Slovan Bratislava VS NK Publikum Celje

Brno, the champion of the Slovak league, is coached by Yaya Touré. They've remained undefeated in all competitions this new season. With a strong home - field advantage and a high clean - sheet rate in home games, they've successfully advanced through the Champions League qualifiers. They also defeated Celje by a large margin in both legs last season, which gives them a significant psychological edge. However, they have several key forwards injured, which weakens their attacking rotation depth. The form of some strikers is also in question, so they may face difficulties when breaking down low - block defenses. In the first leg of the play - off at home, they'll actively seek points to build an advantage over the two legs. Celje, the champion of the Slovenian league, has rich European competition experience. They're good at getting points away from home and are adept at counter - attacking football, with a quick transition from defense to attack. But they have some key defenders injured, which requires adjustments in the back - line. They've also lost some midfielders, and their defensive stability may be affected under the high - intensity of European competitions. In the first away leg of the two - legged tie, they'll focus on defense first and won't rush forward recklessly. They'll rely on counter - attacks and set - pieces to try and get an away goal, leaving the suspense for the second leg.