Match Information
Match Overview
Ararat-Armenia host Celje at the Football Academy Stadium in the 3rd Qualifying Round of the UEFA Champions League, with both sides looking to continue their European journey after contrasting paths through the earlier rounds. This fixture pits an Ararat-Armenia side managed by Tulipa, who navigated a two-leg tie against Shamrock Rovers, against a Celje team under Vitor Campelos that progressed through a tightly contested tie with Egnatia Rrogozhinë.
Recent European form offers a useful lens here. Ararat-Armenia's run through the qualifying rounds has been eventful, with home wins paired with away defeats against both Riga and Shamrock Rovers — a pattern suggesting a side that performs well at the Football Academy Stadium but has struggled to replicate that form on the road. Celje, by contrast, have not recorded a win in their last several matches across all competitions, with a string of draws including back-to-back 1-1 and 3-3 results against Egnatia Rrogozhinë. That defensive porousness, conceding three goals away from home in their most recent European away fixture, could be a point of concern heading into this qualifying round tie.
Squad availability is a positive for both sides ahead of this match, with no injuries reported for either Ararat-Armenia or Celje. This means both managers should be able to select from full-strength squads, with team selection questions centering on tactical approach rather than enforced changes. Ararat-Armenia's 3-4-3 setup from their last outing offers attacking width, while Celje's 4-3-3 shape has emphasized midfield control, evidenced by the presence of Kvesić, Zabukovnik, and Hrka in recent lineups.
With home advantage and a full squad at their disposal, Ararat-Armenia will look to leverage their home form, while Celje's recent draw-heavy sequence suggests a team still seeking consistency as they progress through the qualifying rounds.
Predicted Lineups
Ararat-Armenia
S. Badalyan; B. Wilson, A. Malis, H. Oliveira, E. Grigoryan; M. Carlier, K. Muradyan, A. Serobyan, Z. Banjaqui; Sandro Lima, A. Ndour
Celje
Žan-Luk Leban; Pijus Širvys, Artemijus Tutyškinas, Leonardo Koutris; Darko Hrka, Mario Kvesić, Papa Daniel, Mark Zabukovnik, Svit Sešlar; Milot Avdyli, Armandas Kučys
Team Form Analysis
Ararat-Armenia
Ararat-Armenia Form Analysis
Ararat-Armenia's form through the Champions League qualifying rounds shows a clear home-away split. At home, they have been efficient and clinical, defeating Riga 2-0 on July 7 and Shamrock Rovers 2-0 on July 21, both without conceding. On the road, however, results have gone the other way, with 3-2 and 2-1 defeats away to Riga and Shamrock Rovers respectively. This pattern points to a team capable of controlling matches at the Football Academy Stadium while facing greater difficulty replicating that performance level away from home. Their most recent fixture outside Europe was a 1-1 draw with Vojvodina in a Club Friendly on June 27, which offered limited competitive intensity compared to their qualifying ties. The attacking output at home has been solid, with four goals scored across two home European fixtures and a clean defensive record in both. With this tie taking place at their home venue, Ararat-Armenia will be looking to lean on that pattern of home solidity as they push through the qualifying rounds.
Celje
Celje Form Analysis
Celje's recent form has been defined by consistency in a different sense — a run of draws rather than decisive results. Their last five matches across competitions have produced four draws, including a 1-1 result against Egnatia Rrogozhinë on July 28, a 3-3 draw away to the same opponent on July 22, a 2-2 draw with Mura in the 1. SNL on July 17, and a 1-1 friendly draw with Istra 1961 on July 11. This suggests a team that has been competitive and difficult to beat, but also one that has struggled to find the edge needed to close out matches. Defensively, the 3-3 result away to Egnatia Rrogozhinë stands out as a game where they conceded three goals, raising questions about their away defensive record. Attacking output has been present in nearly every fixture, with goals scored in each of their last several matches, but the inability to convert competitive performances into wins has been the dominant theme of Celje's recent stretch heading into this qualifying round tie.
Head-to-Head
Ararat-Armenia
Celje
Recent Meetings
| Date | Home | Score | Away |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-09-24 | Ararat-Armenia | 1 - 0 AET | Celje |
Memorable Matches
The recorded history between these two clubs is limited, with the sides meeting on September 24, 2020, when Ararat-Armenia secured a 1-0 victory. That result stands as the most notable point of reference between the clubs prior to this Champions League qualifying round meeting. With such sparse head-to-head history, this fixture represents a fresh chapter in the rivalry between the two clubs rather than a continuation of an established pattern, with both sides having limited direct experience against one another in competitive European football since that 2020 encounter.
Venue Factor
The Football Academy Stadium serves as Ararat-Armenia's home venue for this qualifying round tie, and their recent European form suggests it has been a stronghold, with clean-sheet victories over both Riga and Shamrock Rovers in home qualifying fixtures. For Celje, the trip represents a test of their away form, an area of their recent record that includes a high-scoring 3-3 draw away to Egnatia Rrogozhinë. The atmosphere generated by the home crowd at the Football Academy Stadium is likely to play a role in a qualifying round tie of this magnitude, with European nights typically drawing height
