The clash between the Slovak champions and the Swiss champions is one of the standout fixtures of the play-off round. Both sides come into the tie in decent form and have shown quality in recent matches.
Slovan Bratislava
Slovan Bratislava dropped into the Europa League after a dramatic second leg against Kairat. Having lost the first match (0:1) to a stoppage-time goal, the team hit back in the return leg (1:0) but went out on penalties. Even so, Slovan Bratislava have looked strong — in the league they have two wins and a draw from three matches with a 7:3 goal difference. Their game is built around striker David Strelec, last season’s top scorer in Slovakia, who has already netted twice in this year’s Champions League qualifiers.
Young Boys
Young Boys come off the back of a 4:1 Swiss Cup win over Courtételle. However, their league campaign has started poorly — one win, two draws and a defeat. Across their last five matches, they have scored nine but conceded seven. Even in friendlies their defence showed cracks, with defeats to Bochum (4:5), Sparta Prague (1:3) and Thun (1:2).
Slovan Bratislava vs Young Boys Prediction
This should be an open game with goals at both ends. Slovan Bratislava will find opportunities against the Swiss back line, while Young Boys thrive in attack but remain vulnerable defensively.
