Lugano vs Celje Preview: Team News & Prediction

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The first-leg of this Round of 16 tie saw Lugano suffer a surprise defeat in Slovenia as Celje search to become the first Slovenian team to reach the last eight of European competition.

Kick-off date/time: Thursday 13th March, 2025: UK – 5:45pm / US ET – 1:45pm / US PT – 10:45am

How to watch on TV: UK – Not televised / US – Not televised

How to watch online: UK – Discovery+ / US – Paramount+

Lugano vs Celje Prediction

In Slovenia last week, in the first-leg of this UEFA Europa Conference League Round of 16 tie, Celje defeated Lugano by a goal to nil with Tamar Svetlin scoring a 23rd minute winner before Antonios Papadopoulos was sent off for Lugano in second-half stoppage-time.

The Swiss Super League side sit fourth in Switzerland’s top-flight and they have drifted of late with three successive defeats, most recently suffering a 2-1 loss to Sion at the weekend. The home team have now managed just one victory in their last eight matches across all competitions.

Celje pulled off an upset to defeat APOEL Nicosia by four goals to two on aggregate with a 2-0 win in Cyprus in the second-leg of their knockout playoff round. They have ben average domestically as they sit fifth in the Slovenian top-flight but they are enjoying something of a fairytale run in Europe.

This is a game between a side out of form exceeding expectation and another, with home advantage, that simply must return to form and must overturn the deficit in this second-leg.

Lugano vs Celje Tip: Double chance – Lugano to win or draw