Salzburg vs Brugge: UEFA Champions League Prediction (06.08.2025)

On Wednesday, August 6 at 19:00 CET, at the Red Bull Arena in Salzburg, the local football club will host Brugge in the first leg of the third qualifying round of the 2025-2026 UEFA Champions League. In the previous qualifying stage, the Austrian team eliminated Norwegian side Brann. The Belgian team starts the tournament from this round as the runners-up of the 2024-2025 Belgian Pro League.

In the first match Salzburg – Brugge, bookmakers’ predictions give equal chances to both teams, but the Belgian club, according to experts, is more likely to advance to the next stage of the Champions League. A win for the “Red Bulls” in the first match is offered at odds of 2.50, and to qualify – 2.34. For the “black-and-blues”, the odds on the same markets are 2.58 and 1.60, respectively. Analysts expect a match with moderate scoring: total over 2.5 goes for 1.70, and both teams to score is offered at 1.59.

Salzburg

Thomas Leach’s side had hardly any rest this summer. The team participated in the Club World Cup, although they did not get out of the group stage. From mid-July they had to prepare for Champions League qualification. They started the latter from the second round as runners-up of the Austrian Bundesliga, having lost the title to Sturm after being beaten in their head-to-head clash late in the season.

In summer the club did not make any high-profile signings. Of note is the strengthening of the defence: Frans Kratzig arrived from Heidenheim (whose rights were owned by Bayern Munich), and Jakob Rasmussen came from Danish side Brondby. Both defenders have already taken their places in the starting lineup.

Brugge

Nicky Hayen’s team has already felt the competitive rhythm of the new season and even managed to pick up a trophy. In the Belgian Supercup match the “black-and-blues” defeated Royal Union Saint-Gilloise 2-1. The 2025-2026 Belgian Pro League has also begun. Brugge beat Genk 2-1 at home, but lost away to Mechelen by the same score.

So far the coaching staff has clearly not settled on the starting eleven. In the first two league matches they even played different goalkeepers. An away match against the Austrians will be a serious test at the early start of the European season.

Stats and Head-to-Head Record

The teams met in the round of 32 of the Europa League in 2019. Each club won their home match: Brugge – 2-1, Salzburg – 4-0.

Prediction

At the beginning of the new season both clubs are scoring in every match but are also allowing the opposition plenty of chances. Back both teams to score at odds of 1.59.