Match Information
Match Overview
Celje and Ararat-Armenia meet in the 3rd Qualifying Round of the UEFA Champions League, with this fixture following the pair's first-leg meeting on 2026-08-04, which Ararat-Armenia won 2-1. As this is a two-leg tie, Celje will need to overturn that deficit, while Ararat-Armenia will look to build on their advantage — though the overall tie outcome cannot be assumed from the data available.
The aggregate context is the defining storyline here. Celje's 2-1 defeat away to Ararat-Armenia means Vitor Campelos's side go into this match needing a positive result to progress, while Ararat-Armenia will be aiming to manage the tie from a position of control. Both sides have shown they can score against each other, which suggests this second leg is unlikely to be a cagey affair regardless of the aggregate situation.
Recent form adds further texture. Celje have drawn three of their last four matches across the 1. SNL and UEFA Champions League qualifying rounds prior to the first leg, including back-to-back 1-1 and 3-3 results against Egnatia Rrogozhinë in the 2nd Qualifying Round — indicating a side that has been difficult to beat but has also struggled to convert control into victories. Ararat-Armenia, by contrast, have alternated between wins and losses, including a 2-0 home win over Shamrock Rovers followed by a 2-1 away defeat to the same opponents in the 2nd Qualifying Round, before defeating Celje in the first leg.
With no reported injuries for either squad, both managers — where known — have full squads to select from, meaning team selection is likely to be driven by tactical approach rather than enforced changes. Celje's need to attack from behind on aggregate should make for an open, high-stakes encounter.
Predicted Lineups
Celje
Ž. Leban; P. Širvys, A. Tutyškinas, Ł. Bejger; D. Hrka, V. Tusha, Papa Mustapha Daniel, M. Zabukovnik, M. Kvesić, S. Gobec; M. Avdyli
Ararat-Armenia
S. Badalyan; E. Grigoryan, K. Hovhannisyan, Luís Felipe, Bruno Wilson; A. Tera, J. Balanta, M. Hovhannisyan, Zidane Banjaqui; A. Ndour, Sandro Lima
Team Form Analysis
Celje
Celje Form Analysis
Celje's recent run shows a side that is competitive but has found the final result elusive. In their last five matches across all competitions, they have drawn three times — 1-1 with Maribor in the 1. SNL on 2026-08-01, and both legs against Egnatia Rrogozhinë in the 2nd Qualifying Round (1-1 on 2026-07-28 and 3-3 on 2026-07-22) — before suffering a 2-1 defeat away to Ararat-Armenia on 2026-08-04 in the first leg of this tie. The high-scoring draws against Egnatia Rrogozhinë, including a seven-goal thriller, point to an attacking unit capable of finding the net regularly, but defensive consistency has been an issue, particularly conceding twice in Yerevan. Facing continental opposition in three of their last four fixtures has tested Celje's squad depth, and with the second leg now upon them, they will need to translate their attacking output into a decisive result to progress in the tie.
Ararat-Armenia
Ararat-Armenia Form Analysis
Ararat-Armenia enter this second leg on the back of a 2-1 win over Celje on 2026-08-04, a result that followed a mixed run through the UEFA Champions League qualifying rounds. They defeated Shamrock Rovers 2-0 at home on 2026-07-21 before losing 2-1 away in the return leg on 2026-07-28, and were beaten 3-2 by Riga in the 1st Qualifying Round on 2026-07-14. Domestically, they have looked sharp in attack, winning 4-3 away at Gandzasar on 2026-08-01 in the Premier League. That match, along with their away form generally, suggests a team comfortable playing on the front foot and willing to trade chances rather than sit back. Defensively, Ararat-Armenia have conceded in four of their last five matches, indicating there could be goalscoring opportunities for Celje in this second leg, even as Ararat-Armenia carry the aggregate advantage into the tie.
Head-to-Head
Celje
Ararat-Armenia
Recent Meetings
| Date | Home | Score | Away |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-08-04 | Ararat-Armenia | 2 - 1 | Celje |
| 2020-09-24 | Ararat-Armenia | 1 - 0 AET | Celje |
Memorable Matches
The most recent meeting between these two sides came on 2026-08-04, when Ararat-Armenia defeated Celje 2-1 in the first leg of this UEFA Champions League 3rd Qualifying Round tie — a result that sets up the context for this second-leg encounter. The teams' history stretches back further, with Ararat-Armenia also winning 1-0 on 2020-09-24. Across their limited recorded meetings, Ararat-Armenia have yet to lose to Celje, giving the Armenian side a clean record in this head-to-head and adding an extra psychological dimension to a tie already carrying significant stakes for both clubs.
Venue Factor
Venue details for this fixture are unconfirmed, but the occasion itself carries clear weight given the stakes of a UEFA Champions League qualifying tie. Whichever side hosts this second leg will look to draw on home support to help swing the tie in their favor, particularly given how tightly contested the first leg was. Ararat-Armenia will have the psychological boost of their unbeaten head-to-head record against Celje, having won both previous meetings, including the first leg on 2026-08-04. Celje, for their part, will need to manage travel and unfamiliar surroundings if the match is played away from their own ground, adding another layer of context to a tie that remains finely balanced on the pitch.
