Real Madrid will look to end their UEFA Champions League (UCL) group stage on a positive note when they welcome Celtic to Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday.
Venue: Santiago Bernabéu (Madrid)
Key Statistics
Real Madrid have lost only one of their last seven UCL home games (W6).
They are unbeaten at home this season (W6, D2).
The hosts have scored 2+ goals in six of their last seven UCL games at home.
They have lost only twice in eight games against Scottish sides (W5, D1).
Celtic have won just one of their last 14 UCL away group games (D3, L10).
They have conceded 13 times during their last two visits to Spain.
The visitors are unbeaten in their last five games (W4, D1).
Head to head
Celtic have only beaten Real Madrid once in three meetings between both sides. Real Madrid have won the other two fixtures.
Latest performances in all competitions
Real Madrid: D-L-W-W-W
Celtic: W-D-W-W-W
Real Madrid
Real Madrid will look to get back to winning ways when they welcome Celtic to Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday.
The hosts suffered their first defeat of the season last time out in the Champions League as they were beaten 3-2 in Germany by RB Leipzig.
That unfortunate loss was followed up by a drab 1-1 draw with struggling Girona last time out in La Liga. The result cut Los Blancos’ lead at the top of the league table to one point.
However, those results have done little to take the shine off what has been a remarkable season for Carlo Ancelotti’s men. They have already booked their place in the next round of the UCL but will be desperate to do so as group winners with a win here given that they are just one point ahead of Leipzig.
The Spanish giants will also want to win this to avoid going three games without a win for the first time since October 2021. However, defeat here is unexpected given Madrid’s outstanding home record this term (W6, D2) and given they’ve lost only one of their last seven UCL home games (W6).
The hosts scored at least twice in each of those fixtures so the visitors can expect a busy evening at the Bernabeu, where Madrid overturned a 2-0 first-leg deficit against the Scots to win a European Cup quarter-final second-leg 3-0 in 1980.
Possible Real Madrid starting line-up
Thibaut Courtois; Dani Carvajal, Antonio Rudiger, David Alaba, Ferland Mendy; Eduardo Camavinga, Luka Modric, Toni Kroos, Federico Valverde, Vinicius Junior, Rodrygo.
Injured: Aurelien Tchoumeni
Doubtful: Karim Benzema
Suspended: None
Celtic
Having already been guaranteed a bottom-of-the-table finish from this group, Celtic will travel to Madrid just to defend their name and save some face.
The Scottish Premiership side lost their first three UCL group games, before finally winning their first point of the campaign in a 1-1 draw with Shakhtar Donetsk last time out in this competition.
Their hopes now will be to get all three points or at least a draw that will see them bow out in style and perhaps dent Madrid’s chances of finishing top of the group.
However, their record in Spain is horrible as they lost their last two visits here while conceding 13 times against Madrid’s rivals Barcelona. Another point of worry will be their away form in the Champions League. Ange Postecoglou’s men have won just one of their last 14 UCL away group games (D3, L10), highlighting their struggles on foreign soil at this level.
But, they travel in decent form (W4, D1), netting at least three times in each of those four wins as they sit on top of the Scottish Premiership.
Possible Celtic starting line-up
Joe Hart; Josip Juranovic, C. Carter-Vickers, Moritz Jenz, Greg Taylor; Matt O’Riley, Reo Hatate; Liel Abada, Sead Haksabanovic, Jota, Kyogo Furuhashi.
Injured: Callum McGregor, Stephen Welsh, Carl Starfelt
Doubtful: None
Suspended: None
Prediction
Real Madrid 3-1 Celtic
