Bayer Leverkusen vs Celje Prediction & Betting Tips (16 September)

Bayer Leverkusen open their 2026/27 UEFA Europa League campaign on Wednesday, 16 September 2026, when Slovenian champions Celje visit the BayArena for Matchday 1 of the league phase. Leverkusen qualified directly after finishing sixth in the Bundesliga last season, while Celje arrive via the Champions League play-off route, dropping into the Europa League after their epic tie with Slovan Bratislava and making their debut in the competition proper. The German side are heavy favourites in the European odds at around 1.25 for the home win, with the draw priced near 6.50 and a famous Celje victory quoted as high as 11.00.

Leverkusen come into the tie in excellent attacking form under their new-look 2026/27 squad. They crushed Union Berlin 4:0 in the Bundesliga on 5 September, just days after surviving a DFB-Pokal thriller at Wehen 0:4 away from home. New signings such as goalkeeper Mark Flekken, defender Facundo Medina, winger Afonso Moreira and youngsters Ibrahim Maza and Malik Tillman have slotted in quickly alongside holdovers Edmond Tapsoba, Aleix García and Patrik Schick, with Miguel Gutiérrez already starring from left-back.

Celje, meanwhile, have shown resilience on their long European journey this summer, edging Ararat-Armenia before pushing Slovan Bratislava all the way in the Champions League play-offs. Domestically they remain a force in the PrvaLiga, with recent wins such as the 0:1 triumph at Aluminij and the 0:4 rout of Primorje showcasing the quality of midfielder Svit Sešlar and forward Veton Tusha. However, stepping up from Slovenian football to the BayArena is a huge leap, and the visitors are expected to spend long periods defending.

Given Leverkusen's firepower, home advantage and the gulf in squad depth, we predict a comfortable home win: our prediction for Bayer Leverkusen vs Celje is 4:1. With European odds offering little value on the outright result, the more attractive markets are over 3.5 goals and Leverkusen to win both halves, as the Werkself look to start their march toward the Round of 16 in st