Preview: Shelbourne FC at Celje in UEFA Europa Conference League

CELJE, Slovenia (Interstat) — Two sides seeking to reverse recent fortunes will meet Thursday when Slovenia’s Celje hosts Ireland’s Shelbourne FC in a UEFA Europa Conference League group stage match.

The matchup at Stadion Z’dežele finds both clubs mired in difficult stretches as the continental competition resumes.

Celje, the home side, enters on a three-match losing streak across all competitions. Most recently, they fell 3-0 at Croatian side Rijeka in Conference League play on Dec. 11. Their form has dipped after a strong start to the group phase, which included a 2-1 home victory over Legia Warsaw on Nov. 6.

Shelbourne’s European campaign has been a struggle, with the Dublin-based club still searching for its first point in the group stage. They suffered a 3-0 home defeat to England’s Crystal Palace in their last outing on Dec. 11. Their group stage record shows four consecutive losses, having been outscored 7-0 in matches against AZ Alkmaar, Drita and Shkendija since a playoff round victory over Linfield in August.

Historically, Shelbourne has found goals hard to come by in the group stage, failing to score in their last four matches. Their attack will be tested by a Celje defense that, despite recent results, has shown an ability to secure clean sheets, including in a 2-0 win over Shamrock Rovers in October.

Celje will look to leverage home advantage, where they have recorded significant victories this season, including the win over Legia. Shelbourne’s travels have been unforgiving, with losses in the Netherlands, Kosovo and North Macedonia during group play.

According to the Interstat game simulator, the contest is projected to end in a 1-1 draw. Such a result would provide Shelbourne with its first group stage point while extending Celje’s winless run.

Kickoff is set for 9 p.m. local time (2000 GMT) on Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. The match will be televised across UEFA’s broadcasting partners.