Read our Bayer Leverkusen vs NK Celje prediction with the latest betting odds, lineups, and key tips ahead of this Europa League clash. Get the best bets!
Bayer Leverkusen vs NK Celje Match Summary
Competition | UEFA Europa League |
|---|---|
Match Date | Wednesday 16 September 2026 |
Match Time | 20:00 UK time |
Venue (City, Stadium) | BayArena |
Broadcast (TV / Streaming / Radio / Bookmaker Streaming) | TNT Sport 3 HD, TNT Sport Extra (UK) |
The Europa League brings Bayer Leverkusen and NK Celje together at the BayArena, and on paper this looks about as one-sided as the competition gets on a Wednesday night.
Leverkusen, under Carles Martínez Novell, sit fifth for standing rank and go in as heavy favourites, with the hosts fancied to control territory and dictate terms against compact opponents.
NK Celje arrive making their debut in the proper league phase of the Europa League, ranked 24th of the 36 sides, and brace for a testing evening in Germany.
This is a first competitive meeting between the pair, so there is no shared history to lean on. For our Bayer Leverkusen vs NK Celje prediction, the stakes point one way.
Bayer Leverkusen vs NK Celje Form
Leverkusen look in rude health, ranked fifth for standing across the 36-team pool. The attack is humming, led by Patrik Schick, who has scored in all four competitive appearances this season. Moussa Diaby offers serious pedigree in this competition too, with 20 goal involvements in 28 Europa League outings for the club.
Celje are the outsiders here, sitting 24th of 36 for standing and matching that for form. There are attacking sparks: Sešlar has three league goals this season plus two in Champions League qualifying, and the visitors have scored in 13 consecutive competitive away matches. The concern is at the back, with seven away games without a clean sheet.
Bayer Leverkusen vs NK Celje Lineups & Team News
Injuries & Suspensions
Bayer Leverkusen: Nathan Tella (Injured/out), Guéla Doué (Injured/out), Montrell Culbreath (Injured/out), Eliesse Ben Seghir (Injured/out), Jonas Hofmann (Ineligible), Victor Boniface (Ineligible), Tim Oermann (Ineligible), Kennet Eichhorn (Ineligible)
NK Celje: Andrej Kotnik (Suspended), Artemijus Tutyškinas (Suspended), Jost Pišek (Injured/out)
Bayer Leverkusen
Carles Martínez Novell is without Nathan Tella, Guéla Doué, Montrell Culbreath and Eliesse Ben Seghir through injury, while Jonas Hofmann, Victor Boniface, Tim Oermann and Kennet Eichhorn are all ineligible. Mark Flekken is expected to start in goal behind a back four of Jarell Quansah, Edmond Tapsoba, Facundo Medina and Miguel Gutiérrez, with Equi Fernández and Aleix García forming the engine room and Malik Tillman ahead of them.
NK Celje
The visitors are without the injured Jost Pišek, while Andrej Kotnik and Artemijus Tutyškinas are both suspended. Žan-Luk Leban should continue in goal behind Pijus Širvys, Damjan Vuklišević, Darko Hrka and Leonardo Koutris. Mark Zabukovnik and Papa Daniel are set to anchor midfield with Sešlar just ahead, while Benjamin Verbič and Yaya Dukuly support Blaž Kramer from wide.
Bayer Leverkusen vs NK Celje Predicted Lineup
Bayer Leverkusen
Formation: 4-2-3-1
Predicted Starting Lineup: Flekken; Quansah, Tapsoba, Medina, Gutiérrez; A. García, Fernández; Diaby, Tillman, Maza; Schick
NK Celje
Formation: 4-2-3-1
Predicted Starting Lineup: Leban; Širvys, Vuklišević, Hrka, Koutris; Zabukovnik, Daniel; Verbič, Sešlar, Dukuly; Kramer
Bayer Leverkusen vs NK Celje Key Stats & Match Facts
Bayer Leverkusen are rated as clear favourites, with an implied probability of around 85% attached to the home win.
Patrik Schick has scored in all four of his competitive appearances this season.
Moussa Diaby has racked up 20 goal involvements in 28 Europa League appearances for Leverkusen.
NK Celje have scored in 13 consecutive competitive away matches.
Celje have gone seven away games without a clean sheet, conceding at least twice in four of those.
Bayer Leverkusen vs NK Celje Prediction & Best Bets
Our prediction: Everything points to a comfortable home win. The numbers project Leverkusen at just over three goals with Celje barely registering, so we make it a 3-1 win for the hosts, who should dominate territory and pick the visitors apart. Leverkusen are the standout for the Bayer Leverkusen vs NK Celje betting odds in the win market.
Best Bets
Aleix García to register a goal or an assist for Bayer Leverkusen against NK Celje. With the hosts rated 85% likely to win and projected for just over three goals, García sits right at the heart of things, taking primary set-piece duties. Against a Celje defence that has shipped goals in seven straight away trips, his creativity should tell.
Pijus Širvys to be shown a card for NK Celje against Bayer Leverkusen. Celje look set to spend long spells under the cosh, and Leverkusen love to overload their left through Miguel Gutiérrez and Ibrahim Maza. Right-back Širvys is the man tasked with plugging that gap, and the numbers make him a genuine card threat.
Bayer Leverkusen vs NK Celje Bet Builder
Our four-leg bet builder backs a Leverkusen win, Patrik Schick to score anytime, no in Both Teams To Score and Pijus Širvys to be shown a card, all built around a comfortable home evening.
The Leverkusen win is the anchor, with the hosts rated around 85% to take the points against opponents ranked 24th of 36 and well below them for form.
Schick to score anytime makes obvious sense given he has found the net in all four competitive appearances this season and leads the line as the main threat.
No in Both Teams To Score fits the shape of the game, with Leverkusen expected to control possession and keep a compact Celje side at arm's length.
Finally, Širvys for a card reflects a right-back facing repeated pressure down that flank, with the tools making him a solid card candidate on the night.
This bet builder is currently available at a best price of 10/1 and drops to as short as 5/1 elsewhere.
Shop around for the top price on your Bayer Leverkusen vs NK Celje bet builder tips using Oddschecker's Exclusive Bet Builder Comparison Tool.
Bet builder odds correct at time of publishing.
Bayer Leverkusen vs NK Celje Talking Points
The obvious subplot is in the dugouts. Carles Martínez Novell, who took charge at Leverkusen in July 2026 after spells at Toulouse and within Barcelona's La Masia academy, insisted before kick-off that his side would focus on their own possession-based execution rather than over-adjusting for Celje's sudden managerial change. That change saw Zoran Zeljković arrive on 14 September 2026, prised from FC Koper via a buyout clause on a deal to 2028. It leaves the visitors settling a new voice on the eve of a debut league-phase night, and with Schick in the form of his life for the hosts, Celje's makeshift stability faces an immediate stress test.
Bayer Leverkusen vs NK Celje Predictions FAQs
When is the Bayer Leverkusen vs NK Celje Europa League game?
The match takes place on Wednesday, 16 September 2026 at 20:00 UK time.
Where is Bayer Leverkusen vs NK Celje being played?
The match is being played at the BayArena.
Where can I watch Bayer Leverkusen vs NK Celje?
In the UK, the match is broadcast live on TNT Sport 3 HD and TNT Sport Extra.
What competition is Bayer Leverkusen vs NK Celje in?
The match is being played in the UEFA Europa League.
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