FCSB still have a shot at reaching the Europa League main stage for the first time since their 2017-18 knockout stage appearance, following a 1-1 draw against LASK Linz in last week’s first leg.
Adil Taoui put LASK ahead just after the 30-minute mark, but David Miculescu equalized for FCSB in the first minute of stoppage time in the first half. The second half saw both teams struggle to create chances in a tense battle.
Since then, FCSB have extended their winless streak to four matches across all competitions after a 2-0 defeat to Hermannstadt in the SuperLiga on Sunday. This marks their third loss in six top-flight matches this season, leaving the 27-time Romanian champions second from the bottom of the table, already trailing leaders FC Universitatea Cluj by 10 points.
Head coach Elias Charalambous suggested that his players might have been distracted by the upcoming Europa League match, which contributed to their disappointing performance in the league.
Similarly, LASK have had a tough start to the Austrian Bundesliga season, losing three of their first four games, including a 2-1 defeat away to Austria Wien last weekend. Despite Marin Ljubicic giving LASK a 19th-minute lead, Maurice Malone equalized almost immediately, and Austria Wien secured victory with an 87th-minute goal from Manfred Fischer.