Real Madrid will begin their defence of their 14th UEFA Champions League (UCL) title this Tuesday when they travel to Glasgow to face Scottish Premiership champions Celtic.
Venue: Celtic Park (Glasgow)
Key Statistics
Celtic have won their last eight games.
They have scored an impressive 35 goals in their last eight games.
The hosts have scored in each of their last nine UCL home fixtures (W5, D2, L2).
They have won just one of their last four games against Spanish clubs (L3).
Real Madrid have won their last seven competitive games.
They have scored nine goals in their last three away games.
The visitors have scored 372 goals in the UCL, the most for any club.
Karim Benzema has scored 56 goals in the Champions League group stage. Only Lionel Messi (76) and Cristiano Ronaldo (73) have scored more at this stage.
Head to head
Both teams have met three times, Celtic have one win and Real Madrid have one win.
Latest performances in all competitions
Celtic: W-W-W-W-W
Real Madrid: W-W-W-W-W
Celtic
Celtic open their Champions League this season with a crunch tie against defending Champions Real Madrid.
The hosts have picked up from right where they left last season, starting the new season in imperious form with six wins from six, with 29 goals plundered.
The Scottish giants come into this match off the back of yet another dominant display against last season’s Scottish League runners-up Rangers, with the game ending 4-0 for Angelos Postecoglou’s men.
The Australian coach has done a fine job since taking over as Celtic coach, winning the league in his first full season in charge. However, the Champions League presents a different ball game to the Scottish heavyweights as they find themselves in the same group as Shakhtar Donetsk, Leipzig and Real Madrid.
With Real Madrid taking an undisputed spot as favourites to top Group F, Angelos Postecoglou’s team have their job cut out for them if they are to make it out of the Group stage.
Postecoglou will be hoping to ride on the wave of form his team have hit this season when the European Champions come into town. He will hope the support of the Celtic Park faithful to push their chances even further.
Possible Celtic starting line-up
Joe Hart; Josip Juranovic, Carter-Vickers, Carl Starfelt, Greg Taylor; Matt O’Riley, Callum McGregor, Reo Hatate; Jota, Liel Abada, Kyogo Furuhashi.
Injured: None
Doubtful: Yosuke Ideguchi
Suspended: None
Real Madrid
Real Madrid have started their La Liga title defence in style, winning all four of their games so far to maintain a perfect start.
Carlo Ancelotti will be eager to see his side carry the same form when they travel to Scotland to take on an in-form Celtic team in what will be a tricky test for the European Champions.
Los Blancos come into this game fresh from a 2-1 win over Real Betis in the Spanish La Liga, with goals from Vinicius Jr and Rodrygo Goes ensuring that the Spanish Champions come into this game in high spirits.
With the departure of Casemiro to Manchester United, Carlo Ancelotti will be all the more anxious to see new signing Tchouameni fill in the boots of the departed veteran whose work was always seen in the grandest of stages. Carlo Ancelotti will also be counting on the lethal partnership of Karim Benzema and Vinicius Jr whose stock continues to rise, to get all three against the Scottish Champions.
Possible Real Madrid starting line-up
Thibaut Courtois, Dani Carvajal, Eder Militao, Antonio Rudiger, David Alaba; Luka Modric, Aurelien Tchouameni, Eduardo Camavinga, Federico Valverde, Karim Benzema, Vinicius Junior.
Injured: Jesus Vallejo, Alvaro Odriozola
Doubtful: None
Suspended: None
Prediction
Celtic 1-3 Real Madrid
