Preview: LASK Linz vs Slovan Bratislava - prediction, team news, lineups

After posting their first-ever Champions League win, LASK Linz will aim to double that tally when rock-bottom Slovan Bratislava visit Austria on Tuesday.

Before the sides meet at Raiffeisen Arena, LASK occupy the final qualifying slot, while Slovan are on course to finish pointless once again.

Match preview

LASK's third European Cup campaign - and their first to reach either the group or league phase - started with back-to-back defeats at the hands of AEK Athens and Liverpool, but they finally got off the mark last time out.

After failing to take any points from their opening two matches, Dietmar Kuhbauer's side stunned Sporting in Lisbon, despite initially falling behind at Estadio Alvalade.

LASK soon hauled themselves level through Christoph Lang, before Sasa Kalajdzic and Krystof Danek scored midway through the second half to put them in full control.

With a masterful counter-attacking display, the Austrian champions ended up winning 3-2, so they have scored six times across their last two Champions League matches.

However, Kuhbauer will be acutely aware his side have conceded first in all three league phase fixtures so far, which is surely unsustainable if they are to reach the knockout rounds.

Including their dramatic playoff victory over Celtic, Die Schwarz-Weissen have not yet kept a clean sheet, while they have kept just one from 12 games across all competitions since the start of September.

That did not stop them beating WSG Tirol 2-1 in the Austrian Bundesliga on Saturday, though they currently sit third behind Red Bull Salzburg and resurgent giants Rapid Vienna.

To date, Slovan Bratislava have lost all four of their competitive games in Austria - conceding 14 goals along the way - and there are few reasons to hope such a streak can now end.

Slovan have lost all but one of 12 away fixtures in either the European Cup or Champions League - the sole exception was way back in 1970 - and they are already looking in some trouble this term.

After coming through qualifying, they recently became the only team to lose their first 10 games in UEFA's top competition, and the Slovakian side have yet to pick up a point.

Slovan opened up with a 6-1 hammering at the hands of reigning champions Paris Saint-Germain, then were beaten 3-0 by Stuttgart on matchday two, before going down 4-0 to Roma last time out.

It may be no surprise that the Sky Blues have faced the most shots (77) and the most shots on target (32) so far, while recording the joint-fewest shots (25) and fewest shots on target (five) at the other end.

Having finished 35th of 36 teams two years ago - without picking up any points - a similar fate could await if they fail to stop the rot soon, and even their traditional domestic dominance seems to be at risk.

Yaya Toure's men did beat Podbrezova 2-1 on Saturday, but they still lie second in Slovakia's Super Liga, trailing five points behind leaders Dunajska Streda.

LASK Linz Champions League form:

LASK Linz form (all competitions):

Slovan Bratislava Champions League form:

Slovan Bratislava form (all competitions):

Team News

Aside from injured pair George Bello and Ramiz Harakate, LASK boss Kuhbauer should have a full squad available, after Nigeria international Moses Usor recently returned from a shoulder problem.

Rested on Saturday, Austria striker Kalajdzic has scored on both of his two starts in major European competition - for Eintracht Frankfurt in the 2023-24 Conference League and against Sporting last month.

Also benched at the weekend, captain Sascha Horvath is set to return in central midfield.

Meanwhile, Slovan have doubts about two forwards: Roman Cerepkai (back) and Andraz Sporar (illness).

Though the latter could be cleared to play, Gambian winger Suleiman Camara is ready to stand in, and Nino Marcelli offers another option.

The visitors' main man is Tigran Barseghyan, who scored their opening goal against Podbrezova and topped their charts for goal involvements, assists and chances created during the 2024-25 Champions League.

Likely to start on the bench, veteran defender Kevin Wimmer is a former LASK player, having made 31 appearances for the Linz club in 2011-12.

LASK Linz possible starting lineup:

Jungwirth; Jorgensen, Mbuyamba, Andrade, Alemao, Dibango; Ljubicic, Horvath, Danek; Lang, Kalajdzic

Slovan Bratislava possible starting lineup:

Takac; Blackman, Bajric, Markovic, Cruz; Pokorny, Ibrahim, Gajdos; Barseghyan, Marcelli, Camara