UEFA Europa League Gameweek 1
Levski Sofia 0 - 1 FT Red Bull Salzburg
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Futmetrix Verdict
52
FT
Thu, Oct 22
Bournemouth
3-0
AC Milan
⚡ Intensity
75
⚖️ Balance
20
🏆 Stakes
3
🎲 Upset
0
Two penalties, one red card, total control
Futmetrix Verdict
26
FT
Thu, Oct 22
Sturm Graz
1-0
Marseille
⚡ Intensity
22
⚖️ Balance
31
🏆 Stakes
11
🎲 Upset
60
Diakité struck; Marseille never answered
Match Statistics
Possession
Shots
Shots on Target
Expected Goals (xG)
Passes
Corners
Fouls
Yellow Cards
Red Cards
Match Events
Haris Tabaković 39'
Sota Kitano 41'
HT
55' Álex Centelles
Haris Tabaković 56'
58' ↓ Álex Centelles ↑David Kusso
Bartosz Mazurek 60'
↓ Sota Kitano ↑Damir Redzic 63'
Yorbe Vertessen 65'
↓ Yorbe Vertessen ↑Karim Konate 69'
76' ↓ Armstrong Oko-Flex ↑Mazire Soula
76' ↓ Reinaldo Nascimento Satorno ↑Juan Esteban Perea Sanchez
88' ↓ Christian Makoun ↑Asen Mitkov
88' ↓ Francisco Everton Mota de Castro ↑Steven Stoyanchov
↓ Edmund Baidoo ↑Frans Kratzig 89'
Abubakr Barry 90'+3
FT
Player Cards
Our take on every player in this match
Levski Sofia
Goalkeepers
Svetoslav Vutsov 
OCTOPUS
6
Saves
6
Saves
0
Conceded
100%
Save %
Defenders
Aldair 
WALL
0
Dribbled Past
0
Dribbled Past
2
Tackles
64%
Duel Win %
Kristian Dimitrov
WALL
0
Dribbled Past
0
Dribbled Past
2
Tackles
100%
Duel Win %
Christian Makoun 
ARCHITECT
2
Key Passes
2
Key Passes
0
Assists
63%
Pass Acc
Maicon
WALL
0
Dribbled Past
0
Dribbled Past
2
Tackles
62%
Duel Win %
Midfielders
Serginho
ARCHITECT
3
Key Passes
3
Key Passes
0
Assists
53%
Pass Acc
Gasper Trdin 
PROVOCATEUR
3
Fouls Won
3
Fouls Won
4
Duels Won
0
Pens Won
Everton Bala 
STORMTROOPER
3
Shots
3
Shots
0
Goals
0
On Target
Armstrong Oko-Flex
STORMTROOPER
2
Shots
2
Shots
0
Goals
0
On Target
Álex Centelles 
SWEEPER
4
Cleanups
4
Cleanups
2
Interceptions
2
Blocks
Forwards
Reinaldo 
LATE SHIFT
14
Late Mins
14
Late Mins
76
Total Mins
76
Entry
BENCH
Martin Lukov 
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
Ognyan Vladimirov
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
Hevertton Santos
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Marko Grujić
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Asen Mitkov
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
2
Total Mins
Started
Entry
David Kusso
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
32
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Mazire Soula
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
13
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Stivan Stoyanchov
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
2
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Juan Perea
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
14
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Red Bull Salzburg
Goalkeepers
Christian Zawieschitzky
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
90
Minutes
Defenders
Nikolas Veratschnig
WALL
0
Dribbled Past
0
Dribbled Past
2
Tackles
67%
Duel Win %
Kevin Boma
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Tim Drexler
WALL
0
Dribbled Past
0
Dribbled Past
3
Tackles
80%
Duel Win %
Dominik Schmid
ARCHITECT
2
Key Passes
2
Key Passes
0
Assists
32%
Pass Acc
Midfielders
Abubakr Barry 
MAGNET
76
Activity
76
Activity
67
Passes
9
Duels
Bartosz Mazurek
MAGNET
83
Activity
83
Activity
63
Passes
20
Duels
Edmund Baidoo
STORMTROOPER
3
Shots
3
Shots
0
Goals
1
On Target
Sota Kitano
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
63
Total Mins
63
Entry
Yorbe Vertessen
STORMTROOPER
2
Shots
2
Shots
0
Goals
1
On Target
Forwards
Haris Tabaković 
SNIPER
50%
Conversion
50%
Conversion
1
Goals
2
Shots
BENCH
Nikola Šarčević
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
Christian Früchtl
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
Leandro Morgalla
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
John Mellberg
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Stefan Lainer
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Frans Krätzig
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
1
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Aboubacar Camara
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Jesper Lindstrøm
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Umut Tohumcu
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Damir Redzic
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
27
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Karim Konaté
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
21
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Enrique Aguilar
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
League Standings
League Standings
P: 2 GD: +6
P: 2 GD: +6
P: 2 GD: +5
P: 2 GD: +4
P: 2 GD: +4
P: 2 GD: +4
P: 2 GD: +3
P: 2 GD: +2
P: 2 GD: +2
P: 2 GD: +3
P: 2 GD: +3
P: 2 GD: +1
P: 2 GD: +3
P: 2 GD: +2
P: 2 GD: +1
P: 2 GD: +1
P: 2 GD: 0
P: 2 GD: 0
P: 2 GD: -3
P: 2 GD: -1
P: 2 GD: -1
P: 2 GD: -1
P: 2 GD: -1
P: 2 GD: -3
P: 2 GD: -5
P: 2 GD: -2
P: 2 GD: -2
P: 2 GD: -3
P: 2 GD: -4
P: 2 GD: -4
P: 2 GD: -5
P: 2 GD: -5
P: 2 GD: -5
Match previews and recaps to help you decide which games are worth watching
Levski Sofia
Red Bull Salzburg
Levski Sofia
Red Bull Salzburg
Win Probability
Futmetrix AI estimate
A Disappointing Spectacle in Sofia
Skip It Futmetrix Score: 21/100. Our take: A clash that promised fireworks ultimately fizzled out into a disjointed, frustrating affair with minimal quality in the final third.
