UEFA Champions League - Celtic FC VS Bayern Munchen Prediction
UEFA Champions League - Celtic FC VS Bayern Munchen
Match Time:13-02-2025 04:00 Thursday (GMT+8)
Football Livescore | Match Prediction & Tips
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Celtic
Brendan Rodgers' side has successfully navigated the revamped Champions League format, reaching the playoff stage for the first time. While it doesn't quite qualify as the round of 16—the furthest the Celts have ever progressed—it’s still a commendable achievement for the Scottish champions. However, Celtic's luck in the playoff draw wasn't on their side, facing either Real Madrid or . Regardless, progressing past this stage was always going to be a tall order.
Looking back, there were opportunities for Celtic to perform better in the group stage, particularly with a fairly manageable fixture list. They began with a resounding 5-1 victory over Slovakian side Slovan, only to suffer a staggering 1-7 defeat against Borussia Dortmund in their next match. Following that, they recorded a surprising 0-0 draw in Bergamo against Atalanta, along with a more predictable home win against RB Leipzig by 3-1, a team struggling for form in this season’s competition. Unfortunately, the last two matches of the group stage hampered Celtic's chances to avoid a tie against the likes of Bayern. They were held to a 1-1 draw at home by Club Brugge and drew 0-0 away against Dinamo Zagreb two weeks later. In January, they narrowly won at home against Young Boys (1-0) but fell to Aston Villa in Birmingham, losing 2-4 to a side desperate for a place in the top eight.
The loss in Birmingham was Celtic's second of 2025, following a 0-3 defeat in the Old Firm Derby in the first match of January. However, they bounced back with three consecutive wins, although their fourth match ended in a dramatic 3-3 draw against Dundee. Following the conclusion of the league stage, Celtic secured two convincing victories in the league, winning 9-1 on aggregate, and comfortably dispatched Raith Rovers in the Scottish Cup (5-0) to advance to the quarter-finals. Currently, Celtic are firmly in control of their league, boasting a 13-point lead over Rangers.
Bayern Munich
While Celtic's progression to the playoff round can be seen as a significant success, Bayern Munich would have preferred to avoid such additional fixtures. They were fortunate not to face Manchester City in the draw, which left them with the more favorable matchup against Celtic instead. Missing out on the top eight may not be deemed a failure for Vincent Kompany's team. There’s always room for improvement, having lost three of their eight matches, but that’s the situation they find themselves in.
Bayern began their group stage with a record-breaking 9-2 victory over Dinamo Zagreb but endured defeats against Aston Villa (0-1) in Birmingham and a disappointing 1-4 loss at the hands of former manager Hansi Flick's Barcelona. Nevertheless, the Bavarians bounced back in the subsequent three matches with a trio of 1-0 victories over Benfica and PSG in Munich, followed by a solid 5-1 win against Shakhtar Donetsk in Gelsenkirchen. It seemed as though Bayern were comfortably heading for the top eight until they suffered a shocking 0-3 defeat to Feyenoord in Rotterdam in the seventh round, leaving them in a precarious position. Their final group match ended with a tight two-goal win over Slovan, finishing fourth with identical statistical records to Real, but behind Borussia Dortmund and Atalanta on goal difference, while still above AC Milan.
In the Bundesliga, much like Celtic, Bayern also sits at the summit with a substantial lead over their closest rivals, charging towards reclaiming the championship title. Before their unfortunate trip to Rotterdam, Kompany's side had achieved three consecutive league victories, followed by three more wins. In total, Bayern's unbeaten run in the league now stands at seven matches, with a pivotal clash against Bayer Leverkusen looming. Currently, Bayern are eight points clear at the top, allowing them some leeway even if they were to lose to their nearest challengers without jeopardizing their title ambitions.
Celtic vs Bayern Munich Head-to-Head and Key Numbers
Wednesday's game will mark the fifth meeting between Celtic and Bayern, with the visitors going undefeated in all four of their previous matchups.
The two clubs last faced off in the 2017-18 Champions League campaign with the German powerhouse winning the group-stage clash 2-1.
Celtic have historically struggled against German opposition in European competitions, winning just five of 30 games against German teams and losing 20 times.
The Bavarians scored 20 goals in the league phase. Only Borussia Dortmund (22) and Barcelona (28) managed more.
All three of the Celts' wins in the league phase came on home turf.
Bayern have appeared in the last 16 of the continental showpiece in each of the last 16 seasons.
Celtic possible starting lineup:
Schmeichel; Johnston, Carter-Vickers, Trusty, Taylor; Engels, McGregor, Hatate; Kuhn, Idah, Yang
Bayern Munich possible starting lineup:
Neuer; Laimer, Upamecano, Kim, Guerreiro; Kimmich, Pavlovic; Coman, Musiala, Olise; Kane
Prediction: Celtic 0-2 Bayern Munich
Celtic have been excellent at home in Europe this season, but all three wins came against sides who were eliminated in the league phase, and Bayern represent a huge step up in quality. Despite losing three of their four away games in the league phase, Bayern will be confident of progressing even if they lose narrowly here, given their excellent home record, but Kompany's men should be able to silence the raucous home atmosphere and take a commanding lead into the second leg.
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