Levski Sofia vs Red Bull Salzburg - prediction, team news, lineups

Levski Sofia big Red Bull Salzburg astatine the Vasil Levski National Stadium connected Thursday evening successful the opening circular of the 2026-27 Europa League league phase, with the Bulgarian champions returning to the main signifier of European contention for the archetypal clip successful 15 years.

Julio Velazquez's broadside get having mislaid lone 2 of their 18 matches crossed each competitions this play (W12, D4), portion the Red Bulls stay unbeaten aft 12 games (W9, D3), mounting up an intriguing contest.

Match preview

Levski Sofia fell abbreviated of the Champions League league phase, with the Bulgarian champions playing 3 qualifying rounds of Europe's elite contention earlier they were eliminated by AEK Athens successful the playoff round, suffering a 4-0 aggregate defeat.

That decision was followed by a power into the Europa League league phase, with the Bulgarian champions present backmost successful the main signifier of a European contention for the archetypal clip since the 2010-11 season, erstwhile they participated successful the radical signifier of this competition.

Velazquez's broadside person won 8 of their archetypal 9 Bulgarian First League matches this season, scoring 21 goals and conceding conscionable four, earlier dropping points for the archetypal clip successful their astir caller crippled against Botev Vratsa successful a 0-0 draw.

The Blues volition beryllium hoping to support their antiaircraft solidity successful Europe contempt playing astatine the Vasil Levski National Stadium due to the fact that their ain crushed does not conscionable UEFA regulations, and they person bully crushed for optimism, having kept a cleanable expanse successful 7 of their past 8 European matches arsenic hosts.

Salzburg besides get successful superb form, with Danny Rohl's broadside unbeaten done their archetypal 12 competitory matches this season, winning 9 and drafting three, portion their past 5 matches person produced 4 victories and 1 draw.

Their Europa League qualification run was peculiarly impressive, with the Red Bulls winning 3 and drafting 1 of 4 matches crossed 2 qualifying rounds, archetypal beating Pafos 1-0 astatine location earlier drafting 3-3 away, portion they defeated Mjallby 4-0 connected aggregate to comfortably unafraid their spot successful the league phase.

However, contempt their beardown form, they are 3rd successful the Austrian apical formation with 4 wins and 2 draws from six matches, conscionable 1 constituent down league leaders LASK, with their latest crippled against Reid ending successful a 1-1 draw.

The visitors' main interest is their grounds connected the roadworthy erstwhile the main signifier of this contention begins, with Salzburg losing each of their past 9 Europa League main-draw distant matches, a streak Rohl volition beryllium hoping their existent assurance tin yet bring to an end.

There is precise small separating the clubs historically, though the visitors person the cleanable grounds from their 2 erstwhile meetings, winning 1-0 successful Austria earlier repeating the aforesaid scoreline successful Sofia erstwhile the teams met successful the 2009-10 Europa League radical stage.

Levski Sofia signifier (all competitions):

Red Bull Salzburg Europa League form:

Red Bull Salzburg signifier (all competitions):

Team News

Levski volition stay without Akram Bouras, who is carrying a musculus issue, portion Oliver Kamdem and Radoslav Kirilov are some recovering from genu injuries.

Velazquez has mostly favoured a 4-2-3-1 system, with Armstrong Oko-Flex and Everton Bala apt to flank Reinaldo, who has scored six goals this season, successful attack.

Svetoslav Vutsov should beryllium successful extremity down a backmost 4 containing Alex Centelles, Kristian Dimitrov, Nikola Serafimov and Aldair Neves.

Salzburg person respective players unavailable, with Christian Fruchtl recovering from a ft injury, portion Johannes Moser, Justin Omoregie, Gaoussou Diakite and Soumaila Diabate are besides sidelined.

Rohl has settled connected a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Dominik Schmid, Valentin Zabransky, Kevin Boma and Nikolas Veratschnig forming the antiaircraft enactment successful the past XI

Bartosz Mazurek and Abubakr Barry should run successful midfield, with Edmund Baidoo, Sota Kitano and Yorbe Vertessen supporting Haris Tabakovic.

Levski Sofia imaginable starting lineup:

Vutsov; Neves, Dimitrov, Serafimov, Centelles; Serginho, Moubarik; Oko-Flex, Mitkov, Bala; Reinaldo

Red Bull Salzburg imaginable starting lineup:

Zawieschitzky; Schmid, Zabransky, Boma, Veratschnig; Mazurek, Barry; Baidoo, Kitano, Vertessen; Tabakovic

We say: Levski Sofia 1-1 Red Bull Salzburg

Levski's antiaircraft grounds makes them hard to reason astatine home, adjacent though the determination to the Vasil Levski National Stadium takes distant immoderate of the vantage provided by their accustomed surroundings.

We expect Salzburg to person much of the shot and make greater attacking pressure, but Levski's organisation should let them to stay successful the contention and assertion a stock of the points.

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