Olympique Lyonnais vs. Fußballclub Red Bull Salzburg Prediction on October 2, 2025

Match info

On Thursday, October 2, 2025, France’s Olympique Lyonnais will host Austria’s Fußballclub Red Bull Salzburg in the second matchday of the 2025–26 Europa League – league phase. The venue is Groupama Stadium, located in Décines-Charpieu, a suburb of Lyon. Kick-off is scheduled at 9 p.m. local time (CEST – Central European Summer Time). This is the first time Lyon and Salzburg have met in a competitive European competition.

The 2025–26 UEFA Europa League is the 55th edition (in heritage) of the second-level European club competition and the 17th under the “Europa League” branding. This match, in which the odds of EU betting sites’ markets currently favor Lyon, is significant because it’s early in the campaign (Matchday 2), so patterns begin forming: getting off to a good start can build confidence, and because these two have never met before. Limited historical precedent to lean on makes preparation, tactical innovation, and adaptability especially important.

Meeting statistics

Current form and playstyle: Olympique Lyonnais

“The Kids” have entered the 2025–26 season with a sense of cautious optimism. Domestically in Ligue 1, their results have been mixed: occasional draws and narrow results have kept their form somewhat inconsistent, but they remain competitive. In European competition, they began well — in Matchday 1 of the Europa League, they secured a victory away (versus Utrecht) to open their campaign on a positive note. That win is a good foundation.

Lyon’s playing style under Paulo Fonseca leans toward balanced possession and organized transitions. They often seek to control the midfield, patiently build up attacks, and vary between flanking movements and central combinations. Their defensive structure is disciplined: they rarely collapse entirely but also do not overcommit in pushing forward. Against mid-tier opponents, Lyon try to dominate territory; against more dangerous adversaries, they will be more cautious and compact, looking for counterattacks. At home, they are more comfortable pushing the pace and asserting control.

The squad has technical players capable of linking play, but Lyon aren’t necessarily explosive in attack — their strengths lie in structure, positional play, and moments of individual quality rather than all-out blitz. In home European matches, they’ll likely try to press their advantage and force Salzburg into errors.

Current form and playstyle: Fußballclub Red Bull Salzburg

Salzburg, a club well known for punching above its weight in European competition, arrives here with a different identity. In their domestic Bundesliga, they remain among the stronger sides, though recent seasons have seen rising competition. Their European record is one of ambition, youth development, and attacking intent.

In recent matches, “The Red Bulls” have had uneven results — some wins, some losses — suggesting fluctuating form. Against top-tier opposition, they can struggle to maintain consistency. In the Europa League Matchday 1, they were beaten by Porto away.

Tactically, Salzburg tend to adopt a more proactive, vertical style. They aim to press high when possible, force turnovers, and transition quickly. They often try to overload wide zones or use quick interchanges in the half spaces. Their full-backs push, and their attacking lines attempt to combine with speed rather than heavy buildup. However, when they face disciplined defenses, their transitions sometimes expose them to counterattacks. Salzburg’s success often depends on intensity, pressing, and game rhythm.

Because they are the away side here, they may opt for a more measured approach early on — perhaps sitting in, letting Lyon have some control, and then striking when the opening appears, rather than trying to dominate outright. But Salzburg will nevertheless try to impose pressure, especially in phases, and seek to create chaos in the final third through movement and interplay.

Head-to-head

As of now, Lyon and Salzburg have never faced each other in a competitive match. Because of that, there’s no direct historical pattern, no prior wins or draws to weigh on expectations. And, because there’s no head-to-head history, this match will effectively help shape the narrative between the two clubs going forward in European contexts.

Match analytics

Thus, the matchup may come down to whether Lyon can assert control and discipline, and whether Salzburg can break lines quickly and unsettle Lyon’s defensive timing. Given Lyon’s home advantage, somewhat steadier recent traction, and Salzburg’s occasional defensive vulnerabilities — especially when pressed by tactically mature opponents — we expect Lyon to win, but not by a large margin. We think Salzburg will manage to get on the scoresheet (especially via transitions or set pieces), yet Lyon’s control in possession and structure will just outlast them. If we had to pick one single best wager, we lean toward Lyon to win + both teams to score.

Tip: 1x2 & GG/NG, Olympique Lyon & GG at 3.10 odds on Campeonbet.