Celtic v Stjarnan
Wednesday 15th July 2015 – Kickoff: 1945hrs
Football – Europe – Champions League Betting Tips
Despite playing the last game of last season just 51 days ago, Celtic have their first competitive match of the new campaign on Wednesday. Just like last season, the Scottish champions face the first of three possible qualifiers in their quest to reach the group stages of the Champions League. And, just as they did 12 months ago, they face Icelandic opposition in the shape of Stjarnan– who won their first ever domestic title last season. On paper it looks a relatively straightforward tie for the Glasgow club but nothing can be taken for granted, particularly at such an early stage of a new season. The pain of failing to qualify for the group stages (not one but twice) a year ago will still be etched on Ronny Delia and his players minds, but there has been a noticeable improvement since those disappointments and three recent friendly matches should mean Celtic are ready for this week’s game.
There have only been a handful of comings and goings at Celtic Park thus far, with Delia wishing to work with a smaller squad compared to recent seasons. Adam Matthews, Jason Denayer and John Guidetti have all left with the latter two of that trio moving on after season-long loans. The additions include Dedryk Boyata and Saidy Janko from Manchester City and Manchester United, respectively, and Nadir Ciftci who moves from Dundee United. There is likely to be move further transfers but any future signings are likely to be dependant on whether or not the club achieve their goal of playing in the lucrative Champions League group stages. One player who is likely to be plying his trade elsewhere is the Dutch defender Virgil Van Dijk, who has expressed his desire to play elsewhere and is being pursued by several English Premier League clubs.
It was something of a surprise for Stjarnan to win the Icelandic title last season, finishing a point ahead of FH. Unlike Celtic, Stjarnan are well underway in their domestic league having played half of their total fixtures. Consecutive title successes looks unlikely, however, as they sit nine points behind last year’s runners up. They have actually only managed four wins from their 11 matches, and have lost four of their last six. Unsurprisingly it will be their first taste of the Champions League, although they have played in European competition before having played in last season’s Europa League. They surprised many by reaching the final qualifying stage before being outclassed 9-0 on aggregate to Inter Milan, but they did knock out Polish cracks Lech Poznan and Welsh side Bangor Town before that, and also got the better of another Scottish club in the shape of Motherwell. Those successes will give them confidence of competing against Celtic over the next two games.
It was KR Reykjavik at this stage last season who provided the opposition for Celtic, and although they won 5-0 on aggregate, the Hoops only won the first leg 1-0 and struggled to get into any sort of rhythm. One of the reasons for that was clearly because they were just beginning their campaign whilst up against a club who were much further on in terms of fitness and sharpness. On the other hand, however, Celtic approach these games under slightly different circumstances as Delia is now a year into the job and the first leg will be played in Glasgow which should mean allow them to utilise the wider spaces that they are so accustomed of Celtic Park.
Celtic v Stjarnan Betting Tips
The bookmakers are in no doubt that Celtic are the most likely winners on Wednesday and make them long odds on favourites to win the first leg. I fully expect that to be the case but at a best priced of 1/12, I am obliged to look elsewhere for some sort of value. Those odds suggest this will be extremely comfortable for the home team and it may well be, but I think there are enough to suggest that it could take them a while to get going. Their three friendlies have been typical pre-season fixtures and illustrated that they are some way off the levels they reached in the second half of the last campaign, which is only to be expected so soon into this campaign. Despite the opposition, I cannot see this being a huge margin of victory and suggest backing under 3.5 goals. The Icelandic team have not conceded more than three goals in an away game since losing 6-0 to Inter last August whilst Celtic – I believe – would be more than happy if they were able to take a two, or three goal lead into the away game and build towards so more difficult encounters in the coming weeks.
Under 3.5 goals EVENS @ Betfair
