RB Leipzig vs Celtic LIVE: Champions League result, score and reaction as Silva scores twice as Leipzig win
RB Leipzig 3-1 Celtic: Bhoys drops to the bottom of Champions League Group F with defeat in Germany
RB Leipzig earned their first Champions League points this season after a quickfire double from Andre Silva and Christopher Nkunku’s first-half strike sealed a 3-1 home win over Celtic.
Nkunku twice raced clear to find the net - his first attempt was ruled a fraction offside after a VAR check but the Frenchman made amends in the 27th minute, poking the ball past the advancing Joe Hart and slotting home from a tight angle.
The visitors got off to the perfect start in the second half, drawing level after two minutes when Furuhashi held off three Leipzig defenders before laying the ball off to Jota who scored with a composed finish.
Celtic got another reprieve from VAR when Dominik Szoboszlai’s superb long-range effort was ruled out just after the hour mark but Silva capitalised on a poor pass from goalkeeper Hart seconds later to restore Leipzig’s lead. Silva calmly fired past Hart again in the 77th minute after Celtic were undone by a long diagonal pass from Nkunku, which Mohamed Simakan met with a cushioned volley to the Portuguese striker.
Relive all the action as Celtic lose to RB Leipzig in the Champions League group stages:
Kick off: RB Leipzig 0-0 Celtic
Leipzig kick off the match and work the ball over to the right wing. They try to move it quickly but Callum McGregor wins the ball in midfield and sends an early pass into the box for Daizen Maeda.
Maeda sprints over to the but Peter Gulacsi is off his line in a hurry and beats the winger to the loose ball.
RB Leipzg vs Celtic
Here come the teams.
Can Celtic get their first win on German soil or will Leipzig pick up their first points of this Champions League campaign?
Nkunku struggling in front of goal
Since the start of last season, Christopher Nkunku has been directly involved in eight goals in the Champions League (seven goals and one assist), twice as many as any other RB Leipzig player (4, Emil Forsberg and André Silva).
He is, however, yet to score or assist in the competition this term.
Celtic’s key man?
Through the first two matchdays, only Vinicius Junior (11) completed more take-ons in the Champions League than Celtic’s Jota (9).
The Portuguese completed eight in his last appearance against Shakhtar Donetsk. Only Napoli’s Piotr Zielinski has created more chances from open play.
‘We have to be prepared’
RB Leipzig boss Marco Rose spoke about what is expecting from tonight’s game and was complementary of Celtic’s style of play before adding that it will be "very difficult" for his side to qualify for the knockout stages if they lose this evening.
"Celtic are a team that is very attacking with a clear identity," he said. "They are active on and off the ball, they have a lot of pace.
"It’s really fun to watch them. A team that loves to play is coming to Leipzig and we have prepared for it."
Celtic’s away record
Celtic have only won one of their previous 13 away games in the Champions League with three draws and nine losses.
That victory came at Anderlecht in September 2017 under Brendan Rodgers but they have avoided defeat in four of their most recent six on the road, however, winning one and drawing three.
RB Leipzig vs Celtic
RB Leipzig haven’t kept a clean sheet in a Champions League home game since the opening matchday of the 2020/21 edition (2-0 vs Istanbul Basaksehir).
They have conceded an average of two goals across their seven games since then which is 14 in total.
Celtic facing Uefa action for fans’ ‘F*** the Crown’ banner
Celtic face disciplinary proceedings over an anti-monarchy banner displayed during a Champions League match on Wednesday night, but Rangers will not be punished for singing the national anthem before their game.
A banner in the Celtic section of the crowd at their game against Shakhtar Donetsk in Warsaw read ‘F*** the Crown’ while another said ‘Sorry for your loss Michael Fagan’, a reference to the intruder who broke into the Queen’s Buckingham Palace bedroom in 1982.
A Uefa statement read: “Please be informed that proceedings have been opened against Celtic FC regarding a banner displayed during their UEFA Champions League match against FC Shakhtar Donetsk played on September 14 in Warsaw.
“The Uefa disciplinary bodies will decide on the matter in due course.”
Celtic facing Uefa action for fans’ ‘F*** the Crown’ banner
The anti-monarchy banner was displayed during the Hoops’ Champions League game with Shakhtar Donetsk on Wednesday
‘It’ll be a tough match’
Celtic midfielder Callum McGregor is expecting a difficult game ahead of tonight’s Champions League match against RB Leipzig in Germany.
“We know it’ll be a tough match. It’s a very high level of opponent.” he said, “All we can do is prepare a game plan to win the game and go and be aggressive and try to implement our style.
“We’ve got to take our chances when we get them and do a lot of things right defensively as well."
Jenz returns to Germany
Celtic’s Moritz Jenz returns home to Germany after a career that so far has taken him to England, Switzerland, France and Scotland.
“It’s nice to be back in Germany because I haven’t been here in a long time,” said the 23-year-old. “I have played a lot of my football abroad, so I’m a bit of an unknown in Germany.”
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