Preview: Red Bull Salzburg vs Porto - prediction, team news, lineups

Red Bull Salzburg and Porto will meet for the first time on the European stage as both sides begin their Europa League campaign with a clash at Red Bull Arena on Thursday.

The hosts are featuring in the competition proper for the 12th time, while they welcome the 2010-11 champions, who are entering their eighth campaign.

Match preview

A second place finish in the Austrian top flight in 2024-25 saw Salzburg fall into the Champions League second qualifying round, where they advanced comfortably past Norwegian side Brann.

However, Die Roten Bullen’s hopes of a seventh straight appearance in the elite, were dashed by Belgian outfit Club Brugge, forcing them to drop into the Europa League.

Back in the tournament for the first time since 2018-19, the Red Bulls, who failed to progress beyond the group phase in last season’s UCL, will be eager to avoid another early exit and will draw belief from their positive starts in Europe’s second-tier competition.

The Austrian outfit claimed maximum points in all six group games of their last Europa campaign, extending their unbeaten run to 15 matches in the opening stage (W11, D4).

Keeping that streak alive will depend on whether Thomas Letsch’s men can shake off their current slump, having gone three games without victory (D1, L2), including a 2-0 home defeat to Sturm Graz last weekend.

This hardly sets the right tone for the Red Bulls heading into Thursday, especially as they lost on their last encounter with a Portuguese side, falling 3-1 to Benfica in the Champions League in 2023.

In contrast, Porto have enjoyed a dominant record against Austrian opposition in Europe, winning five and drawing one of their six such matches.

The Dragons have every reason to back themselves to continue that fine run, given their blistering form this season with six straight victories, the latest a 3-0 success at Rio Ave, leaving them at the summit of the Portuguese top flight.

Porto look revitalised under Francesco Farioli, who has instilled belief that the Blue and Whites can challenge for the title after finishing third last term, which left them with only a direct Europa League spot.

Although they come into Thursday’s contest with momentum, the Dragons’s away record in the competition remains troubling, with 10 defeats from their last 17 matches on the road, the latest being a 3-2 loss at Roma in last season’s knockout playoffs that ended their journey.

Red Bull Salzburg form (all competitions):

Porto form (all competitions):

Team News

Salzburg head into this game with several knee injuries in the squad, with forward Karim Konate, midfielder John Mellberg and defender Takumu Kawamura all sidelined.

Defensive midfielder Soumaila Diabate saw red in the defeat to Sturm Graz last weekend, but his dismissal will not affect this fixture as he is not on UEFA’s suspension list.

Letsch could revert to his favoured 4-2-2-2 after his 4-2-3-1 formation fell short last time out, with Petar Ratkov and Yorbe Vertessen, who have six goals each this season, expected to lead the line once again.

Porto will be without Stephen Eustaquio as the midfielder serves a suspension for his red card in the playoff tie against Roma.

Pablo Rosario has impressed in a makeshift right-back role in the absence of injured pair Alberto Costa and Martim Fernandes, and the midfielder is set to continue there after capping his defensive display with a goal at the weekend.

With summer arrival Luuk de Jong missing out again at Rio Ave, Samu Omorodion is almost certain to spearhead the attack after netting last time out to take his tally to four goals this season.

The Spanish striker hit six in nine Europa League appearances for Porto last term and will enter Thursday’s clash seeking to add to his growing tally in the competition.

Red Bull Salzburg possible starting lineup:

Schlager; Lainer, Schuster, Rasmussen, Kratzig; Bidstrup, Diabate, Kitano, Kjaergaard; Ratkov, Vertessen

Porto possible starting lineup:

Costa; Rosario, Bednarek, Kiwior, Moura; Froholdt, Varela, Veiga; Pepe, Samu, Sainz

We say: Red Bull Salzburg 1-2 Porto

Porto’s poor away record in the Europa League lingers, but the Dragons’s history against Austrian opposition and their explosive start to the season make them favourites to take maximum points on Thursday.

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