Welsh champions The New Saints head to Slovenia to take on Celje in the Conference League on Thursday, and we’ve got the latest team news and predicted lineups, as well as a score prediction alongside our preview.
Celje vs The New Saints Preview
Cymru Premier champions The New Saints travel to Slovenia to take on Celje in the final matchday of the Conference League league phase on Thursday evening, with both sides vying for a place in the knockout stages.
TNS are currently 32nd of 36 with a record of one win and four losses after five matches in Europe’s third-tier competition, just two points adrift of the top 24, which, if achieved, would see them advance to the playoffs.
In order for this to happen, they’d need to win in Slovenia and hope that the eight teams above them drop points.
Last week, the Saints played out a respectable 2-0 defeat to Greek giants Panathinaikos in Shrewsbury. Their other defeats have come against Fiorentina, Shamrock Rovers and Djurgarden, while their victory came in the form of a 2-0 win over Kazakhstani outfit Astana on MD2.
Domestically, Craig Harrison’s side are in second place in the Welsh top-flight table, four points adrift of leaders Penybont, and they come into European action off the back of a 4-1 win over Colwyn Bay in the Welsh Cup at the weekend.
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The lads are on their way! #TNSFC #UECL pic.twitter.com/Vfw0odAYxR
— The New Saints FC (@tnsfc) December 17, 2024
As for Celje, they are in 25th in the table, one point and one position away from the knockout positions, with victory over the visiting Saints almost guaranteeing them a spot in the top 24.
All of their points in the competition have come at home, with a 5-1 win over Basaksehir and a 3-3 draw with Jagiellona contributing to their four-point total, while they were beaten 2-0 away at Pafos last week.
Their recent form isn’t great, however. They are winless in each of their last four across all competitions, having played out three draws prior to the Pafos defeat.
Celje Team News
The hosts are without injured trio Armandas Kucys, Nikita Iosifov and Nejc Ajmajer, while Svit Seslar has every chance of making his return to the lineup after featuring for the last 34 minutes against Pafos last time out.
Aljosa Matko has started all five of Celje’s league phase matches thus far and should therefore lead the line once more, likely supported in attack by Tamar Svetlin, Ivan Brnic and either Seslar or Mario Kvesic.
Former Newcastle United winger Rolando Aarons looks unlikely to feature, with the Jamaican failing to make an appearance for the Slovenian outfit since their 3-0 defeat to Primorje back in August.
The New Saints Team News
Meanwhile, the visitors are likely to be without Ashley Baker after the former Sheffield Wednesday right-back was forced off just 11 minutes into the defeat against Panathinaikos last week.
His absence should see Josh Daniels return to the lineup on the right-hand side of the defence, while the likes of Harrison McGahey, Josh Pask, Danny Davies, Dan Williams and Rory Holden should also return to the fold after being rested in the Welsh Cup win over Colwyn Bay on Sunday.
Aramideh Oteh, who netted twice at the weekend and has six goals in seven league starts this term, is ineligible to feature having been signed after the Conference League squad submission deadline.
Celje vs The New Saints Predicted Lineups
Celje Predicted Lineup:
Rozman; Karnicnik, Zec, Nemanic, Nieto; Zabukovnik, Dulca; Seslar, Svetlin, Brnic; Matko
The New Saints Predicted Lineup:
Roberts; Daniels, McGahey, Pask, Davies; Brobbell, D. Williams, Redmond, J. Williams; Holden, Clark
Celje vs The New Saints Prediction
The UK’s best football betting sites have Slovenian champions Celje as major favourites, however we at SportsCasting are backing the Saints to close out their European campaign with a point on the road.
Celje have drawn three of their last four matches across all competitions, including their last home game in the Conference League, and we’re expecting another stalemate in this one.
Prediction: Celje 1-1 The New Saints
