Ararat Armenia vs Celje Prediction 4 August 2026
🔊 Ararat-Armenia have reached the third qualifying round of the Champions League for the first time. The Yerevan club have already made history, but the bookmakers don't fancy them to go any further. Celje are clear favourites - though the hosts have won both home matches in this qualifying campaign 2-0. Can the Armenian side keep that run going against a team they've already knocked out of European competition a few years back?
Head-to-Head
📊 These two have met in European competition before. In the 2020/21 season, Ararat-Armenia knocked out Celje in the Europa League qualifying round. Due to COVID restrictions, only one match was played. It finished goalless after 90 minutes, then Sergei Vakulenko scored in extra time to send Ararat through to the next qualifying round.
Head-to-head statistics Ararat Armenia - Celje
Ararat Armenia Team Overview
Armenia's 2025/26 champions have already done something they'd never managed before. The club came through two rounds of Champions League qualifying and will now play in the third for the first time in their history. Both rounds followed the same pattern: a 2-0 home win, then a defeat away - 2-3 against Riga, 1-2 against Shamrock Rovers. Both times the two-goal cushion was enough to go through, and now they start at home again.
Between the two qualifying rounds, Ararat-Armenia played their first Premier League match of the season - a 4-3 win away at Gandzasar. Not the cleanest start. Arman Nersesyan, Michel Ayvazyan and Araik Eloyan all started, players who have barely featured in the Champions League. So far Ararat-Armenia have only conceded away from home this season, but Celje are a step up from the previous opponents. Keeping a clean sheet here will be harder.
Match Results: Ararat Armenia
Celje Team Overview
Celje reached Champions League qualifying by winning the Slovenian First League. They won two thirds of their matches that season with an impressive goal difference of 85:32. The new season hasn't started well, though. Both league games ended in draws - 2:2 against Mura and 1:1 against Maribor.
In Champions League qualifying, they're still without a win. Their second-round opponents were Albanian side Egnatia. Both legs ended level, with the tie finishing 5:5 on aggregate. The second leg was played at Celje's home ground and went to penalties - the Slovenians won 4:1 on spot-kicks. The team's main strength is attack. In four competitive matches this season, Celje have scored eight goals. Their main weakness is at the back - they've conceded exactly as many.
Match Results: Celje
🟨 Yellow Cards Prediction
The match will be refereed by Slovak official Ivan Kruzliak. Across his last ten Champions League matches, he averages 4.5 yellow cards per game. That lines up with both teams' disciplinary numbers. Ararat have averaged 5.2 bookings across their last five matches, Celje 4.6. Given those averages and his refereeing style, at least four yellows seems reasonable. The bet: total yellow cards over 3.5.
⚽ Goals Prediction
Celje come out fast in away matches. In 6 of their last 7 away games, the Slovenians scored in the first half. Ararat-Armenia, by contrast, did their damage after the break in the Champions League qualifiers. Knowing the hosts tend to grow into games, Celje will want to score early - get a lead and manage the second half from there. The bet: Celje to score in the 1st half at 1.97*.
🚩 Corners Prediction
Ararat-Armenia don't look to dominate possession or push into the final third much in the Champions League. That keeps their corner count low - in every game the Armenian club played in qualifying, their opponents won the corners battle. Celje attack by default, and the trend holds: the Slovenians won the corners count in 5 of their 6 official matches. The bet: Celje to win the corners.
*Odds are approximate and may vary across bookmakers.
⭐ Editor's Pick
Ararat-Armenia have won both home games in qualifying by the same scoreline, 2-0. There's little doubt the hosts want to keep that going and take the first leg. But this is a tougher opponent. Celje haven't won yet this season, though they regularly cause problems in the final third. They push forward - and that leaves gaps at the back. Expect goals. The prediction is total goals over 2.5. Correct score: 2-2.
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Betting Tips: Ararat Armenia - Celje
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