Celtic vs Atletico Madrid tips and predictions: One-way traffic as visitors run riot at Celtic Park
- George Dempsey
- 24 October 2023
Celtic and Atletico Madrid will meet in the Champions League on Wednesday and we’re predicting a thumping victory for the visitors.
Celtic play host to Atletico Madrid at Celtic Park in what looks like a must-win game for both sides.
Date, KO time and TV coverage
UEFA Champions League, Wednesday, October 25, Kick-off 8pm, live on TNT Sports
Predicted score
Suggested bets
Atletico Madrid to score in both halves
Celtic vs Atletico Madrid team news
Celtic are expected to continue with a 4-3-3, but it’s likely to resemble a midfield five with Reo Hatate, Callum McGregor and Matt O’Riley needing support to stem the tide.
Kyogo Furuhashi will continue in attack after opening his Champions League account against Lazio.
The hosts will be without Stephen Welsh and Liel Abada due to injury, while Diego Simeone is expected to be without Caglar Soyuncu, Pablo Barris, Thomas Lemar and Jose Gimenez.
Celtic vs Atletico Madrid verdict
Celtic will go in search of a first Champions League win since August 2020 when they face an Atletico Madrid side in red-hot form.
Defeats to Feyenoord and Lazio have left Group E looking like a three-way tussle between those sides and the Bhoys opponents on Wednesday.
The visitor's stunning run of form was preceded by a slip-up against Lazio, making this a must-win game, but since then they’ve won six on the spin.
Alvaro Morata and Antoine Griezmann have been central to their success, with the pair netting 11 of their 15 goals during that run.
Morata’s brace either side of a Griezmann goal set them on their way with a 3-1 win against Real Madrid, but it was the Frenchman taking centre stage with a hat-trick against Celta Vigo at the weekend.
Even if Celtic can create enough danger to trouble Diego Simeone’s typically well-drilled defence, they’ll need to keep things tight at the other end.
The hosts have scored eight times during their current 11-game winless streak in the Champions League and they’ve failed to score more than once.
On the other hand, Atletico have come through their six-game win streak with a +10 goal difference despite shipping a goal per game.
It seems unlikely that Brendan Rodgers’ side will be the ones to slow them down and a poor start could see the floodgates open.
Simeone’s side have scored in both halves in eight of 11 matches this season and in each of their previous six outings.
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