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Celtic vs Atletico Madrid tips:
- Atletico Madrid to win & both teams to score - 5/2 with Parimatch
- Antoine Griezmann anytime goalscorer – 7/4 with bet365
- Matt O’Riley over 0.5 shots on target - 17/10 with BetVictor
Celtic host Atletico Madrid on Wednesday in what is a must-win match for Brendan Rodgers’ team if they are to stand any chance of making the last 16 of the Champions League.
The Scottish champions enter the match on the back of two successive group stage defeats to Feyenoord and Lazio, leaving them at the bottom of Group E on zero points.
Celtic’s Champions League odds to make it to the last 16 have drifted as a result and the visit of Atletico Madrid to Celtic Park shapes up as a must-win game if they are to stand a chance at reaching the knockout phase.
Atleti, meanwhile, occupy top spot after an away draw against Lazio and a 3-2 home win over Feyenoord in their last Champions League outing.
Football betting sites have priced Atletico Madrid as the favourites, but Celtic could still pose a threat to the Spanish giants.
Atleti hot streak to continue
By losing to Lazio, Celtic became the team with the worst loss percentage of any side who had played more than 50 games in Europe. Indeed, the Hoops have lost 44 of their last 74 matches in continental competitions.
While Celtic Park was once renowned as a European fortress, Celtic have struggled for consistent form in the Champions League, failing to win a group stage game last season.
On the other hand, Atletico Madrid are on a six-match winning run in all competitions and arrive in Glasgow full of confidence having scored two or more goals in each of those six games.
Rodgers demonstrated a willingness to adopt a more pragmatic approach in the group opener against Feyenoord, but will feel the pressure to attack Atletico given the onus that’s on Celtic as the home team.
Celtic need to take control of the midfield to stand any chance of earning a result against Atleti, who are unbeaten across six previous meetings with the Hoops, albeit they last faced one another in 1974.
Breaking down the Spaniards will prove to be a difficult task but Celtic have been in good goalscoring form of late and can grab a consolation goal on what may otherwise be a difficult night for Rodgers and co.
Tip: Atletico Madrid to win & both teams to score – 5/2 with Parimatch
Griezmann can’t stop scoring
Antoine Griezmann has been in exceptional form recently, scoring seven goals in just six outings for Atletico Madrid in all competitions. Everything he’s touched recently has turned to goals.
The French forward is spearheading Atleti’s challenge for trophies both in LaLiga and the Champions League this season and will be difficult to stop on Wednesday evening.
Atletico manager Diego Simeone has used Griezmann as part of a front two alongside Alvaro Morata with the former given the freedom to drop deep and find space wherever it opens up on the pitch.
Griezmann has never been more influential for Atletico Madrid than he is right now with Simeone relying on the 32-year-old to give his team cohesion between the midfield and attack.
He is so difficult for opposition defenders to pick up and new sports betting sites rightly rank him amongst the favourites to score at Celtic Park.
Tip: Antoine Griezmann anytime goalscorer – 7/4 with bet365
O’Riley to pose scoring threat
Matt O’Riley has been in excellent form for Celtic this season. While the Danish international has long been a key figure for the Hoops, he has added goals to his game since the return of Rodgers to Glasgow this summer.
Indeed, O’Riley has netted six goals in just nine Scottish Premiership appearances this season. However, he has yet to find the back of the net in the Champions League.
O’Riley poses a consistent goal threat, registering 26 total shots and 15 shots on target for Celtic this season. Rodgers funnels so much of his team’s attacking play through the midfielder that he's a good option with bookmakers to register a shot on target.
Atletico Madrid will spend periods of the match at Celtic Park sat deep and this means the Hoops will have some space in front of the opposition defence to exploit. This will suit O’Riley and his ability to shoot from distance.
Tip: Matt O’Riley over 0.5 shots on target – 9/5 at BetVictor
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Last Updated: 14th March 2024, 07:22 AM
