Celje take on the visitors Neman in the first leg of UEFA Conference League qualification semifinals. The match will be played on Thursday, August 10th at Stadion Stožice (Ljubljana).
Slovenian Celje faced a powerful opponent in the first round of this qualification, namely Portuguese Gil Vicente, and managed to overcome this obstacle by turning the tide of the confrontation. At home, the Slovenians lost 3-4, but in Portugal, they secured a 2-0 victory. Celje also had a strong start in their country's championship, gaining 4 points in 2 rounds, including a convincing 5-0 win over Mur in the last round. Therefore, it can be concluded that against Neman Grodno, the Slovenian team is likely to play well and secure a victory based on their quality, setting the stage for the return match. Celje seems to be in good shape now, even eliminating a middle-tier team from the Portuguese elite.
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Neman Grodno made it through two rounds of qualification. The team from Grodno deserves credit, as this is quite unexpected from them. On the other hand, their opponents included Vaduz, Balzan, as well as teams from small states like Liechtenstein and Malta. There was not much heroism in passing through such opponents. Moreover, it cannot be said that Neman confidently achieved this. They won one match in the confrontation and played one to a draw. Therefore, there's a feeling that Grodno may have acted at the limits of their capabilities and now they are facing a tough Slovenian representative. The Grodno fairy tale is likely coming to an end, and even achieving a draw in this case seems difficult to believe.
It's reasonable to agree with the bookmakers who consider the home team as favorites. Celje are giving the impression of being a strong team that could even reach the tournament's group stage. Meanwhile, Neman Grodno has already reached their level, having struggled to overcome teams from small countries. Against strong Slovenians, it will be challenging for them. My bet: Celje to win.
Prediction for the match: Celje to win.
