- Salzburg are unbeaten in 5 away matches in all current competitions (W3, D2).
- Levski are unbeaten in 3 home matches in all current competitions (W3, D0).
Matchday-1 league phase clash
PFC Levski Sofia will host FC Red Bull Salzburg in Vasil Levski, Bulgaria on Thursday evening, in what looks like an intriguing clash on paper. Salzburg are the more proven European side, though The Blues have more at stake on Thursday night, as they will be desperate to send a message to the rest of the teams in the 2026-2027 UEFA Europa League with a positive performance.
Salzburg have been in fantastic form ahead of this game, winning 4 and drawing 1 of their last 5 matches, including a 3-0 away cup win over SKN St. Polten and a 1-1 away Bundesliga draw with SV Ried. They are flying high under Danny Roehl, who has maintained Salzburg's trademark high-tempo, vertical style, playing a 4-2-3-1 system, which is designed to press and counter-press in the most aggressive way possible.
Levski have been a solid side across all competitions in the last few weeks, winning 3, drawing 1 and losing 1 of their last 5 fixtures. They beat FC CSKA 1948 1-0 in their most recent home game, but that result followed up a 2-4 Super Cup defeat to CSKA Sofia and a 0-0 draw away to Botev Vratsa. Julio Velazquez's side have been built around a patient, possession-based style, which is very different to Salzburg's pressing game, and they use a 4-2-3-1/4-3-3 shape to probe centrally before accelerating in the final third.
Die Roten Bullen to edge it
Die Roten Bullen certainly look the more likely winner of this encounter, but Levski have some steel about them at home and they're unbeaten at the Vasil Levski across all of their current tournaments, so this is likely to be a closer encounter than the current odds suggest.
Salzburg are a very efficient attacking unit and Haris Tabakovic in particular has been in lethal form, scoring 3 goals in his last 5 appearances, but Levski are in top shape and Serginho is a live wire in the offensive third, providing 3 assists in their last 5 games. Back over 2.5 goals at 31/50 and both teams to score at 1/2 should, therefore, make the most sense in this game, as it could be end-to-end.
As the head-to-head record is limited to the only listed clash in 2009, which Salzburg won both legs, this is Salzburg's match to win and the best we can hope for is for this to be a close encounter. Die Roten Bullen have the better rhythm and style to trouble Levski in this fixture, and if they can force the hosts into playing at their pace, they should win at a shade of odds-on.
