Slovan Bratislava beat Mjallby 4-1 on aggregate to reach this stage
Celje left it late to see off Ararat-Armenia in the last round
Recommended bet: Slovan Bratislava to win and both teams to score
The last time Slovan Bratislava met Celje in the Champions League it was Slovan who won 6-1 on aggregate — and they ought to be repeating something close to that feat again.
Slovan won the home leg of that second qualifying round fixture two seasons ago 5-0 and their home form suggests they should be rattling up a few more goals against their visitors from Slovenia.
Team news
Slovan are close to full strength with only striker Andraz Sporar set to miss out.
It is uncertain whether Lithuanian international frontman Armandas Kucys, scorer of one goal so far this season, will be in the Celje team with Crvena zvezda pursuing him.
The latest Slovan Bratislava vs Celje odds are available on LiveScore Bet
The stats
Slovan Bratislava have scored 19 goals in seven games this season, netting in every one of them.
Celje have scored 15 goals in eight games this season (W4, D3, L1), again scoring in every contest.
The Slovakian champions have won six of their seven matches this season, drawing the other, and were 5-0 winners over Ruzomberok on Saturday.
Celje are averaging 6.5 corners per game in the UEFA Champions League qualifiers, Slovan just 2.0.
In the clubs' only previous meeting — in the 2024-25 UEFA Champions League second qualifying round — Slovan won the home leg 5-0 on their way to a 6-1 aggregate romp.
The latest Slovan Bratislava vs Celje odds are available on LiveScore Bet
Prediction
Slovan Bratislava, under their rookie head coach Yaya Toure, have hardly put a foot wrong at the start of this season and the sense is more success is on its way on Wednesday night.
It is the play-off round of the UEFA Champions League, the last act before the League Phase unfolds.
Celje, the Slovenian champions, have never before qualified for this stage of Europe's finest club competition.
Slovakian kings Slovan have done so once before, in 2024-25, beating Celje 6-1 on aggregate to get there.
Former Manchester City legend Toure and his team will be praying that is an omen.
Not that they seem to need any divine intervention because they have been in sparkling form, at home and abroad.
Their two Champions League challenges thus far have looked testing but they have seen off Iberia Tbilisi 3-1 on aggregate and FK Mjallby 4-1.
Celje, in contrast, were taken the distance by Albania's Egnatia, going through on penalties after the match had finished 3-3.
Then against Ararat-Armenia in the last round they were 10 minutes from going out until late strikes by Yaya Dukuly and Benjamin Verbic saw them turn a 2-1 aggregate deficit into a dramatic 3-2 win.
Both these teams are scoring goals and plenty of them, so this showdown at the National Stadium in Bratislava promises to be a thriller.
Score prediction: Slovan Bratislava 3-2 Celje
Back Slovan Bratislava to win & both teams to score @ 21/20 with LiveScoreBet
