Drita vs Celje Prediction & Betting Tips (19 February)

Drita’s clash with Celje in the UEFA Europa Conference League knockout play-off has quietly become one of the more intriguing ties of late winter. The first leg is set for Fadil Vokrri Stadium in Pristina, with the Kosovar side hoping their intense home atmosphere can offset the Slovenians’ greater European experience. Over the past two months, Drita have mixed competitive fixtures with preparation work, including domestic outings against Ferizaj and a cup tie with Llapi, plus January friendlies that helped sharpen match fitness. The narrative around this matchup has focused on whether Drita can rediscover the compact, disciplined structure that previously served them well in Europe.

Recent European form, though, shows how fine the margins are for Drita. December brought back-to-back group-stage defeats, first away to Rayo Vallecano by 3-0 and then at home to AZ Alkmaar by 3-0, results that underlined how punishing small lapses can be at this level. Yet the narrow home win over Shkëndija by 1-0 reminded everyone that Drita can manage tight, low-scoring contests when they control space and tempo. In the build-up over the last weeks, local reports have highlighted renewed emphasis on defensive organisation and quicker transitions into wide areas.

Celje arrive with their own mixed but respectable European résumé from the group phase. In December they were beaten away to Rijeka by 3-0, yet they also showed resilience with a goalless draw at home to Shelbourne and earlier wins over Lommel and another opponent that showcased their set-piece threat. Over the past two months, attention in Slovenia has centred on forward Filip Kovačević’s scoring form and the two-way influence of Žan Karnicnik, while Nikita Iosifov’s movement between the lines has been repeatedly praised. Celje’s ability to control rhythm away from home, combined with their physical presence on dead balls, has been a recurring theme in recent previews.

Putting all of this together, the tie feels finely balanced but slightly tilted toward the Slovenians, especially given their greater efficiency in both boxes across the season. Drita’s recent efforts to tighten up defensively, plus their experience in grinding out narrow wins, suggest this first leg could be cagey rather than chaotic. Celje, meanwhile, have enough individual quality to punish a single mistake without needing to dominate the ball. With both sides likely to prioritise risk management, our correct-score prediction for the opening match is a disciplined, low-margin away success: 0