Thursday 4th October 1755hrs RB Salzburg v Celtic Football – Europe – Europa League There are two games in this round of Europa League fixtures that see Austrian teams coming up against Scottish opponents and this pits the champions of those two leagues against each other. For these two clubs qualification for this year’s Champions League was a step too far and they now are making the best of it in a lesser competition, but one they’ll want to be successful in. Their Europa League campaigns started with a win on match day one and they’ll be hoping to follow that up with another victory on Thursday. Continue reading for a match preview as Salzburg host Celtic, with a selected best betting tip.
Salzburg enjoyed their best ever season in European football last term when reaching the semi final of the Europa League. They were eventually knocked out by Marseille who themselves finished runners up to Atletico Madrid, but that’s the sort of level that the Austrian Champions will be looking to compete at again following yet another disappointing exit in the Champions League qualification rounds. Despite their dominance in Austria and regular participants in the qualification for Europe’s premier club tournament, it’s a competition that they’ve yet to participate in and their hopes were ended by Crvena Zvezda who recovered from two goals in the second leg to qualify courtesy of away goals. It would have been a hugely frustrating result for all concerned with Salzburg but they have refused to let it define their season and are on an excellent run of form coming into this match. An impressive 3-2 win away to fellow Red Bull club, Leipzig, got their Europa League campaign off to a perfect start and is one of six straight wins. They are unbeaten in 17 matches across all competitions this season winning all but two of them so they will be full of confidence heading into Thursday’s home match with Celtic.
Regular readers will be aware of Celtic’s problems both off and on the pitch in the early part of this season but it’s now two straight 1-0 wins and there is a suggestion that the Scottish champions are beginning to sort out some of the off-the-field problems that have blighted performances. It’s still far from the vintage Celtic that we have become used to under Brendan Rodgers but with Scott Sinclair getting the only goal of the game against Aberdeen at the weekend there’s some of the feelgood factor returning at least but Rodgers will be well aware that his team will be facing a quality team in Salzburg, tomorrow. Like their opponents on match day two, Celtic also started their Europa League campaign with a win – another 1-0 victory over Rosenborg. It’s a game that they had to win to stand any chance of making it through this group – especially as they were at home to the Norwegian champs. Away from home in this competition it’s been a completely different story for the Hoops, though, with just one in their last 20 Europa League games on the road and that even came courtesy of a UEFA ruling following indiscretions by Sion. Could they break that terrible run on Thursday in Austria?!
Salzburg v Celtic Betting Tip
This is a clash between two teams who have had very different starts to this season. Salzburg could barely be in better form and have brushed aside most of their opponents, the only exception being drawing both of their Champions League playoff games and exiting courtesy of away goals. Domestically they have been untouchable and have won nine straight in the league scoring an impressive 24 goals and conceding less than one a game. It’s been a lightening start and they have continued where they left off last season and will be hopeful of similar progress in this competition. Celtic have been nowhere near the level of their past seasons under Rodgers and are having to grind out results as opposed to winning with any style. Goals have been in very short supply so the seven clean sheets in their last eight games have been more than welcome.
The bookmakers fancy this to be a comfortable home victory and it’s difficult to argue when you consider both club’s current form and their respective records in this competition. Salzburg have not lost a home game in the Europa League for just under two seasons – a run consisting of nine games in which they’ve won seven of them. In terms of a betting tip for this one I think the obvious starting points is goals. Celtic may have kept a few clean sheets but they still present the opposition with chances and this step up in competition will also test them. Salzburg also concede goals, though, and their style of play means they can be left open at times. With that in mind take both teams to score and for their to be over 2.5 goals scored in the match.
Selection: Both teams to score and Over 2.5 goals 5/4 @ Boylesports
