Malmo v Celtic
Tuesday 25th August – Kickoff: 2000hrs
Football – Europe– Champions League
Last week’s preview of the first leg of this tie could not have been more wrong. I anticipated the match at Celtic Park was going to be a cagey affair – two goals in the first seven minutes certainly disproved that theory. It was a perfect start for Ronny Delia’s men who went 2-0 up thanks to goals from Leigh Griffiths and Nir Bitton. The visitors looke stunned but they gradually worked their way into the game and responded with a vital away goal in the second half from former Celtic player Jo-Inge Berget. Griffiths notched his second of the game and it looked as though Celtic would be taking a 3-1 advantage into the second leg only to concede with virtually the last kick of the ball from that man Berget, again. Just how crucial will that second Malmo goal prove to be?!
Confidence has never been a problem for Malmo in the build-up to this tie, and they have even more reason to be positive of their chances after their efforts in Glasgow. Not only have they managed to score two vital away goals, but the manner of the second one is a huge momentum shift. Celtic look in control at 3-1 but the complexion of the tie changed by Malmo scoring so late on. Add to that the return from suspension of Enoch Adu and Markus Rosenberg, and the Swedes will be confident of progressing to the group stage of the Champions League for the second straight year.
Last week’s performance was the best and worst of Celtic. The pace and tempo at which they started was everything that Delia would have been hoping for playing at home in the first leg. It would have been impossible to keep that up for the entire game but to get a two goal lead from it was just reward. Unfortunately, the same signs of naivety that were present in qualifying last season showed again in the second half. There was no need for Celtic to throw so many people forward, the priority should have been to keep a clean sheet rather than chase the third goal. Both of the goals they conceded, however, were completely preventable and came from sloppy mistakes and a lack of concentration and discipline. The Hoops do of course have a lead to take with them to Sweden but it could, and probably should, have been more comfortable.
Malmo’s home record at this stage of the competition is very strong and they will be helped by a raucous home support. FC Salzburg have fallen victim to them twice, in Sweden, and they themselves proved too good for Celtic in last season’s Europa League – topping the group and winning at Celtic Park. That. Only one visiting team have managed to breach Malmo’s defence at home in the last five games. Their only two defeats at home in Europe in their last 10 came in last season’s group stage as they went down 2-0 against both Juventus and Atletico Madrid. On the other hand, Malmo know that avoiding defeat is simply not good enough and have to win the match if they are to qualify.
Celtic’s chances were hampered further when Mikael Lustig suffered an injury late on in the first leg. Not only is the Swedish internationalist a good defender, he offers a threat going forward, too. It is likely he’ll be missing from the starting eleven with his place likely to go to Efe Ambrose. To say the Nigerian stopper is not everybody’s cup of tea would be an understatement and it could well be an area that the home team would like to exploit. Other than that chance, I expect Celtic to go with the same side that started last week, meaning Griffiths will lead the line once again.
Neither these sides convince when having to defend and I think the second leg will be of a similar nature to what we seen six days ago in Glasgow. The home side will be delighted to have Rosenberg back in the fold and the experience he brings will be crucial on a night like this. He has scored in each of his last four home games in all competitions and will give an already shaky Celtic defence something else to worry about.
Celtic will be hoping they can replicate a similar performance to the one they showed in Azerbaijan against Qarabag. That match ended goalless thanks to a composed display which nullified the threat of their opponents. Malmo certainly look to have more about them going forward than Qarabag, but if Celtic can keep hold of possession and prevent their opponents from dictating the tempo of the match, it would give them a great chance of progressing.
Malmo v Celtic Betting Tips
It is a match I simply cannot see finishing goalless (famous last words). If Celtic are to go through then they have to score at least once as their defence does not look capable of keeping a clean sheet. Malmo are favourites to win the tie but Celtic are odds on to progress and I think that’s just about right as there were clear deficiencies in the performance of the Swedes, last week.
It could well turn into a shootout, in Sweden, and although the home team have been talking plenty in the aftermath of the match in Glasgow, it should be remembered that both goals came directly from Celtic players errors. If Celtic can perform as well as they did in Baku in the last round, I can see them getting a result which will lead them to the group stage. They do not have to win the game, of course, so I think there is some value in backing the draw. I also would not put anybody off backing the correct scores of 1-1 and 2-2.
Draw 13/5 @ Bet365
