Celtic v Barcelona Betting Preview – UEFA Champions League 23rd November
A tough night for Celtic in what has been a really tough group for them. They are bottom of the group with just two points and if they collect fewer points than what Monchengladbach do on Wednesday night, Celtic will be confirmed as the bottom side. The Scottish Champions have to go out and win on Wednesday and hope that City don’t to keep their slim chances alive in the group. But the way that the Bhoys were slammed in a 7-0 defeat against Barcelona at the Nou Camp earlier in the group probably isn’t going to give them too much hope. But maybe they can call on the kind of performance that saw them hold Man City to a draw at Celtic Park. Big night, time for them to step it up.
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Celtic v Barcelona Betting Tips
The Scottish Champions certainly didn’t get a good break in this season’s UEFA Champions League. They have a survival match now against Barcelona on Wednesday on their hands. The Bhoys have faced Barcelona nine times before in the competition and have lost seven of them. They have managed the one victory over them in that sequence, which was at Celtic Park back in November 2012 and that was remarkably after only taking 15% possession in the game. So you never know. But the concern for Celtic is that they are not in any kind of form in Europe at the moment, having lost nine of their last 12 in the competition. They have posted a really poor W1 D2 L9 record in that sequence. Celtic are now winless in their last seven in the UEFA Champions league and this isn’t going to be easy after having been hammered 7-0 by the Catalans already in the group. Over 3.5 goals for a quote of 11/10 with Coral on this one.
So can Celtic pick themselves up after their Barcelona nightmare? They have collected just the two points along the way in the Champions League so far and they have to roll out a win in this one to have any chance of getting through and to get into contention for the UEFA Europa League spot. Celtic’s have an overall home record against Spanish clubs of W7 D2 L5 which isn’t all that bad, however, they have failed to win any of their last six home games in the group stage of European competition. Also, they have not kept a clean sheet in any of their last 17 Champions League games now and both teams to score is trading at a price of 10/11 with Coral. In the anytime goalscorer market, Celtic have options in Leigh Griffiths at 10/3 and Mousa Dembele at 11/4. Dembele has netted three of Celtic’s four goals in the competition this season. Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers has won just one of ten Champions League group stage matches.
So will Barcelona get the three points off Celtic which will help them keep Manchester City off their backs for top spot? They sure have the head to head form over Celtic. Under Luis Enrique, Barcelona Have won 21 of their 27 Champions League matches, losing just four of those. Surprisingly Barcelona have only managed to go W1 D1 L1 record in their last three games in all competitions, a run which was sparked by their loss against Manchester City on Match Day Four. Followed they they just edged a league game against Sevilla and could only manage a 0-0 draw against nine man Malaga on the weekend. Barcelona were missing Lionel Messi through injury for that one. So only the two goals in three games for Barcelona? That’s unlike them, but they are so stacked with quality that you would expect them to come good. Luis Suarez and Neymar are 8/13 options in the Betfair anytime goalscorer market, with Lionel Messi at 8/15.
Lionel Messi has netted seven goals in three Champions League games so far this season, that beats his tally from last season in the competition overall. Neymar, he has four goals and five assist against Celtic in three Champions League games against them. Barcelona’s away record against Scottish sides is W3 D1 L3. The Catalans, largely thanks to their 7-0 win over Celtic are the top scorers in this season’s UEFA Champions League. They have won six of the last seven games against Celtic now in the Champions League and because they need to keep Man City down, it’s likely that they will want to come out and prove themselves. Barcelona would guarantee a place in the next round with a win, but as long as Monchengladbach don’t beat Man City in the other fixture on Wednesday, the Catalans will be through. Barcelona are looking for their 13th successive qualification to the knockout stages of the competition.
Celtic v Barcelona Betting Odds
Barcelona 2/7, Draw 5/1, Celtic 11/1
Celtic v Barcelona Predictions
Celtic produced well against Man City in their other big home game in the group, but still shipped goals badly. Celtic’s form in Europe just isn’t up to the level to expect them to hold out against the Catalans in this one at Celtic Park. It may be worth a flutter of both getting on the scoresheet as Barcelona’s form has dipped a bit, but look over 3.5 goals happening in a Barcelona victory.
