Article by Romeo Ene – Published on Thursday, 26 February 2026 22:37 / Updated on Thursday, 26 February 2026 22:51
Ferencváros and Ludogorets they met tonight in the second leg of the play-off for the “best” Europa League. The Hungarians prevailed at home, 2-0, and qualified. In the round, the Bulgarians had won 2-1.
It should be noted in this match that the two opponents played the fifth straight match this season!
This double leg marked a first in the history of European football. In one season, the same two teams met five times.
Previously, the maximum number of meetings between two clubs in a single European campaign was four, a feat recorded 32 times, according to data collected by avandatimes.com.
Ferencvaros and Ludogorets have been “bored” of each other this European season
It all started in August 2025, in the third preliminary round of the Champions League. The first match, held in Razgrad, Bulgaria, ended in a goalless draw, setting the stage for a decisive second leg.
A week later, Ferencvaros secured a convincing 3-0 home win in Budapest, qualifying for the League play-offs.
However, the Hungarians' run in the most important interclub competition in Europe was interrupted by Qarabag. Ferencvaros was “relegated” to the main group of the Europa League.
The paths of the two clubs crossed again in this phase of the competition. On 6 November 2025, Ferencvaros hosted Ludogorets for the third time this season, securing another victory, 3–1.
Ferencvaros finished 12th, Ludogorets 22nd, positions that ensured qualification in the play-off for the “eighties”. The draw for this stage of the competition has given them two more games for a total of five this season.
In the round, the Bulgarians won 2-1, but lost for the third time in Hungary, score 0-2, and were eliminated from the Europa League. Ferencvaros will play Porto or Braga in the “eighties”.
