Slavia Sofia host PFK Montana 1921 on Friday afternoon in the First Professional League relegation round, with both sides going into the final league game of the season under very different pressures. Slavia are third in the section and have little table movement left to chase, while Montana sit eighth and are already relegated, so this is more about finishing with some pride than changing the shape of the season.
The match still matters in the sense that it is the last chance to close out the campaign on a positive note. Slavia have home advantage at a time when their recent league form has been patchy, while Montana arrive with a poor away record and without a win in five.
Slavia Sofia Form & Analysis
Ratko Dostanić’s side come into this one after a 2-0 defeat away to Lokomotiv Sofia, a result that summed up their recent inconsistency. In their last six league matches, Slavia have taken just one win, one draw and four defeats. The only victory in that spell came at home against Septemvri Sofia, when they won 2-1 on 6 May.
The encouraging part for Slavia is that their home numbers remain respectable. They have collected 26 points at home this season, with seven wins, five draws and six defeats, and they have generally been more competitive in Sofia than on the road. Their overall record still reads well enough at 43 points from 36 matches, with 40 goals scored and 44 conceded, but they have not always looked secure at the back.
That defensive issue has shown up in the recent run too. Slavia have gone six matches without a clean sheet, and even in games they have controlled for periods, they have still given opponents chances. In the away defeat to Lokomotiv, they actually posted 17 shots and five on target, but still came away empty-handed. That sort of wastefulness has cost them several times in this section.
Still, with no major upcoming fixture to think about and no fresh injury or suspension crisis reported, Slavia should approach this as a straight home assignment. They are the stronger side on the season-long numbers, and their attacking edge at home should be enough to put pressure on a Montana defence that has travelled badly all year.
PFK Montana 1921 Form & Analysis
Montana’s season has been far more difficult, and their away record explains plenty of that. They have taken only eight points on the road, with one win, five draws and 12 defeats, and their only away victory came all the way back on 12 September 2025 at Botev Plovdiv. That is not the sort of away form that inspires confidence heading into a trip like this.
Atanas Atanasov’s side have not been in good shape lately either. They lost 2-0 at home to Spartak Varna in their most recent outing, and that came after a run of draws and narrow defeats that has left them without a win in five. Before that, they were involved in a few tight games, including a 2-2 draw with Lokomotiv Sofia and another 2-2 at Beroe Stara Zagora, but they have struggled to turn those moments into points that matter.
The latest home defeat to Spartak Varna was especially rough. Montana posted just 0.27 xG and faced 3.68 xGA, were outshot 17-5, and had to play much of the match with 10 men after Umaro Baldé’s red card in the 31st minute. They were already under pressure, but that sort of performance underlines how vulnerable they can be when the game gets away from them.
Their overall record is stark: 23 points, only four wins all season, and 53 goals conceded. Even if the relegation picture is already settled, Montana still need a disciplined finish to avoid ending the campaign with another one-sided away defeat.
Head-to-Head
Slavia have had the better of this fixture for a while, and they are unbeaten in the last eight meetings with Montana. The reverse game in April ended 0-0, though Slavia beat Montana 2-1 in Sofia earlier in the season. That gives the home side another small psychological edge going into this one.
We Predict: Slavia Sofia to Win
The price on a home win is 1.56, and that looks fair enough given the gap in quality, the away record, and Montana’s current run without a victory. Slavia are not in sparkling form, but they have done enough at home across the season to expect them to edge a game like this.
Montana can make it awkward for spells, especially if Slavia are wasteful in front of goal, but the safer call is that the hosts finish stronger. A 2-1 Slavia Sofia win is the most likely scoreline.
