Celje host Slovan Bratislava with Champions League play-off tie level
Celje welcome Slovan Bratislava for the return leg of their UEFA Champions League play-off, with the tie finely poised after the two sides shared the points in the first meeting on 19 August, drawing 1-1 in Bratislava.
Form and history
Both clubs arrive in strong shape domestically. Celje have won three of their last four matches, losing none, while Slovan Bratislava have matched that record with three wins and a draw of their own across the same span.
The two sides have plenty of recent experience of facing each other in Europe. Their meeting on 30 July 2024 ended in a heavy 5-0 win for Slovan Bratislava, though a fortnight earlier, on 24 July that year, Celje had held them to a 1-1 draw. That mixed history, combined with the level scoreline from the first leg, leaves the outcome of this play-off tie difficult to call.
What is at stake
With the aggregate score tied at 1-1 heading into the second leg, Celje will need a positive result on home soil to progress, while Slovan Bratislava will look to draw on their pedigree in this fixture. Given how evenly matched the two teams have looked both in current form and in their head-to-head record, the tie appears set to go down to the wire.