Rosenborg vs Red Bull Salzburg Predictions

Having taken not a single point from their first three matches in Group B, it’s fair to say that Rosenborg are essentially out. It’s not impossible for them to qualify, though they’d need to win each of their last three matches and hope other results went their way. After three lacklustre performances, manager Rini Coolen will expect his side to raise their game when they host Salzburg on Thursday evening.

Given their dominance domestically, Rosenborg would’ve been looking to flex their muscles in Group B, though they’ve struggled to do that. The Norwegians remain without a point and it’s impossible to say that they’ve been hard done by, such has been the level of their performances.

Rini Coolen’s men created very little when facing Celtic away on match-day one, and although they almost got away with some poor defending, the Scottish side deservedly came out on top. Next time out, Thursday’s hosts were outclassed on home soil by Leipzig. On that occasion, they did muster slightly more in the final third, but they failed to do anywhere near as much as Leipzig, as the German’s expected goal supremacy of +1.24 suggests.

What’s more, when Rosenborg took on Salzburg in the reverse fixture a fortnight ago, they were handed a real beating. The Austrians not only offered far more going forward, but they prevented the Norwegians from getting serious in the final third. After they lost 3-0 on that occasion, which was a fair reflection according to the expected goal counts of 3.84 and 0.88, it’s easy to see Rosenborg struggling again.

In complete contrast, Salzburg have impressed right from the word go in Group B. The Austrians, who made it to the semi-finals of this competition last season, have won each of their first three games, have scored at least three goals in each of those and have generally outclassed their opponents. With an average of 3.0 expected goals for and just 0.7 against, it’s fair to say that Marco Rose’s men mean business.

From a betting point of view, with the hosts virtually out, the visitors are easy to fancy, especially since they’ve achieved far more than Rosenborg. However, backing the away side to simply come out on top represents little value. Instead, the bet that stands out is ‘Salzburg to Win & Under 3.5 Goals’. Rosenborg’s best defensive effort came on their own patch, while Salzburg created significantly less in their one away game than they did in either of their home matches. What’s more, since the hosts have offered very little offensively, the visitors will know that if they can keep things tight at the back, then a routine victory should be theirs for the taking.