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

Levski Sofia host Red Bull Salzburg at the Vasil Levski National Stadium on Thursday evening in the opening round of the 2026-27 Europa League league phase, with the Bulgarian champions returning to the main stage of European competition for the first time in 15 years.

Julio Velazquez's side arrive having lost only two of their 18 matches across all competitions this season (W12, D4), while the Red Bulls remain unbeaten after 12 games (W9, D3), setting up an intriguing contest.

Match preview

Levski Sofia fell short of the Champions League league phase, with the Bulgarian champions playing three qualifying rounds of Europe's elite competition before they were eliminated by AEK Athens in the playoff round, suffering a 4-0 aggregate defeat.

That defeat was followed by a switch into the Europa League league phase, with the Bulgarian champions now back in the main stage of a European competition for the first time since the 2010-11 season, when they participated in the group stage of this competition.

Velazquez's side have won eight of their first nine Bulgarian First League matches this season, scoring 21 goals and conceding just four, before dropping points for the first time in their most recent game against Botev Vratsa in a 0-0 draw.

The Blues will be hoping to maintain their defensive solidity in Europe despite playing at the Vasil Levski National Stadium because their own ground does not meet UEFA regulations, and they have good reason for optimism, having kept a clean sheet in seven of their last eight European matches as hosts.

Salzburg also arrive in brilliant form, with Danny Rohl's side unbeaten through their first 12 competitive matches this season, winning nine and drawing three, while their last five matches have produced four victories and one draw.

Their Europa League qualification campaign was particularly impressive, with the Red Bulls winning three and drawing one of four matches across two qualifying rounds, first beating Pafos 1-0 at home before drawing 3-3 away, while they defeated Mjallby 4-0 on aggregate to comfortably secure their place in the league phase.

However, despite their strong form, they are third in the Austrian top flight with four wins and two draws from six matches, just one point behind league leaders LASK, with their latest game against Reid ending in a 1-1 draw.

The visitors' main concern is their record on the road once the main phase of this competition begins, with Salzburg losing each of their last nine Europa League main-draw away matches, a streak Rohl will be hoping their current confidence can finally bring to an end.

There is very little separating the clubs historically, although the visitors have the perfect record from their two previous meetings, winning 1-0 in Austria before repeating the same scoreline in Sofia when the teams met in the 2009-10 Europa League group stage.

Levski Sofia form (all competitions):

Red Bull Salzburg Europa League form:

Red Bull Salzburg form (all competitions):

Team News

Levski will remain without Akram Bouras, who is carrying a muscle issue, while Oliver Kamdem and Radoslav Kirilov are both recovering from knee injuries.

Velazquez has generally favoured a 4-2-3-1 system, with Armstrong Oko-Flex and Everton Bala likely to flank Reinaldo, who has scored six goals this season, in attack.

Svetoslav Vutsov should be in goal behind a back four containing Alex Centelles, Kristian Dimitrov, Nikola Serafimov and Aldair Neves.

Salzburg have several players unavailable, with Christian Fruchtl recovering from a foot injury, while Johannes Moser, Justin Omoregie, Gaoussou Diakite and Soumaila Diabate are also sidelined.

Rohl has settled on a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Dominik Schmid, Valentin Zabransky, Kevin Boma and Nikolas Veratschnig forming the defensive line in the last XI

Bartosz Mazurek and Abubakr Barry should operate in midfield, with Edmund Baidoo, Sota Kitano and Yorbe Vertessen supporting Haris Tabakovic.

Levski Sofia possible starting lineup:

Vutsov; Neves, Dimitrov, Serafimov, Centelles; Serginho, Moubarik; Oko-Flex, Mitkov, Bala; Reinaldo

Red Bull Salzburg possible starting lineup:

Zawieschitzky; Schmid, Zabransky, Boma, Veratschnig; Mazurek, Barry; Baidoo, Kitano, Vertessen; Tabakovic

We say: Levski Sofia 1-1 Red Bull Salzburg

Levski's defensive record makes them difficult to oppose at home, even though the move to the Vasil Levski National Stadium takes away some of the advantage provided by their usual surroundings.

We expect Salzburg to have more of the ball and create greater attacking pressure, but Levski's organisation should allow them to remain in the contest and claim a share of the points.

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