Early Promise Fades
The atmosphere at the National Stadium Vasil Levski was electric, masking the reality of what would become a largely forgettable Europa League tie. Despite a high Intensity rating driven by a barrage of 26 combined shots throughout the night, the actual quality on the pitch was startlingly poor. Levski Sofia huffed and puffed, attempting 14 shots over the ninety minutes, yet astonishingly failed to test the goalkeeper even once. At the other end, S. Vutsov was the lone bright spark for the beleaguered hosts. The goalkeeper was called into action constantly during the opening exchanges, pulling off six crucial saves to keep the visitors at bay and maintain a fragile deadlock. It was a messy start that heavily hinted at the frustrations to come.
The Lone Breakthrough
The defining moment of the match arrived just before the interval, breaking through the tactical disjointedness that plagued both sides. Red Bull Salzburg edged possession with a modest 54 percent, looking slightly more cohesive but still struggling to carve out clear-cut opportunities. That changed in the 39th minute when Haris Tabaković found a vital pocket of space and delivered the breakthrough. His clinical finish immediately shifted the Balance of the contest. The lead changed hands for the first and only time, completely deflating the home crowd. Instead of sparking a fierce response, the goal seemed to settle the game into a stagnant rhythm, draining the remaining competitive energy out of the stadium before the halftime whistle even blew.
A Frustrating Finale
After the break, the expected surge from the Bulgarian side never materialized. The second half descended into a gritty, foul-heavy stalemate with numerous infractions committed across the pitch, completely killing any momentum. T. Drexler put in an absolute masterclass at the back for the Austrian outfit, shutting down every desperate long ball and fragmented attack. His outstanding defensive performance rightly earned him top honors as he anchored a clean sheet with zero fuss. Ultimately, Salzburg secured the away win, but our verdict is clear: this was an uninspiring slog. The visitors will gladly take the points back home, while Levski must seriously reevaluate their toothless attacking setup.
Key Questions
Who scored the decisive goal?
Haris Tabaković found the back of the net in the 39th minute to secure the win.
Who was the standout performer?
T. Drexler was phenomenal, earning Man of the Match honors for an outstanding defensive display.
What is the Futmetrix Score?
The Futmetrix Score is our 0-100 verdict on how entertaining a match is. We look at intensity, balance, stakes, and star quality to tell you if it's worth your time.
Salzburg's European Ambitions Face Sofia Grind
Must-Watch Futmetrix Score: 90/100. An evenly contested but low-octane Europa League opener that might only appeal to the tactical purists.
The Setup
The marathon of the new Europa League phase kicks off at the National Stadium Vasil Levski. Levski Sofia welcome Red Bull Salzburg to the Bulgarian capital with both sides eyeing a top-24 playoff spot. Matchday one always brings a sense of cautious optimism, resulting in a modest Stakes rating. Neither team wants to throw away points early, but the desperation of a late-campaign fixture simply isn't there yet. The visitors arrive with a sluggish Form rating, indicating they are still searching for their attacking rhythm. Add in a remarkably low Stars rating, and this fixture promises to be more of an attritional battle than a blockbuster showcase.
Key Battle
With Levski expected to sit deep and absorb pressure, the contest will be decided in the middle third. The home side's midfield block must neutralize Salzburg's creative engine. The Austrian side will lean heavily on O. Gloukh and M. Bidstrup to pick the locks in tight spaces. If Levski's defensive lines hold strong, it will force Kerim-Sam Alajbegović into frustrating, isolated areas up top.
Our Prediction
An exceptional Balance metric tells the story here: these two squads cancel each other out on paper. While Salzburg hold a marginal edge in overall quality, their current stutters suggest they will struggle to break down a resolute home defense. Expect a cagey 1-1 draw where chances are at a premium and both managers settle for a point to open their European accounts.