Bayer Leverkusen open their Europa League campaign against Slovenian champions NK Celje on Wednesday at 21:00, with a home win expected. The visitors arrive after changing coach only days before the match, leaving Carles Martinez and his analysts with an unusual tactical unknown.
Leverkusen v Celje: Europa League opener
SEO Title: Bayer Leverkusen vs NK Celje: Team news and tactical notes
Meta Description: Bayer Leverkusen begin their Europa League season against NK Celje, with Mark Flekken set to start and Svit Seslar the key visitor.
Leverkusen want to compete for the trophy and secure direct passage to the round of 16. That makes Celje, despite the uncertainty around their new coach, a match they must control.
Quick facts
- Kick-off: Wednesday, 21:00.
- Mark Flekken is set to start in goal ahead of Janis Blaswich.
- Celje appointed Zoran Zeljkovic after dismissing Vitor Campelos following six months.
- The Slovenian champions sit seventh after nine league matches, eight points behind NK Maribor with a game in hand.
- Playmaker Svit Seslar has scored three times in five league appearances.
Martinez has separated his goalkeeper plans by competition. Flekken, Leverkusen’s Bundesliga No. 1, will play in Europe, while Blaswich has been designated for the DFB-Pokal.
Guela Doué could make his first start since arriving in the summer, likely at right-back. That would move Jarell Quansah inside alongside captain Edmond Tapsoba. Loic Badé is the other central-defence option.
Miguel is favoured on the left, ahead of Facundo Medina. In midfield, Robert Andrich may receive his first start of the season next to Aleix Garcia, with Ezequiel Fernandez potentially rested.
Malik Tillman is expected to return after appearing as a substitute in Augsburg. Moussa Diaby should operate from the right, while Ibrahim Maza remains doubtful after missing Tuesday’s final training session through illness.
If Maza cannot play, Afonso Moreira is likely to keep his place on the left. Up front, Patrik Schick could come in for Christian Kofane after both scored once in Augsburg.
Kofane’s pressing may instead be held back for Sunday’s Bundesliga meeting with RB Leipzig. The young Cameroon forward could be particularly useful against Leipzig’s build-up, making Schick the likely choice against Celje.
New coach, limited clues
Celje replaced Portuguese coach Vitor Campelos at the start of the week and installed Zoran Zeljkovic. The new head coach has worked mainly in Slovenia, apart from spells with Rodina Moscow in Russia’s second tier and Latvian top-flight side FK Auda.
Martinez said the change has made preparation difficult. “We cannot know whether they will defend deep or high, use a back four or back five, or have more or less possession. We are not magicians,” he said.
Celje had generally aimed to dominate the ball under Campelos. Whether Zeljkovic maintains that approach in Leverkusen remains open, especially against a clear favourite.
The club acted after a slow domestic start. Celje are seventh in Slovenia after nine rounds, already eight points behind leaders Maribor despite having played one match fewer.
Former Eintracht Frankfurt coach Albert Riera had managed Celje from summer 2024 until 1 February 2026. He led them to the Slovenian Cup in 2025.
Seslar between the lines
Seslar is Celje’s principal threat. The seven-cap Slovenia international has three league goals this season and also delivered two goals and one assist across six Champions League qualifying matches.
Celje were narrowly eliminated by Slovan Bratislava in those qualifiers, drawing 1-1 before losing 2-1 after extra time. Leverkusen’s midfield pairing must deny Seslar space in the No. 10 zone, an area that caused problems in the 3-2 defeat at Elversberg.
There is a family link from Leverkusen’s past. Seslar’s father Simon faced Bayer with NK Maribor in the 1999-2000 Champions League group stage, when Leverkusen won 2-0 in Slovenia before drawing 0-0 at the BayArena.
At the other end, Diaby and Moreira could find room wide if Celje retain their attacking instincts. Their left-back Leonardo Koutris, who played for Fortuna Düsseldorf from 2020 to 2022, has pushed forward regularly in Celje’s previous 4-2-3-1 shape.
If the visitors switch to a deeper plan, Leverkusen will need craft rather than transition speed. That would increase the value of Maza’s availability and place further emphasis on Martinez’s in-game adjustments against Zeljkovic’s newly reshaped side.
