NK Celje vs Slovan Bratislava prediction 26.08.2026 | UEFA Champions League
Celje
Kick off:
Date:
Slovan Bratislava
1
2.51
X
3.14
2
3.24
Contents
- Competition: UEFA Champions League, Playoff Round
- Date: 26th August, 2026
- Kickoff: 20:00 UK / 21:00 CEST
- Venue: Arena Z’dezele
Everything remains to play for as NK Celje host Slovan Bratislava in the second leg of their UEFA Champions League play-off tie. The first meeting in Slovakia finished 1-1, leaving the contest perfectly balanced ahead of the decisive return leg in Slovenia.
Celje vs Slovan Bratislava Head to Head (H2H) stats
-
Slovan Bratislava
1 : 1
Celje
Champions League
-
Slovan Bratislava
5 : 0
Celje
Champions League
-
Celje
1 : 1
Slovan Bratislava
Champions League
This fixture has become increasingly familiar in recent seasons. The clubs also met in the 2024/25 Champions League second qualifying round, where Slovan Bratislava advanced comfortably with a 6-1 aggregate victory. However, this year's meetings have been far more competitive. Last week's 1-1 draw showed how much Celje have improved, with the Slovenian champions matching Slovan for long periods and taking a deserved result back home.
NK Celje team overview
Celje continue to impress under Vítor Campelos and remain within touching distance of a historic first-ever qualification for the UEFA Champions League league phase. Their performance in Bratislava demonstrated both tactical maturity and resilience, as they recovered well after falling behind to claim a valuable draw.
Their European campaign has been built on resilience. Celje eliminated Ararat-Armenia in the previous round before frustrating one of Central Europe's most experienced European clubs in the first leg of this play-off. At Stadion Z'dežele they have been particularly strong, avoiding defeat in all five of their home fixtures across all competitions so far.
The attacking trio led by Armandas Kučys, supported by experienced creators such as Andrej Kotnik and Mario Kvesić, has consistently troubled opposition defences throughout qualifying. There are no significant new injury concerns heading into the decisive second leg, according to major news sources.
Last matches of Celje
-
Slovan Bratislava
1 : 1
Celje
Champions League
-
Nafta
1 : 3
Celje
1. SNL
-
Celje
2 : 0
Ararat Armenia
Champions League
-
Celje
1 : 0
Olimpija Ljubljana
1. SNL
-
Ararat Armenia
2 : 1
Celje
Champions League
Celje lineup
Goalkeeper
-
1
Žan-Luk Leban
Defenders
-
2
Pijus Širvys
-
4
Darko Hrka
-
6
Artemijus Tutyškinas
-
11
Milot Avdyli
Midfielders
-
19
Mark Zabukovnik
-
13
Papa Daniel
-
10
Svit Sešlar
Forwards
-
8
Mario Kvesić
-
77
Matic Ivanšek
-
47
Armandas Kučys
Slovan Bratislava team overview
Slovan Bratislava arrive in Slovenia knowing they missed an opportunity to establish a first-leg advantage. Despite enjoying periods of possession in Bratislava, the Slovak champions were unable to convert their territorial dominance into victory and now face a difficult away assignment.
Manager Yaya Touré still possesses one of the most experienced squads in this stage of the competition. Players such as Tigran Barseghyan, Suleiman Camara, Kyriakos Savvidis, Kenan Bajrić and goalkeeper Dominik Takáč provide valuable European experience, while Slovan have regularly competed in UEFA group and league phases over recent seasons.
The visitors remain difficult to beat and have shown defensive discipline throughout qualifying. However, they suffered a couple of injury scares during the first leg, with Alen Mustafić requiring treatment before being substituted, while squad rotation may again be necessary if any players fail late fitness tests.
Last matches of Slovan Bratislava
-
FK Košice
1 : 2
Slovan Bratislava
Niké Liga
-
Slovan Bratislava
1 : 1
Celje
Champions League
-
Slovan Bratislava
5 : 0
MFK Ružomberok
Niké Liga
-
Slovan Bratislava
2 : 0
Mjallby
Champions League
-
Mjallby
1 : 2
Slovan Bratislava
Champions League
Slovan Bratislava lineup
Goalkeeper
-
71
Dominik Takáč
Defenders
-
28
César Blackman
-
15
Svetozar Marković
-
12
Kenan Bajrić
-
57
Sandro Cruz
Midfielders
-
3
Peter Pokorný
-
70
Cristian Martínez
-
20
Alen Mustafić
Forwards
-
11
Tigran Barseghyan
-
21
Suleiman Camara
-
13
Roman Čerepkai
Prediction
Despite Celje enjoying home advantage, we can expect Slovan Bratislava to avoid defeat over 90 minutes. Celje have impressed throughout qualifying and should make life difficult once again, particularly in front of their home supporters. However, Slovan's European pedigree and ability to manage two-legged ties give them the edge to avoid defeat in Slovenia. A draw would be enough to force extra time, while a narrow away victory would not be a surprise.
Prediction: Slovan Bratislava Asian Handicap (0).
Three reasons we expect Slovan Bratislava Asian Handicap (0)
- Slovan Bratislava proved in the first leg that they can match Celje away from home, earning a valuable 1-1 draw despite playing in a difficult atmosphere.
- European experience is firmly on Slovan's side. The Slovakian team have been regular participants in UEFA competitions in recent seasons and know how to manage high-pressure knockout ties.
- Slovan do not need to chase the game recklessly. With the first leg ending level, they can remain patient and rely on their experienced squad to control key moments, which they are more than capable of doing based on their quality performances in this season’s European qualifiers away from home, having beaten Iberia and Mjallby in the previous rounds.
Main prediction Celje - Slovan Bratislava
AH2 (0)
Best Odds:
22bet
2.23
