Celje vs Slovan Bratislava - prediction, team news, lineups

Level aft past week's archetypal leg, Celje and Slovan Bratislava volition reconvene connected Wednesday evening, erstwhile the brace implicit their Champions League playoff.

Led by 2009 victor Yaya Toure, favourites Slovan failed to marque the astir of location advantage, truthful they indispensable present effort to topple the hosts successful Slovenia.

Match preview

After some clubs fought done 2 anterior rounds of qualifying, they were wrong 1 measurement of the league signifier when kicking disconnected this necktie past Wednesday.

Celje fell down successful Bratislava erstwhile Slovan debutant Roman Cerepkai enactment the hosts successful front, but Milot Avdyli responded with a stunning curler to level the contest.

So, up of the location limb astatine Stadion Z'dezele, a archetypal qualification for the Champions League is inactive firmly successful the Slovenian club's sights. 

This year's tally is already their longest successful qualifying for UEFA's apical competition, having antecedently mislaid doubly successful circular 2 - astir precocious losing 6-1 connected aggregate to Slovan successful 2024.

As winners of past season's PrvaLiga, they kicked disconnected their run by beating Albanian outfit Egnatia connected penalties, past dramatically defeated Ararat-Armenia 3-2 successful the 3rd round. 

Now, Vitor Campelos and co are conscionable 1 triumph distant from becoming conscionable the 2nd Slovenian squad aft Maribor to suffice for the Champions League's main phase.

While Celje's home crippled was postponed to assistance their Champions League chances, Slovan were backmost successful enactment astatine the weekend, beating FC Kosice 2-1 connected Saturday.

That effect maintained their cleanable league grounds - 4 wins from 4 truthful acold - and the Sky Blues are backmost connected apical of Slovakia's Super Liga.

Crowned home champions again past term, Slovan subsequently hired Toure, whose broadside bushed Iberia Tbilisi 3-1 connected aggregate successful their opening qualifier. 

Then, they defeated daze Swedish champions Mjallby successful circular three, earlier letting a precious pb gaffe successful the location limb of this playoff.

Still, they stay successful contention for a instrumentality to the league phase, having finished 35th retired of 36 teams successful 2024.

With a grounds of 7 wins and 2 draws nether ex-Barcelona prima Toure, the Sky Blues should clasp nary fearfulness erstwhile they caput to Slovenia.

Celje Champions League form:

Celje signifier (all competitions):

Slovan Bratislava Champions League form:

Slovan Bratislava signifier (all competitions):

Team News

Having recovered the nett 4 times successful 5 qualifiers truthful far, Mario Kvesic could beryllium Celje's biggest menace connected Wednesday.

Set to enactment Armandas Kucys up front, Kvesic besides assisted Avdyli's equaliser past week. Veteran winger Benjamin Verbic - who precocious returned to his puerility nine aft 11 years distant - whitethorn person to marque bash with a spot connected the bench.

Australia Under-23s starlet Yaya Dukuly scored successful their past league crippled and netted a important precocious extremity versus Ararat successful circular three, but helium is much apt to diagnostic arsenic an interaction substitute.

Meanwhile, caller lad Cerepkai should pb the visitors' attack, arsenic Slovenia striker Andraz Sporar has lone conscionable returned from an wounded layoff.

Fellow guardant Mykola Kukharevych (hamstring) remains a doubt, but Toure - who rotated his squad substantially astatine the play - inactive has respective options to take from. 

Tigran Barseghyan played a portion successful Cerepkai's first-leg strike, and the Armenian winger scored the last extremity against Celje erstwhile these sides met successful 2024; having joined Slovan earlier this month, Suleiman Camara has scored successful 2 of their past 3 qualifiers.

Celje imaginable starting lineup:

Leban; Sirvys, Hrka, Tutyskinias, Avdyli; Daniel, Zabukovnik; Ivansek, Seslar, Kvesic; Kucys

Slovan Bratislava imaginable starting lineup:

Takac; Blackman, Bajric, Markovic, Cruz; Ibrahim, Pokorny, Martinez; Barseghyan, Cerepkai, Camara

We say: Celje 2-2 Slovan Bratislava (3-3 connected aggregate; Slovan Bratislava triumph aft other clip and penalties)

Celje person proven worthy contenders successful Champions League qualifying, truthful they tin propulsion Slovan each the mode successful this choky playoff tie. However, it whitethorn inactive extremity successful heartbreak, arsenic their visitors person much acquisition and depth.

Even if they lose, introduction to the Europa League would connection immoderate consolation: Celje whitethorn person played successful the Conference League but person ne'er featured successful either of UEFA's apical 2 competitions.

For information investigation of the astir apt results, scorelines and much for this lucifer delight click here.