- Recent form: Salzburg have won three consecutive games, including a 1-0 first-leg win over Pafos.
- Form: Pafos are in mixed form, winning three and losing two of their last five matches.
Cagey game at Alphamega Stadium
Pafos FC and FC Red Bull Salzburg meet in Cyprus on Thursday with Pafos the narrow favorite in the early odds.
Pafos have won four, drawn two and lost four of their last 10 across all competitions, so the form book suggests they are inconsistent, but not a bad team. Salzburg are 6-0-4 across the same period, so they have the same bite.
Danny Roehl has been in charge since 1st July 2026 and his Salzburg side play a full-throttle version of the Red Bull way. They press high, counter-press at the drop of a hat and attack in fast, vertical waves.
This is a team that likes to get the ball and go as fast as possible, and they did exactly that in the first leg of this tie, earning a hard-earned 1-0 victory over Pafos.
Ricardo Sa Pinto took over at Pafos on 29th April 2026 and his team plays in a pragmatic, structure-first manner. They like to stay compact and can be tough to break down, so I expect them to try and frustrate Salzburg and look to hit them in transition.
Tactical matchup:
The clash of styles sets up a press-versus-block battle and that means the early edge must go to Salzburg who will try to break the Pafos block before they can get settled. Salzburg will have the edge in terms of momentum, however, so they should be good enough to either nick the game here or at least force another tight game.
Betting and predictions:
- I think Under 2.5 goals at 1.8 is a solid bet in this matchup and a similar score line to the first game is the obvious prediction.
- Both teams to score – No at 2.05 also appeals as the Salzburg pressure can make Pafos sit deep, and I'm not expecting a wide open game.
Players to watch:
- Haris Tabakovic is Salzburg's sharpest edge in UEFA Europa League Qualification 2026 with one goal in one game, but he came off the bench to make an instant impact in the previous game.
- Andrei Biel is Pafos' top scorer in this competition with one in three, so he's the spark that makes Pafos a dangerous side in this Europa League Qualification contest.
