- BATE Borisov have won 0, drawn 2 and lost 3 of their last 5 matches in all competitions.
- Af Elbasani have won 2, drawn 1 and lost 2 of their last 5 matches in all competitions.
Eagles could edge past the Dragons
A 1-1 draw in the first leg of UEFA Conference League Qualification 2026 set up a close encounter for Af Elbasani and BATE Borisov to settle on Thursday, and this BATE Borisov vs Af Elbasani preview points to another tense battle. A home loss in the Vysshaya Liga 2026 had already left Vitali Rogozhkin's side reeling, but the fact they failed to beat the Albanians in the reverse fixture really has the Dragons' tails between their legs ahead of the return leg, making BATE Borisov vs Af Elbasani prediction a difficult call.
BATE are winless in 4 home games, posting 2 draws and 2 defeats during that run, which is a bad omen for a club who will expect to finish off the job at the Borisov Arena on Thursday. Across all competitions, BATE have won just 1 of their last 10 games, drawing 6 and losing 3, so Rogozhkin's men look blunt as well as stubborn.
Elbasani arrive off the back of a 3-0 win at home to Dinamo Tirana in Kategoria Superiore 2025 and a 1-2 victory at KS Vllaznia Shkoder in the same competition, before they held BATE to a 1-1 draw in the away leg of this two-legged tie. Ivan Gvozdenovic's side are sharp but they are also prone to the odd hiccup, with 5 wins, 1 draw and 4 defeats across their last 10.
Tight game could go the visitors' way
The bookmakers have Af Elbasani at 2.1 to win the game and BATE at 3.0, with the draw at 3.6. With the first-leg tied and a close match expected, Af are the right bet at a shade of even money, and our BATE Borisov vs Af Elbasani betting tips lean toward the visitors.
The clash of styles between BATE's organised and disciplined low block and Elbasani's high-tempo wide attacks should see this contest settled by who can hurt the other in the channels on the counterattack. BATE are the weaker side, but they should still be able to trouble Elbasani, so a tight game that could go either way is expected, which is why BATE Borisov vs Af Elbasani prediction again favours a narrow contest.
Maksim Sakuta has scored 2 of BATE's 3 goals in their last 5 across all competitions, while Ardit Nikaj is the main threat for Elbasani with 1 goal in 1.
