Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the UEFA Conference League match.
The draw in the first leg between APOEL and Celje (2:2) last week highlighted the ongoing struggles of the Cypriot club. Playing at home, APOEL will capitalise on their scoring chances, but the Slovenian side remain a threat on the counter-attack.
APOEL
Since their Cup elimination against Pafos (1:2 on penalties), APOEL went on a winless streak, which they finally ended on Sunday. Their victory over AEL Limassol (2:1) was driven by their star players – Gabriel Maioli and Pieros Sotiriou both scored before half-time. However, in the first leg, APOEL scored twice from just 0.42 xG, and defensive issues may worsen due to the suspensions of Issam Chebake and Lasha Dvali.
NK Celje
At home, Celje took an attacking approach, accumulating 1.11 xG across the 90 minutes. Even excluding their missed penalty, Lithuanian forward Armandas Kucys scored twice, following up on his goal against Maribor (1:2) earlier this month. On Sunday, manager Albert Riera rested key players in a 0:0 draw against Mura, meaning Celje will arrive in Cyprus fresh and ready to attack.
APOEL vs NK Celje Prediction
This match is expected to be one of the highest-scoring fixtures of the round, and the open nature of the first leg suggests a similar scenario in Nicosia. Both teams have strong motivation, and APOEL’s defensive absences could lead to another goal-filled encounter.
