- Pafos FC are the slight favourites, but FC Red Bull Salzburg will push them hard in Cyprus on Thursday.
- Salzburg have won three consecutive games, including 1-0 wins over TSV Hartberg in the league and Pafos FC in UEFA Europa League Qualification 2026.
- Pafos FC have four wins, two draws and four defeats in their last 10 games, meaning they are inconsistent, but competitive.
Salzburg still have the upper hand
The odds shade Pafos as a narrow favorite when Pafos FC take on FC Red Bull Salzburg at Alphamega Stadium, Cyprus, and so they should be, given Pafos is a narrow favorite on paper. However, Salzburg have a mental edge after edging Pafos 1-0 in the opening leg and they will want to keep the momentum rolling in the second instalment.
Danny Roehl has been Salzburg boss since 1 July 2026 and his side are clearly operating in the full-throttle Red Bull way, pressing high up the pitch, counter-pressing at every opportunity and attacking in vertical waves. Salzburg are 6-0-4 in their last 10 matches in all competitions, meaning they don't lose when they're playing well, but they don't win every game and can be caught by quicker teams.
Haris Tabakovic is Salzburg's sharpest attacking edge in UEFA Europa League Qualification 2026 with one goal in one game and he has had an instant impact on the team since his arrival. In contrast, Pafos have shared their goals among a variety of players in the competition so far, but Biel leads the way with one.
Pafos are a compact, pragmatic unit
Ricardo Sa Pinto's side have had his influence on them since 29 April 2026 and he likes to set up a pragmatic, compact side that like to defend in a narrow block and hit opponents on the counter-attack. They will look to frustrate Salzburg here and land a blow in the moments of transition, but Pafos have enough of a goal threat to do that - 16 goals in their last 10 across all competitions at an average of 1.6 per game is ample ammunition.
Under 2.5 goals at 4/5 looks a strong alternative angle to the outright markets for this matchup, which will have a similar feel to the first encounter, but with Pafos here this time. Both teams to score - No at 21/20 also appeals here, as Salzburg's preferred way of playing - pressing high, counter-pressing hard and attacking in fast vertical waves - makes them a good fit to get another low-scoring win in this fixture.
