The UEFA Champions League Playoff Round returns to Arena Z’dezele, where NK Celje and ŠK Slovan Bratislava meet with the tie level at 1-1 after the first leg. The stakes are plain enough. Win on the night and a coveted group-stage ticket is yours. Slovan arrive unbeaten in 11, Celje are four matches without defeat, and both have reasons to feel this is in their reach. Expect a tight affair in Slovenia, with details likely to swing it. Follow the match build-up and, once the whistle goes, live momentum, player stats and each Sofascore Rating on the Sofascore match page. For the broader picture, the full UEFA Champions League hub has you covered.

First leg in focus

It finished 1-1 in Bratislava, and it was eventful in its own measured way. Roman Čerepkai struck first for Slovan in the 15th minute, finishing a neat move built down the left. Celje answered on 41 minutes, with Milot Avdyli drilling in the equaliser after a sharp assist from Mario Kvesić. Slovan produced the better all-around threat in volume, leading total shots 14-8, big chances 2-0 and corners 4-0. Celje, though, were more accurate, putting 4 shots on target to Slovan’s 2 and showing they can hurt in fewer touches.

Possession sat at 49-51, so it was close on the ball, but duels tilted Slovan’s way at 57% to 43%, plus a 67% win rate in aerials. Celje were repeatedly caught on the last line, flagged offside five times, which hints at their intent to attack space behind. The home side’s average Sofascore Rating was 7.52 to Celje’s 7.04, reflecting that balance of chance creation and control. If you prefer micro-numbers, Slovan made 57 final-third entries to Celje’s 42, and the captain Tigran Barseghyan created seven key passes. For Celje, goalkeeper Žan-Luk Leban earned plaudits with a 7.2 Sofascore Rating and solid distribution under pressure. All told, the narrative was simple. Slovan generated more of the right moments, Celje found the cleaner finishes.

Form guide and head-to-head

Celje have not lost in four and have scored first in four of their last five. Both teams have scored in six of their last eight, which fits how the first leg unfolded. Slovan are unbeaten in 11 and have opened the scoring in nine of their last 10, a trend that travels well. The away side also bring a run of lower corner counts, with less than 10.5 corners in four of their last five.

In the recent head-to-head, Slovan are three without defeat against Celje, with one win and two draws. Celje are still chasing a first win in this pairing and have gone three meetings without a clean sheet. Last season’s qualification tie brought a 5-0 Slovan home win after a 1-1 draw in Slovenia. The gap clearly narrowed this time with the 1-1 in Bratislava. That matters psychologically, especially with this leg in Celje. Given the streaks, the first goal feels significant again. The lines also point to a calmer card profile, with less than 4.5 cards landing in five of the last six across both teams.

Tactics and likely lineups

Celje are listed in a 4-2-3-1, a shape that supports quick breaks and gives Svit Sešlar and Mario Kvesić room to knit attacks. Expect Darko Hrka and Artemijus Tutyškinas to see plenty of the ball as Celje try to play out and then release runners behind. Armandas Kučys offers a target to pin centre-backs and bring midfielders into shooting lanes. The balance to watch is their timing on runs. Five offsides in the first leg told a story about Celje’s risk and reward.

Slovan show as a 4-1-4-1, with Peter Pokorný screening and full-backs César Blackman and Sandro Cruz giving width. The centre-back pair of Svetozar Marković and Kenan Bajrić were secure on the ball, combining for 135 accurate passes in the first leg. That platform let creators like Tigran Barseghyan and Cristian Martínez work higher pockets. Look for Slovan to vary crosses and diagonals early to shift Celje’s block, then thread passes into the right channel. If transitions break their way, they have runners to trouble the back line.