Celtic v Malmo
Wednesday 19th August – Kickoff: 1945hrs
Football – Europe – Champions League
Having dispatched Stjarnan of Iceland and Qarabag of Azerbaijan, Celtic are two games away from returning to the group stages of the Champions League after missing out a year ago. Malmo represent a much tougher assignment, however, and the Hoops will have to be at their best if they are to book their place in the draw, next month. Kilmarnock and Inverness Caley Thistle have both had joy against the Celtic defence in the last week and Malmo will even more of a threat and, and Ronny Delia’s team cannot afford the same mistakes at his level otherwise they will be looking at playing in the Europa League for a second consecutive season.
Malmo are not strangers to the group stages of this competition, themselves, having reached them in 2014/15. It was a rather unsuccessful experience for them, though, managing only three points courtesy of a win at home to Greek side, Olympiakos. It was hardly unsurprising that they never performed more successfully, considering they were in a group with Juventus – who ended up reaching the final – and Atletico Madrid, who were runners-up in 2013/14. If their management and squad believe in omens then they will cling to the fact that they knocked out FC Salzburg en route to last year’s group stage, and defeated the same opponents in the last round. This year’s victory was altogether more impressive as they had to play the last half our of the second leg with 10 men. That performance is sure to give them great confidence heading to Glasgow.
One of the biggest decisions that awaits Delia is who to start in the central striking position. Leigh Griffiths has played the majority of domestic games but has not started in any of the four European qualifiers. Nadir Ciftci, signed from Dundee United in the summer, has been first-choice in this competition but due to a domestic ban, his fitness will be in question with not having played in a fortnight. He brings different qualities to Griffiths and it could be that his more physical presence gets the nod coming up against a robust defence.
Just as Celtic have a striking dilemma, Malmo have won of their own. Markus Rosenberg will be absent from the first leg through suspension having picked up two bookings in the previous round. Not only is Rosenberg his sides’s biggest goal threat, he’s also their most experienced player and captain. His manager, Age Hareide, may see Jo-Inge Berget as the man to lead his team to a positive result at Celtic Park. There would be a real irony about that if it does happen as Berget was part of the Celtic team who failed to get past Maribor at this stage last season, before quickly being moved on.
Celtic v Malmo Betting Tips
This will be the third straight first-leg at home for Celtic in this season’s Champions League. It’s not ideal having to do that but I expect it to be a similar type of game to the one they played against Qarabag. The emphasis that night was very much about keeping a clean sheet rather than going all out to get a lead. That’s not to say that the Scottish Champions can sit back and expect to win the tie over in Sweden, but they have to learn lessons from last year’s failings. The visitors are more than capable of causing Celtic problems, even without the services of Rosenberg. Hareide has past scores to settle having been manager of Helsinborg when Celtic knocked them out at the Champions League play-off stage three years ago. He has been bold in his assertion that his team are of a higher standard than Celtic, but it will be all about what happens over the next 180 minutes of football.
Taking into consideration that Celtic will be desperate not to concede an away goal, and as Malmo are without their top goalscorer, I think the best selection for this match is for their to be two or less goals scored. First legs are notoriously cagey affairs, particularly with so much at stake for both teams. I don’t think there will be much between the two throughout the tie so if both have a chance going into next Tuesday’s return, I think they will be happy with that.
Under 2.5 goals 19/20 @ Ladbrokes
