- 1 Levski Sofia vs RB Salzburg: fifteen years of waiting on one side, 17 goals in six games on the other
- 2 Levski Sofia: three European home games, three clean sheets
- 3 RB Salzburg: 17 goals in six games and a flying Tabakovic
- 4 Europa League prediction Levski Sofia vs RB Salzburg
- 5 First, a word on our free predictions
- 6 No commitment from us
- 7 Information changes
- 8 Your job
- 9 Responsible play first
- 10 Legal age
- 11 About the images…
Levski Sofia vs RB Salzburg: fifteen years of waiting on one side, 17 goals in six games on the other 
Levski Sofia is back on the main European stage for the first time in 15 years. The Bulgarian club opens its league phase at Vasil Levski Stadium on Thursday, 17 September at 18:45 Paris time.
It was not the original plan. Levski dropped into the Europa League after being knocked out in the Champions League play-offs by AEK Athens.
Salzburg took a similar route, seeing off Mjallby to book their place. The Austrians head into matchday one still unbeaten this season.
The contrast between the two sides is obvious. Levski lean on their defensive block, Salzburg on an attack that has hit 17 goals in their last six games.
The 36-team league phase leaves no room for hesitation. The top eight go straight into the round of 16, while clubs finishing ninth to 24th face a play-off in February.
A first home fixture is a real chance for the Sofia side. But their defence will have to stand up for 90 minutes against the sharpest attack on the card.
Sofia gets a mismatch on paper, but one that is easy enough to read on the pitch. A drilled low block against the best attack on the day.
Levski Sofia: three European home games, three clean sheets 
Levski Sofia have played three European games at home this season and have not conceded once. Three clean sheets out of three, and that stat tells you almost everything about this match.
That solidity is no fluke. It comes straight from Julio Velazquez, who has built his side around compactness through the middle and collective discipline.
Their qualifying run backs it up. The Bulgarians went all the way to the Champions League play-offs before falling to AEK Athens, a level few clubs from their league ever reach.
So Levski made it to the final step before the Champions League. Very few clubs from their domestic league can say the same over the past decade.
Levski used that same structure to hold AEK Athens in the play-offs. The exit did nothing to dent the sturdiness Velazquez has built into this group.
The problem is at the other end. Levski have scored only one first-half goal in their last six matches.
That lack of early punch creates a real game-state issue. A side that never gets in front early ends up chasing things, and that is rarely a good place to be.
Vasil Levski Stadium is still a genuine asset. Three European visitors have already been there this season, and none of them scored.
Fifteen years without a league phase also means none of the current squad have lived through this sort of night in this shirt. That lack of experience matters.
The plan is pretty clear: sit deep, crowd the middle, break when space opens up. That is exactly how Sofia have kept three straight European clean sheets at home.
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RB Salzburg: 17 goals in six games and a flying Tabakovic 
Salzburg have scored 17 goals in their last six matches. No side in this fixture comes close to that output.
The numbers behind the performance look just as strong, with an average of more than seven shots on target per game this season. The Austrians do not wait for chances. They manufacture them in batches.
Haris Tabakovic is the face of it. Nine goals in 10 appearances since the start of the campaign, and the forward is the first problem Levski have to solve.
The timing of his goals is even more telling. Four of his most recent strikes arrived before the 25th minute.
That ability to strike early could not come at a worse time for Levski. The Bulgarians have managed only one first-half goal in their last six outings.
Tabakovic should be supported by Edmund Baidoo and Yorbe Vertessen out wide. That front three is the main Austrian threat.
So the night in Sofia will likely be decided by how well Levski can shut down that line. No other Salzburg area carries quite as much danger.
Salzburg reached the league phase by beating Mjallby in the qualifying rounds. They have not lost since the restart in all competitions.
Their European schedule means they need to get moving quickly, with Milan due in matchday two. Three points in Sofia are a target, not a wish.
Likely Levski Sofia line-up: Not available at time of publication.
Likely RB Salzburg line-up: Not available at time of publication.
Europa League prediction Levski Sofia vs RB Salzburg
Our prediction: RB Salzburg to win
Salzburg have scored 17 goals in their last six matches and are averaging more than seven shots on target per game. Against a side that has scored only once in the first half over the same run, the gap in attacking output is the defining factor here.
Tabakovic, with nine goals in 10 appearances and four recent finishes before the 25th minute, is exactly the sort of forward who can break open a low block from the first whistle. Levski, meanwhile, built their three European home clean sheets against opponents nowhere near as dangerous as the Austrians.
We are backing Salzburg to win in Sofia. The Bulgarians can hang on for a while, but they do not have the firepower to turn resistance into a result.
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