- Home form: PFC Levski Sofia are unbeaten in 3 home games this season (all competitions, W3, D0) and have scored an average of 3.00 goals and conceded an average of 0.00 per home game.
- Away form: FC Red Bull Salzburg are unbeaten in 5 away games this season (all competitions, W3, D2) and have scored an average of 1.80 goals and conceded an average of 0.40 per away game.
- Recent form: PFC Levski Sofia have won 3 of their last 5 games, drawn 1 and lost 1 (all-competitions) and FC Red Bull Salzburg have won 4 of their last 5 and drawn 1 (all-competitions).
Levski will line up to put Salzburg on the back foot
Season outlook
Levski Sofia are in the middle of a very good 2026-2027 season to date, winning 6, drawing 2 and losing just 2 of their 10 most recent matches (all-competitions) and showing great promise in the Europa League. However, this is a team with very little pedigree on the European stage and they will need to make a statement on Thursday against the vastly more established and experienced side, FC Red Bull Salzburg.
Tactics and players
Julio Velazquez has built Levski around a patient, possession-first philosophy, as they line up in either a 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 shape and probe centrally before accelerating late. They'll line up on Thursday, which could make this a lot more competitive than the odds suggest.
- Serginho is a live wire in the final third for Levski, his 3 assists in the club's last 5 games reads well as does their 1-0 win over FC CSKA 1948 at home, their 2-4 Super Cup defeat to CSKA Sofia and their 0-0 draw away to Botev Vratsa.
- However, Levski's most recent game was a 0-0 draw away with Botev Vratsa, so they will have been working on their pressing game this week and will look to be the team that's ahead at the break on Matchday 1.
Salzburg are a well-drilled machine
Form and threats
Haris Tabakovic has been a goal threat in recent games, scoring 3 goals in his last 5 for Salzburg as Salzburg have hit 10 goals in that same period.
Tactics and betting
Danny Roehl's men are more high-tempo than Levski, lining up in a 4-2-3-1 shape where they focus on pressing, breaking at speed and counter-pressing when they lose the ball. Salzburg will look to exploit the space behind Levski's line of 4 on the counter-attack, and over 2.5 goals at 1.62 and both teams to score at 1.5 look to make sense for this game.
Salzburg have a better chance of winning this game but don't rate them highly enough to support at 2.18, instead backing Levski at 3.1 and the draw at 3.45.
We see this as a clash between a more patient, possession-oriented Levski and a faster, pressing Salzburg, one which could be settled by who controls the tempo and pressure of the game in the second half.
