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

Desperately seeking their first Europa League points of the season, Austrian Bundesliga side Red Bull Salzburg will welcome Hungarian NB I champions Ferencvaros to Red Bull Arena on Thursday.

Die Roten Bullen come into this week's clash on the back of a three-game unbeaten run domestically, while FTC have not tasted defeat since mid-August.

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Match preview

Thomas Letsch's Salzburg dropped down into this competition after being knocked out of Champions League Qualifying by Club Brugge, but even UEFA's second-tier tournament has caused them trouble so far.

On matchday one, Die Roten Bullen were beaten 1-0 on their own turf by Porto, before a 2-0 loss on the road against Lyon on October 2.

Those disappointments have left Letsch's side 34th in the Europa League table without a single point to their name, putting them just ahead of bottom club Malmo on goal difference.

However, Salzburg have scored two goals in each of their last three domestic matches, and they will be hoping to translate that record into continental competition after failing to find the back of the net in either of their European clashes so far.

Most recently, the Austrian team followed up their 2-1 victory over Rapid Vienna prior to the international break by coming from behind to earn a point in a 2-2 stalemate with Rheindorf Altach, though 10-man RB did concede an unfortunate late equaliser from Ousmane Diawara.

Triumphing on Thursday would give the hosts a psychological boost and could put them level on points with a number of the clubs in the playoff spots, though considering that they have won only one of their last five at Red Bull Arena - losing two and drawing two - they will need to defy their home form to do so.

Meanwhile, Robbie Keane's Ferencvaros also slipped out of the Champions League process to land in the Europa League, but they have enjoyed a much stronger start than their opponents.

FTC kicked off the league phase with a 1-1 comeback draw against Viktoria Plzen, a commendable feat considering that they had Cebrail Makreckis sent off in the first half.

Keane's men then secured their first triumph in the competition by beating Belgian Pro League side Genk 1-0, courtesy of a header from Barnabas Varga moments before the half-time interval.

That victory has Ferencvaros 11th in the Europa League rankings with four points, just two shy of the seven teams level on six points at the top of the pile.

Knowing that a second win would likely be enough to lift them into the spots for automatic entry into the round of 16, the visitors will draw confidence from both their impressive nine-game unbeaten run prior to Thursday's clash, and the fact that they have won 14 and drawn four of their last 18 competitive fixtures on the road, scoring in 17 of those games in a stretch that goes back to February.

That being said, FTC have emerged victorious in just two of their six most recent matches - drawing the other four - and they make the trip to Austria on the back of consecutive stalemates with Paksi SE and Ujpest.

Red Bull Salzburg Europa League form:

Red Bull Salzburg form (all competitions):

Ferencvaros Europa League form:

Ferencvaros form (all competitions):

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Team News

Aside from their lacklustre European form, Salzburg have an extensive injury list to contend with this week, as the likes of centre-back John Mellberg, midfielder Takumu Kawamura and striker Karim Konate remain sidelined due to knee injuries.

In their absence, Jacob Rasmussen and Kouakou Joane Gadou - who was sent off against Altach but will be available for this clash - should start at centre-half, flanked by Stefan Lainer and Frans Kratzig at full-back, as left-back Aleksa Terzic is likely to miss out due to illness.

In the middle third, Soumaila Diabate and Mamady Diambou could start in a double pivot once again, with Valentin Sulzbacher injured, while Moussa Kounfolo Yeo and Kerim Alajbegovic support Edmund Baidoo and Karim Onisiwo up top.

In contrast, Ferencvaros have a largely fit squad to choose from, though Krisztian Lisztes will sit this match out with a muscle injury, and fellow midfielder Alex Toth is a doubt after being forced off against Ujpest.

If Toth is unavailable on Thursday, then Naby Keita could be joined by Jonathan Levi and Gabi Kanichowsky in the centre of the park, while Cebrail Makreckis and Barnabas Nagy operate as wing-backs.

Up top, Lenny Joseph should be partnered by Barnabas Varga, who will be looking to continue his excellent goalscoring form after hitting the back of the net in each of his last four FTC games.

Red Bull Salzburg possible starting lineup:

Schlager; Lainer, Gadou, Rasmussen, Kratzig; Diabate, Diambou; Yeo, Alajbegovic; Baidoo, Onisiwo

Ferencvaros possible starting lineup:

Dibusz; Gartenmann, Raemaekers, Szalai; Cadu, Levi, Keita, Kanichowski, Nagy; Varga, Joseph 

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We say: Red Bull Salzburg 1-1 Ferencvaros

 

Salzburg may have lost both of their Europa League games so far, but they were up against two of the strongest teams in the competition - Porto and Lyon - and they could fare better this time around.

That being said, Ferencvaros are unbeaten on the road since February, and given that they come into this match on the back of a nine-game undefeated streak, they may collect at least one point on Thursday. 

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.

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