Red Bull Salzburg and FC Twente clash in the first leg of their Champions League third-round qualifier on Tuesday. The winner of this tie will move on to the playoffs, just one step away from the revamped group stage of Europe's premier club competition. After a decade of domestic dominance, Red Bull Salzburg saw their title streak end last season as they were edged out by Sturm Graz in a thrilling final day showdown. This resulted in a managerial change, with Gerhard Struber being replaced by former Liverpool assistant Pep Lijnders. The Dutchman has started well, leading Salzburg to an unbeaten pre-season and a dominant 6-0 Austrian Cup win over Dornbirn. Their league campaign began with a hard-fought 3-2 victory against Grazer AK, showcasing their attacking prowess but also hinting at some defensive vulnerabilities. Salzburg's European journey last season ended at the group stage, finishing behind Real Sociedad, Benfica, and Inter Milan. Eager to return to the Champions League spotlight, they are now just two steps away from the group phase. Key departures such as Luka Sucic and Strahinja Pavlovic have forced the team to rebuild, but rising stars like Karim Konate, who netted 20 goals in 29 league appearances last season, promise excitement. On the other hand, FC Twente aims to end a 14-year absence from the Champions League. After finishing fourth in the Eredivisie two years ago and securing a Europa Conference League spot, they narrowly missed out on European qualification last season but bounced back to clinch third place. Under the guidance of Joseph Oosting, Twente has shown resilience, though their pre-season form (four draws and one win) indicates they are still finding their rhythm. The loss of captain Robin Propper to Rangers is a blow, but the addition of former Netherlands U21 striker Sam Lammers offers new attacking options alongside veteran Ricky van Wolfswinkel. Salzburg will be without Luka Sucic and Strahinja Pavlovic, who departed for Real Sociedad and AC Milan, respectively. Ivory Coast international Karim Konate is set to lead the attack. Oscar Gloukh, recently back from the Olympics, may not start, joining injured players Fernando, Takumu Kawamura, and Alexander Schlager on the sidelines. Twente's defense will miss Robin Propper. Sem Steijn, last season’s top scorer, is expected to start, while Michal Sadilek remains doubtful with a shin injury. A motivated Salzburg squad, eager to erase last season's disappointments, is expected to seize control of this tie with a strong home performance. Twente's defense may struggle to contain Salzburg's dynamic attack, leaving them with a steep challenge in the return leg. I predict a 3-1 or 4-2 victory for Red Bull Salzburg, positioning them well for the second leg.
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周二，萨尔茨堡红牛和特温特将在欧冠第三轮预选赛的首回合交锋。这场比赛的获胜者将进入季后赛，距离欧洲顶级俱乐部比赛的小组赛只有一步之遥。经过十年的国内统治，萨尔茨堡红牛在上个赛季结束了他们的冠军连胜，他们在激动人心的最后一天被格拉茨队击败。这导致了管理层的变动，格哈德·斯特鲁伯被前利物浦助理佩普·利金德斯取代。荷兰人开局不错，带领萨尔茨堡在季前赛中保持不败，并在奥地利杯上以6比0大胜多恩比恩。他们的联赛之旅以艰难的3-2战胜Grazer AK开始，展示了他们的进攻能力，但也暗示了一些防守弱点。萨尔茨堡上赛季的欧洲之旅在小组赛阶段就结束了，落后于皇家社会、本菲卡和国际米兰。渴望回到冠军联赛的聚光灯下，他们现在距离小组赛阶段只有两步之遥。关键球员的离开，如卢卡·苏西奇和斯特拉欣加·巴甫洛维奇，迫使球队重建，但像卡里姆·科纳特这样的新星，上赛季在29次联赛中打进20球，带来了兴奋。另一方面，特温特的目标是结束14年来无缘欧冠的局面。两年前，他们在荷甲联赛中获得第四名，并获得了欧联杯的席位，上赛季他们与欧洲资格擦肩而过，但最终以第三名的成绩反弹。在约瑟夫·乌斯汀的指导下，特温特表现出了韧性，尽管他们的季前赛状态(4平1胜)表明他们仍在寻找自己的节奏。队长罗宾·普鲁珀转会流浪者队是一个打击，但是前荷兰U21前锋萨姆·拉默斯的加入为老将里基·范·沃尔夫斯温克尔提供了新的进攻选择。萨尔茨堡将失去卢卡·苏西奇和斯特拉辛亚·巴甫洛维奇，他们分别去了皇家社会和AC米兰。科特迪瓦国脚卡里姆·科纳特将领衔进攻。最近从奥运会归来的奥斯卡·格鲁克可能不会首发，他将与受伤的费尔南多、川村拓和亚历山大·施拉格一起缺阵。特文特的辩护律师会想念罗宾·普罗珀。上赛季的头号射手施泰因有望首发，而萨迪莱克因小腿受伤仍不确定。一支斗志昂扬的萨尔茨堡队，渴望抹去上赛季的失望，期待着在主场的强势表现来控制这场比赛。特文特的防守可能难以遏制萨尔茨堡的有力进攻，这让他们在回程中面临严峻的挑战。我预测萨尔茨堡红牛会以3-1或4-2获胜，这将使他们在第二回合的比赛中处于有利地位。
