Pressure on Vitor Bruno as unbeaten Salzburg come to Brussels
Pre-match update (17:50 CET): The team sheets are in. Haris Tabaković leads the line for Salzburg and Röhl names exactly the XI I expected, with no fresh absentees. Anderlecht are the side with the late problems: Koutsoupias and Aasgaard are not in the squad, so Llansana comes into midfield and Sikan starts up front. That strengthens the case for Salzburg, but I am keeping my bet as it is: Salzburg Draw No Bet at 2.58 with MyStake, 1/10. The odds quoted are from 4 November; prices may have moved since.
Anderlecht won 4-1 against Westerlo at the weekend, but that has not ended the debate about Vitor Bruno. The club’s CEO and owner have both questioned the manager in public, and the Brussels side have lost two of their three Europa League games. Salzburg arrive unbeaten in their domestic league, fresh from a 5-1 win over Lustenau, but with a long injury list and a 4-0 home defeat by Milan still fresh in the memory.
“I know who I am and what values I have.” – Vitor Bruno (via Voetbalkrant, translated from Dutch)
Predicted lineups: Anderlecht vs Salzburg
The lineups are now confirmed. Anderlecht have lost two key midfielders: Koutsoupias, their best-rated player this season, and Aasgaard are both missing from the squad. Bruno keeps the 4-3-3 with Llansana, Stroeykens and Ambros in midfield, and Sikan starts through the middle between Onia Seke and Cvetković. Salzburg go with the expected 4-2-3-1, with Zawieschitzky in goal and Tabaković leading the line.
Anderlecht Team News & Preview
Anderlecht are fifth in the Belgian Pro League with a 13:11 goal difference after ten games. They are much stronger at home, with four wins and a draw and only two goals conceded at Lotto Park, but they have lost three of five away from home. Europe has been a struggle. They lost 2-1 to Lyon and 1-0 at Dinamo Zagreb, and their only win came at Jagiellonia, 3-0. The 4-1 win over Westerlo helps, but the pressure from above has not gone away, and Bruno is under scrutiny every time his side play. Losing Koutsoupias and Aasgaard on the day takes a lot of quality out of the middle of the park.
What works for or against Anderlecht
- Four wins and a draw at home in the league, conceding only twice.
- Beat Westerlo 4-1 at the weekend.
- Koutsoupias and Aasgaard are not in the squad.
- Lost two of three Europa League games, and the manager is under open pressure.
Salzburg Team News & Preview
Salzburg have eight wins and three draws in the Austrian Bundesliga, with 29 goals scored and six conceded. Their underlying numbers back that up: 2.59 expected goals per game and 1.06 against. Haris Tabaković has seven league goals. According to Sports Mole, they are unbeaten in 12 competitive away games. Their European results are mixed. They won 1-0 at Levski, lost 4-0 to Milan and drew 2-2 at Celje. The injury list is the big issue. Veratschnig, their best-rated player, is out, along with Schmid, Kitano, Mellberg, Omoregie, Aguilar and Lindstrøm. Danny Röhl has warned against treating any European game as a routine win, but his side create far more than Anderlecht and should not need to sit back.
“Talking about must-win games in the Europa League is very dangerous.” – Danny Röhl (via Salzburg24, translated from German)
What works for or against Salzburg
- Unbeaten in the Austrian Bundesliga: eight wins, three draws.
- 2.59 expected goals per league game.
- Unbeaten in 12 competitive away games, according to Sports Mole.
- Long injury list, with Veratschnig, Schmid and Kitano all out.
Anderlecht vs Salzburg Odds
Anderlecht vs. Salzburg Stats Comparison
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Anderlecht vs. Salzburg Form Guide
Anderlecht Form, Stats & Data
Anderlecht’s expected goals are better than their goal return, and 13 goals in ten league games is a modest total for a side with their ambitions.
Salzburg Form, Stats & Data
Salzburg dominate games in Austria and average 7.7 shots on target per game, which is a big reason why they keep winning even with players missing.
Anderlecht vs Salzburg: Prediction & Betting Tip
Salzburg are the stronger team on the numbers. They create more, concede less and have not lost away from home in 12 competitive games. Anderlecht have looked shaky in Europe, the off-field pressure on Bruno is real, and they now have to do without Koutsoupias and Aasgaard. Draw No Bet gives me protection if the hosts dig in. The strongest argument against the bet is Salzburg’s own injury list. They are missing several first-team players, and Anderlecht have conceded only twice at home in the league. The 4-0 home defeat by Milan also shows Salzburg can be got at by a team with quality. That is why I keep the stake small: Salzburg Draw No Bet at 2.58 with MyStake for 1/10.