Preview: Celje vs Ararat-Armenia - prediction, team news, lineups

Trailing by a goal from the first leg, NK Celje face an uphill battle to keep their UEFA Champions League dream alive when Ararat-Armenia visit the Stadion Z’dezele on Tuesday in the second leg of the third qualifying round.

Vitor Campelos’s side must overturn a 2-1 deficit on home soil, while the visitors arrive knowing a draw would be enough to send them into the play-off round for the first time in the club’s history.

Match preview

Celje headed to Armenia last week with genuine ambition, taking the lead through Svit Seslar’s penalty in the 22nd minute, only to be pegged back by goals from Artur Serobyan and Franca as Ararat-Armenia came from behind to win 2-1 at the Vazgen Sargsyan Republican Stadium.

That defeat leaves the Slovenian side requiring at least a two-goal winning margin on Tuesday to progress without extra time.

Celje earned their place in this season’s Champions League qualifiers by winning the Slovenian PrvaLiga title last season - their third domestic championship and progressed from the second qualifying round dramatically, drawing 3-3 with Egnatia in the first leg before a 2-2 draw in the return forced a penalty shootout, which they won 4-1.

Now back on familiar turf, Campelos’s side will draw encouragement from their home support and from a domestic campaign that has started reasonably well, with two draws and a win from their opening three Prva Liga fixtures.

Their most recent outing was a 1-0 home league win at the weekend, which will have provided a timely confidence boost ahead of Tuesday.

Ararat-Armenia arrive having also won their most recent domestic fixture - a 2-1 home victory over Urartu on Friday and Tulipa’s side are level on six points with first-placed Sardarapat after two games of the new Armenian Premier League season.

The visitors’ route to this stage represents a historic achievement for the club - having beaten Latvian side Riga 4-3 on aggregate in the first qualifying round, they then eliminated Irish club Shamrock Rovers 3-2 over two legs to reach the third round for the first time in their history.

One pattern that will concern Tulipa ahead of Tuesday, however, is that while Ararat-Armenia have won every first leg across this qualifying campaign, they have lost every away fixture in the process - a record that gives Celje genuine reason to believe the tie is not yet beyond them.

These two clubs have met twice in European competition, with Ararat-Armenia winning on both occasions, though the aggregate score heading into Tuesday means the tie remains very much alive for the hosts.

Neither club has ever reached the UEFA Champions League league stage, meaning whichever side progresses will be continuing their pursuit of genuine history as the qualifying rounds advance.

Celje Champions League form:

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Celje form (all competitions):

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Ararat-Armenia Champions League form:

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Ararat-Armenia form (all competitions):

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Team News

Celje have no injury concerns ahead of Tuesday’s second leg, and Campelos is expected to name his strongest available side given the significance of the occasion.

Zan-Luk Leban is set to start in goal, with Artemijus Tutyskinias, Darko Hrka and Pijus Sirvys forming the defensive structure behind him.

Armandas Kucys and Seslar are expected to contribute in attack, with Milot Avdyli providing width from the wing as Celje look to apply early pressure and force the tie open.

Ararat-Armenia also report no injury concerns, and Tulipa is likely to name a strong lineup with the play-off round within touching distance.

Joao Bravim is expected to return in goal having been rested for Friday’s league fixture, with Bruno Wilson, Edgar Grigoryan, Alexandros Malis and Junior Bueno forming the defensive unit.

Karen Muradyan, Hugo Oliveira and Maxence Carlier are set to operate in midfield, while the attacking trio of Serobyan, Sandro Lima and Zidane Banjaqui will carry Ararat’s primary goal threat on Tuesday.

Celje possible starting lineup:

Leban; Sirvys, Hrka, Tutyskinias; Tusha, Daniel, Zabukovnik, Kvesic; Seslar, Kucys, Avdyli

Ararat-Armenia possible starting lineup:

Bravim; Grigoryan, Malis, Wilson, Bueno; Carlier, Muradyan, Oliveira; Banjaqui, Lima, Serobyan

We say: Celje 2-1 Ararat-Armenia (Ararat-Armenia progress on penalties)

Ararat-Armenia’s record of losing every away fixture in this qualifying campaign is the most significant thread for Celje to pull on Tuesday, and the home crowd at the Stadion Z’dezele should generate an uncomfortable atmosphere for the visitors.

Tulipa’s side have shown the composure and quality to win when it matters most, and with Ararat-Armenia needing only to avoid defeat to advance, the visitors are backed to do enough to force extra time and ultimately prevail in a penalty shootout to keep their historic European pursuit alive.

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