Celtic v Bayern Munich Betting Preview – UEFA Champions League 31st October 7.45pm
Celtic will be out of qualification chances if they lose on Tuesday night and PSG avoid defeat in their game on the night. Celtic suffered a big defeat out in Germany against the Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich on Match Day Three and now they are charged with trying to beat them to keep their hopes of qualification alive. That’s not going to be an easy task. Bayern Munich will book themselves a top two spot with a victory as long as PSG again, avoid defeat.
Celtic v Bayern Munich Betting Tips
Celtic are clear underdogs for this game, but it is one of those nights where they could produce a historic night of themselves. If they lose this one and PSG avoid defeat against Anderlecht on the same night, then the Scottish champions won’t be able to make it through to the next round. Celtic lost 3-0 in Germany against Bayern on match day three and really couldn’t get themselves into the match. What kind of response can they produce? The positive is really that they have nothing to lose in the match. Celtic’s European home form isn’t great with just two wins in their last European home matches (W2 L3). If you break that down into the Champions league proper then they have won just one of their last eight home games in the competition (W1 L6). Is their best good enough to get the better of Bayern Munich on the night? Both teams to score at William Hill is a decent 3/4 option just to see Celtic make a breakthrough.
The only previous time that Celtic met Bayern Munich was in the 2003/04 group stage when Bayern collected a home win and an away draw (0-0) against the Scottish club. This is Celtic’s second group stage home match this season, losing the other 5-0 against PSG, which was their heaviest ever home defeat in Europe. Celtic’s win at Anderlecht on match day two, was their first for 17 European group stage fixtures across the Champions League and Europa League. Celtic hold a W3 D2 L5 record at home to Bundesliga sides, losing 2-0 against Borussia Monchengladbach in last season’s Champions League group stage. Celtic are winless in eight (home and away) against German sides now (D3 L5). You would probably expect this to go over 2.5 goals which is 1/2 at William Hill. Leigh Griffiths is their shortest priced anytime goalscorer option at 15/8.
Bayern Munich have tightened up at the back considerably since Jupp Heynckes came back to take over from Ancelotti. The Bavarians have shipped just one goal in 480 minutes under Heynckes. Bayern Munich to win to nil at William Hill returns a price for 6/4 which may be tempting just because of that stat. Bayern will secure themselves a top two place in the group with a victory in this one and the avoidance of defeat for PSG against Anderlecht. Bayern have actually won only two of their last nine European away games, losing five of those and so they aren’t great travellers. Last season they only picked up three points away from home in the group stage, losing against Atletico Madrid and FC Rostov. They haven’t been great on the road this season with dropped points at Hoffenheim and Hertha Berlin in the Bundesliga while they suffered that big defeat at PSG in the Champions League.
But they are a bit more organised at the back, but they are going into this one without a couple of notable attacking names. Goalscoring matching Robert Lewandowski got a knock on the weekend in a win over RB Leipzig and that’s a boon for Celtic as the Pole has 19 goals in 20 appearances for club and country this season. They are also without Thomas Muller who is sidelined with an injury. It leaves Arjen Robben as the 20/21 outright favourite in the William Hill anytime goalscorer market. So all of this may help to keep the score down a bit and a Bayern Munich 2-1 correct score at William Hill returns a price of 15/2. With that having said, Bayern Munich can boast plenty of quality support throughout the squad. The match day three game against Celtic was Bayern’s first meeting with Scottish opposition since a home victory over Aberdeen in the 2007/08 UEFA Cup. Bayern hold a W2 D3 L3 and they are unbeaten in their last five trips to Scotland with a W2 D3 record from that sequence of games. If they secure passage through to the next round it will be the tenth season in a row of having done so.
Celtic v Bayern Munich Betting Odds
Bayern Munich 1/4, Draw 5/1, Celtic 9/1
Celtic v Bayern Munich Predictions
Bayern Munich to win: Celtic have to dig deep in this one, but at the end of the day their best may fall well short of the quality needed to take down the Bavarians. Bayern were comfortable when it mattered on home soil against the Hoops last time out and can win this in a game over 2.5 goals.
