Leading by two goals after last week's first leg, FCSB aim to finish the job in Champions League qualifying, as they reconvene with Inter Club d'Escaldes on Tuesday.

The Romanian giants have one foot in the second round following a 3-1 success in Bucharest, so they head to Andorra as strong favourites.

Match preview

Only weeks after last season's final, the 2025-26 Champions League got underway last week, with FCSB welcoming Inter Club to Stadionul Steaua for the opening leg of their first-round tie.

Goals from David Miculescu and captain Darius Olaru put the hosts in charge before half time, and Marius Stefanescu added a third soon after the break, but they then stepped off the gas.

Midway through the second half - and soon after missing from the spot - Inter struck back through Rafinha, giving them a slight glimmer of hope before the second leg.

FCSB qualified for the 2025-26 Champions League preliminaries by topping both the regular season table and championship round standings last term, increasing their tally to 28 domestic titles.

The Bucharest club finished nine points clear of closest rivals CFR Cluj, who they recently beat in the Supercupa Romaniei before starting their latest league campaign with a last-gasp draw against Hermannstadt.

Ultimately, coach Elias Charalambous wants one of seven spots still up for grabs in this year's league phase; so he expects to go through on Tuesday, when the winner will progress to meet either TNS or Shkendija in round two.

By contrast with their illustrious visitors to Estadi di FAF, Inter Club were only founded in 1991 - five years after FCSB's forebears Steaua Bucharest became European champions. 

Even so, a missed penalty and having a goal ruled out by the VAR at Stadionul Steaua suggests they could run the Romanians close again this week.

The minnows from Escaldes-Engordany have no illusions about reaching the Champions League proper, though: they have never come close to fully participating in any UEFA competition.

They got another shot at doing so after being crowned champions of Andorra's Primera Divisio and lifting the Copa Constitucio in 2024-25, but the odds are stacked against them going any further.

Even if, as expected, the domestic double winners fail to turn this tie around, a consolation place in the Conference League preliminary phase will await.

Inter Club d'Escaldes Champions League form: L

FCSB Champions League form: W

FCSB form (all competitions): W W D

Team News

As last week, Cameroon international Joyskim Dawa and young winger Octavian Popescu are both set to miss out for FCSB, but striker Daniel Birligea may be ready to return from a toe injury.

While Birligea could feature at some stage, David Miculescu should start up front, having scored in the first leg; alternatively, Florin Tanase could operate as a false nine.

Former Manchester United youth-teamer Dennis Politic was one of several players recently criticised by controversial club owner Gigi Becali, so it remains to be seen whether the new signing keeps his place.  

Meanwhile, with six goals in 14 UEFA club matches, France-born Andorra international Guillaume Lopez is set to lead Inter's attack, alongside first-leg scorer Rafinha.

In midfield, Atletico Madrid youth graduate Andres Mohedano will aim to make amends for his penalty miss in Bucharest.

Inter Club d'Escaldes possible starting lineup: Diaz; Munoz, Muguruza, Puentes, Sanchez, Torres; Alonso, Mohedano, De La Torre; Rafinha, Lopez

FCSB possible starting lineup: Tarnovanu; Cercel, M. Popescu, Ngezana, Radunovic; Sut, Perianu; Politic, Olaru, Tanase; Miculescu

We say: Inter Club d'Escaldes 1-4 FCSB (FCSB win 7-2 on aggregate)

Having shaken off some rust, FCSB should be ready to perform much better than in last week's first leg, when they were lucky to win by two.

Strolling through to the second qualifying round, they are set to beat Inter Club again, fully making their firepower count.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.

Written by
Jonathan O'Shea

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