Levski Sofia vs Salzburg Prediction 17 September 2026
🔊 Levski and Red Bull Salzburg meet in matchday 1 of the league phase of the Europa League. The Bulgarian club return to the main stage of European competition after a lengthy qualifying run, while Salzburg continue their season in the Europa League following elimination from Champions League qualifying. Can the hosts make use of home advantage, or will the quality of the Austrians prove decisive?
🔁 This prediction will be updated as important news emerges. Check back closer to kick-off.
Head-to-Head
📊 The two sides have never met in an official match, so the upcoming game will be their first ever meeting.
Head-to-head statistics Levski Sofia - Salzburg
Levski Sofia Team Overview
Levski began their European campaign in the Champions League qualifiers and came through three rounds. They drew 1-1 away to Borac before winning 4-0 at home, then eliminated Universitatea Craiova on aggregate 3-2, and in the third round beat Kairat twice, 1-0 on both occasions. Only AEK stopped them: a goalless draw in Sofia was followed by a 0-4 defeat in Athens. After going out of the Champions League, Levski continued to perform solidly in the Bulgarian top flight. In early September they beat Slavia 2-1 and CSKA 1948 1-0, before drawing 0-0 with Botev Vratsa on 13 September. That draw ended a run of eight consecutive wins, though the Sofia side remained top of the table. Against that backdrop, Levski go into their Europa League opener in good shape. They concede few goals and can hold their defensive shape for long periods, though against Salzburg they will have to cope with a higher tempo and sustained pressure.
Match Results: Levski Sofia
RB Salzburg Team Overview
Red Bull Salzburg began the season in Champions League qualifying, but after being eliminated they continued in European football via the Europa League. Against Mjällby, the Austrians came through comfortably: they won the first leg in Sweden 1-0 and then hammered their opponents 3-0 at home. Salzburg also made a strong start in the Austrian Bundesliga. After five rounds they had 13 points and a goal difference of +11 (14 scored, 3 conceded). That was followed by big wins over Rapid 5-1 and Austria 4-1, though in their last match before the trip to Sofia they drew with Ried 1-1. Despite dropping points, the team remained one of the most prolific in the league. Attacking output is one of Salzburg's main strengths. In the 5-1 win over Rapid, Haris Tabakovic scored twice, and the team had scored 15 goals across the first six league rounds in total. Salzburg are also capable of applying pressure through a high tempo and a large volume of attacks, which is particularly relevant against opponents who prefer to play in a compact shape.
Match Results: RB Salzburg
Latest news
Levski Sofia
❌ Levski Sofia go into the match against Salzburg with several injury concerns. Oliver Kamdem and Radoslav Kirilov remain sidelined with long-term injuries. Akram Bouras is also unavailable, still recovering from an injury of his own. Nikola Serafimov is also unlikely to feature.
🔁 Update - 17 September, 4:21 UTC:
- Julio Velázquez addressed the fitness of two key players at his pre-match press conference: Marko Grujić and Mehdi Moubarik. The Serbian midfielder felt unwell after the match against Botev, while the Moroccan is set to undergo further medical assessment before the game. A decision on both midfielders will be made closer to kick-off. Their potential absence could have a significant impact on the midfield setup, as Grujić has featured in all five of Levski's last five matches, while Moubarik has played in 16 of the Bulgarian side's 18 games this season.
🔁 Update - 17 September, 11:02 UTC:
- Petko Hristov has not been included in Levski's squad for the match against Salzburg. The defender joined on loan from Spezia and has yet to play for his new club, though he was at least named in the squad for the last two matches. Marko Grujić, however, has been included, despite questions over his fitness as recently as this morning.
🔁 Update - 17 September, 11:07 UTC:
- Forward Mustapha Sangaré, who had only just returned from injury, will also miss the game. The Malian played ten minutes in last round's match against Botev but has not been included in the Europa League squad.
RB Salzburg
❌ Christian Früchtl - foot injury. According to the latest reports, the goalkeeper is already working his way back to training, but will not be ready in time for the match against Levski. Johannes Moser - muscle injury, the midfielder remains unavailable. Gaoussou Diakité - thigh injury, the player is also listed as unavailable ahead of the match in Sofia. Soumaïla Diabaté - thigh injury, the midfielder is not fit to play against Levski.
⚽️ Goals Prediction
Levski are solid defensively, but they will face a significantly higher attacking tempo against Salzburg. The Austrians, meanwhile, do not always keep a clean sheet themselves. Levski have scored in 10 of their last 11 home matches, and Salzburg have found the net in 15 consecutive games. These trends complement each other well and point to a good chance of both sides scoring. Our prediction: Both Teams to Score - Yes at 1.53*.
🚩 Corners Prediction
Salzburg will likely look to take control from the first minute and spend extended periods in Levski's half. Levski will need to respond with quick attacks, and that kind of game can lead to more set pieces and corners. In each team's last five matches, Total Corners - Over 9.5 came in three times, so there are grounds to expect an active game at the corner flag. Our prediction: Total Corners - Over 9.5 at 2.10*.
🟨 Yellow Cards Prediction
Levski will spend a lot of time without the ball and will need to contain Salzburg's intense attacking play. In those conditions, the likelihood of tactical fouls increases, particularly when breaking up quick counter-attacks. Referee Mohammad Al-Emara averages around 3.5 yellow cards per match, so with both sides playing at a high tempo, the four-booking mark looks achievable. Our pick: Total Yellow Cards - Over 3.5.
*Odds are indicative and may vary depending on the bookmaker.
⭐️ Editorial Prediction
Levski earned their place in the Europa League league phase after a long qualifying campaign. The Bulgarians are well organised and particularly solid defensively, but Red Bull Salzburg represent a completely different level of intensity. The Austrians came through against Mjällby comfortably, have started their league season strongly and carry a significant attacking threat. That said, their recent draw with Ried shows they are not unbeatable, so we'll give ourselves a little cover. Predicted score: 1-2. Editorial prediction: Red Bull Salzburg - Handicap (0).
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Betting Tips: Levski Sofia - RB Salzburg
in 6 of last 7 games.
in 19 of last 21 games.in 10 of last 11 home games.
in last 12 games.in last 6 away games.in last 5 RB Salzburg away games.
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