manager added that violations carry substantial financial penalties as the technical staff works to build team cohesion.

Bulgarian Champions Bring Technical Style and Domestic Form to Doosan Arena

Levski Sofia travels to the Czech Republic as the reigning Bulgarian champions, securing their 27th domestic title in the 2025/26 season to end a championship drought that stretched back to 2009. Founded in 1914 and named after national hero Vasil Levski, the capital club leads the current domestic standings with 28 points from 10 matches, recording nine wins and one draw.

Kováč noted that the Bulgarian side relies heavily on foreign talent in advanced positions. They have individually excellent footballers, especially in the attacking phase—Brazilians, Portuguese, and African players. In recent matches, only two Bulgarian players started in the lineup, the Plzeň coach observed, pointing out that under their Spanish coach, Levski plays a technical style emphasizing short passing and buildup play. However, Kováč suggested that Plzeň can exploit an advantage in match intensity compared to the domestic Bulgarian league.

Fixture Context and Previous Meetings

The two clubs have met previously in friendly encounters, including a 3–3 draw in January 2013 featuring goals from Michal Ďuriš, David Limberský, and Marek Bakoš, followed by a 3–0 Plzeň victory in February 2014 with strikes from Marián Čišovský, Michal Ďuriš, and Tomáš Wágner. Now the two clubs will meet in the league phase of the Europa League.

Plzeň approaches the fixture on the back of a narrow 3–2 domestic league victory over Jablonec, where the team surrendered a three-goal lead before holding on under pressure. Kováč stressed that his squad must maintain concentration across the full 90 minutes to secure a result against Levski and reignite their European campaign.

Following Thursday’s fixture, Viktoria Plzeň continues its domestic and cup schedule ahead of upcoming UEFA Europa League rounds.

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