Red Bull Salzburg vs Pafos FC - prediction, team news, lineups

On Thursday, Austrian broadside Red Bull Salzburg volition invited Cypriot outfit Pafos FC to the Red Bull Arena for the archetypal limb of the Europa League third-round qualifying tie.

The victor volition spell connected to look the loser of the Champions League qualifying clash betwixt Mjallby and Slovan Bratislava, portion the loser volition driblet down to the Conference League playoff round. 

Match preview

Salzburg person go accustomed to competing successful Champions League qualifying, but they person had to settee for a spot successful the preliminary stages of the Europa League pursuing past season's underwhelming third-placed decorativeness successful the Austrian Bundesliga.

That said, dice Roten Bullen person caller acquisition of competing successful the Europa League aft appearing successful past season's league signifier pursuing a nonaccomplishment to Club Brugge successful the 2nd circular of Champions League qualifying.

Salzburg commencement their latest European run nether the ticker of Danny Rohl, who near his presumption arsenic Rangers brag to pen a three-year declaration with the Austrian giants.

Rohl started his tenure with a ascendant 7-1 triumph implicit third-tier SV Oberwart successful the archetypal circular of the OFB Cup, earlier helium oversaw a dramatic 1-0 victory connected the opening play of the Austrian Bundesliga season.

Red Bull Salzburg were connected the verge of being held to a goalless gully by Harberg until Karim Konate scored an 89th-minute victor to snatch each 3 points.

As their absorption turns to European action, the hosts whitethorn beryllium capable to gully inspiration from the information they person won some of their erstwhile 2 games against Cypriot opposition, a 4-1 triumph successful 2010-11 Champions League qualifying and a 1-0 occurrence implicit the aforesaid squad successful 2011-12 Europa League qualifying.

Pafos, meanwhile, are competing successful European shot for the 3rd consecutive play aft appearing successful the Conference League main gully successful 2024-25 and the Champions League league signifier successful 2025-26. 

While they had to settee for a fourth-placed decorativeness successful the Cypriot First Division past term, they secured a spot successful Europa League qualifying by winning the Cypriot Cup for the 2nd clip successful 3 seasons. 

In opposition to Thursday's hosts, Pafos entered the qualifying process successful the 2nd round, wherever they staged an awesome fightback to overturn a two-goal first-leg shortage against Croatian broadside Hajduk Split.

Guga pulled a extremity backmost successful the 40th infinitesimal of past Thursday's location leg, earlier David Goldar netted a melodramatic stoppage-time equaliser to nonstop the necktie to other time.

With momentum successful their favour, Ricardo Sa Pinto's broadside took the necktie distant from Hajduk Split with goals from Biel and Joao Correia, sealing a 4-2 aggregate victory. 

Pafos would emotion thing much than to prime up different triumph connected Thursday, but they whitethorn presumption a gully arsenic a much realistic aim, considering they person won conscionable 4 of their 13 European distant games crossed the main gully and qualifying of UEFA's 3 nine competitions (D4, L8).

Red Bull Salzburg signifier (all competitions):

W W 

Pafos FC Europa League form:

L W 

Team News

John Mellberg and Stefan Lainer person some been included successful the squad database for the playoff circular contempt doubts implicit their fittingness owed to their caller wounded struggles.

The hosts tin nary longer telephone upon Adam Daghim, who precocious completed a determination to German broadside Hoffenheim.

Rohl is apt to support changes to a minimum pursuing Saturday's triumph implicit Hartberg, though Konate is pushing for a starting berth aft coming disconnected the seat to people the winner.

Meanwhile, Pafos are expected to beryllium without the services of goalkeeper Charalambos Kyriakidis owed to an limb injury. 

Winger Jaja is acceptable for an extended spell connected the sidelines aft sustaining an anterior cruciate ligament wounded successful the 2nd limb against Hajduk Split.

Pafos person since bolstered their attacking options by adding Nicolas Moumi Ngamaleu, though helium volition not beryllium eligible to diagnostic successful this tie. 

Red Bull Salzburg imaginable starting lineup:

Zawieschitzky; Veratschnig, Boma, Zabransky, Schmid; Diabate, Barry; Redzic, Diakite, Vertessen; Konate

Pafos FC imaginable starting lineup:

Majecki; Bruno, Goldar, Luiz, Ioannou; Quina, Sunjic, Guga; Correia, Biel, Lele

We say: Red Bull Salzburg 3-1 Pafos FC

Pafos showed large quality successful their location necktie against Hajduk Split, but they failed to present successful the distant leg, and considering Salzburg are a tougher opponent, we deliberation the visitors volition autumn abbreviated successful Austria connected Thursday. 

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