Celje host Red Bull Salzburg in Group stage action of the UEFA Europa League on Thursday, kick‑off 20:00 BST. The Slovenian side go into the match yet to claim a point in the section, while Salzburg arrive with a single victory to their name. This fixture presents a clash between a home side who have struggled to find the net in Europe and an away team that have shown domestic firepower but mixed continental results. A packed evening in Celje will test whether the hosts can upset a side that has already taken maximum points on the road in this campaign.

Celje

Celje's Europa League campaign has been blunt so far: they have failed to score and have been beaten in both of their group matches, including a 3-0 reverse at home to Omonia Nicosia and a 2-0 defeat at Bayer Leverkusen. That combination leaves them bottom of their mini-table and needing both goals and confidence if they are to make a contest of the fixture against Salzburg. Those results underline the gulf they have to bridge at this level; the team must find attacking rhythm it has not yet produced in Europe.

At domestic level the picture is less bleak. Recent Slovenian PrvaLiga results show Celje can be hard to break down in league fixtures — draws of 0-0 away at Maribor and at Mura are examples — and they registered a 1-0 home win over Aluminij earlier this month. However, their home Europa match was heavy and their domestic form also includes narrow defeats, so while they can grind out clean sheets against domestic opposition, transferring that to continental group play has proved difficult. The contrast between low-scoring league games and Europa League losses suggests reliance on compact performances rather than expansive attacking output.

Taken together, Celje look likely to set up cautiously and try to restrict space, aiming for a low-scoring encounter where a single moment could decide matters. Their inability to find the net in the group makes an early goal particularly damaging to their hopes; they have shown they can compete in 0-0 or 1-0 settings at home, but against a Salzburg side capable of scoring freely in the domestic season they face a sterner test than recent Slovenian opponents.

Red Bull Salzburg

Salzburg arrive with mixed messages from Europe: they have one win away at Levski Sofia but were humbled 4-0 at home by AC Milan, leaving them with a narrow goals record in the group. That pattern points to inconsistency on the continental stage — able to get the job done away from home against similar-ranked opposition but vulnerable when up against elite sides in front of their own supporters. The away victory shows they can travel well in knockout-style or group settings, however.

In Austria, Salzburg have demonstrated attacking potency and control. Recent Bundesliga results include convincing 3-0 victories against both SCR Altach and Sturm Graz, alongside cup and league results that show they can score multiple goals and dominate matches against domestic rivals. Even with a couple of draws away from home in the league, the club have repeatedly produced clear victories that highlight an ability to break down mid-tier opposition and convert chances — a contrast to Celje’s barren group scoring record.

Their away form in this campaign and recent results suggest Salzburg are comfortable managing matches on the road: they recorded the group’s sole away win so far and have avoided defeat in several recent away fixtures across competitions. That resilience, combined with domestic goal-scoring form, makes them the more likely side to force the issue in Celje. The heavy home defeat to Milan provides a cautionary note, but it is less relevant when Salzburg face an opponent of Celje’s standing.

Verdict

Our prediction is an away win for Red Bull Salzburg. Celje have shown they can produce tight, low-scoring league matches but have not translated that into goals or results in Europe, leaving them short both in confidence and attacking output. Salzburg’s ability to win away in the group and their recent multi-goal domestic victories suggest they carry enough quality and momentum to take maximum points in Slovenia.

Tip

Tip: Back Red Bull Salzburg to win — the away side have already taken a road victory in the group and boast clearer recent scoring form in domestic competition, while Celje remain scoreless in Europe and struggled in their home continental fixture.