Banik Ostrava — Celje : Match Preview and Prediction for August 28,2025

A Week of Mixed Fortunes for Banik

Pavel Hapal’s squad experienced a rather mixed week leading up to this crucial fixture. They suffered a 0-1 defeat to Slovenian side Celje in the first leg of their decisive qualifying round away match. An unfortunate own goal conceded as early as the 8th minute put them behind, yet they heroically maintained their defensive line for the remainder of the game. Subsequently, they secured their first league victory of the season at home, triumphing over Slovacko with a 2-0 scoreline after a dominant second-half performance.

Challenges and Absences for the Hosts

The “Red-Blues” are still finding their rhythm early in the season, displaying inconsistent form and a struggle to score goals in the Czech First League (only 4 goals scored and 4 conceded in 4 matches). This suggests that playing with high intensity from the start is challenging for the Ostrava-based team. Against Celje, however, they will be forced to adopt a more aggressive approach, especially given the first-leg result. The hosts will also be without forward Filip Kubala for the encounter against the Slovenians, as he sustained a knee injury a month ago.

Celje’s Relentless European Pursuit

While Banik is still gathering momentum, Celje is pushing full steam ahead, eager to conquer the Conference League once again. It’s worth recalling that Albert Riera’s team reached the quarterfinals of the tournament last season. This European campaign saw the club, with its Russian ownership, start in the Europa League qualifiers. They successfully advanced past Azerbaijani side Sabah after an exchange of away wins (2-3, 3-3 aet), but were then eliminated by Cypriot AEK (1-2, 1-1). Following this, they progressed against Lugano in the Conference League play-off round of 16, again securing passage through away victories (5-0, 2-4).

Tactical Strengths and Domestic Dominance

Evidently, the “White-Blues” excel at adapting to their opponents and launching rapid counter-attacks—this is a significant threat to Banik. Their danger is further amplified by the squad’s cohesion and the former Liverpool player’s (Riera’s) ability to implement a highly organized and precise playing style. Concurrently, Celje is dominating domestically in Slovenia, sweeping aside all opposition at the start of their season. Just recently, they emphatically defeated Bravo 5-0 away from home, marking their sixth consecutive victory in six matches with an impressive goal difference of 20-3. Their closest pursuer is currently 5 points behind. It’s clear that the visitors are determined to reclaim the championship title after a year and secure their place in the Conference League once more.