Scottish champions Celtic and Spanish champions Real Madrid meet in an exciting battle at Glasgow in their opening group stage of the Champions League 2022/23 season.
The Bhoys are back in the group stages of the competition for the first time since 2017/18 season while holders Los Blancos lifted their 14th Champions League title in May this year. Both teams carry a 100% start to their domestic league season.
CEL vs RM Match Details
Date: Tuesday, 6 September 2022/ Wednesday, 7 September 2022
Time: 21:00 (CET) / 00:30 (IST)
Venue: Celtic Park, Glasgow
CEL vs RM Match Preview
Celtic are in the Champions League for the first time since the 2017-18 season group stages and at that time too, they were included in a tough group containing PSG, Bayern Munich and Anderlecht. This time the Hoops are paired with Real Madrid, RB Leipzig and Shakhtar Donetsk. Facing the holders in the first game, Ange Postecoglou’s men will want their home support in full voice in Celtic Park. Starting a Champions League group stage as hosts comes with the advantage of not taking a difficult away trip especially if it’s the home of the competition winners side by side making the atmosphere as hostile as possible for the opponent. Celtic took back the title from arch-rivals Rangers last season and gained an automatic ticket to the group stages in the Champions League after clubs from Russia were banned from participating due to the country’s invasion of Ukraine. They want to make their return to the competition a grand one certainly not repeating their performance last time they were in it. The Bhoys finished third in their group five seasons back with only one win to show, conceding 18 goals and getting knocked out by Zenit St Petersburg in the last 32 stages of the Europa League. Celtic want to carry out their excellent domestic form into Europe having started their title defense in the Premiership with five straight wins including a 9-0 demolition of Dundee United and a 4-0 thrashing of Rangers in the derby at the weekend. Conceding only once and scoring over two goals in each of the games so far show the excellency of the team under Postecoglou for two years now. If they manage to take a point out of the champions that will be enough for the stadium to burst in joy at least for the night.
Real Madrid’s royalty in the competition truly glimmered last season as they crowned themselves 14 times Champions League winners making countless comebacks on the road to defeat Liverpool in the final in Paris last season. On several occasions, Los Blancos were called off from the tie before and during the game when they were a few goals down. Each time Real made stunning comebacks in the unlikeliest situations to remind everyone of their undisputed king status in the competition. Undoubtedly, the main contributors to those results were, competition best, 15 goals from Karim Benzema and the safe pair of hands of Thibaut Courtois at the back. Carlo Ancelloti also became the first-ever manager to win the competition four times. Very few things have changed from the squad since the win in May this year with only their notable player, Casemiro leaving the club after trophy-laden years to Manchester United for a new challenge. The addition of star center-back Antonio Rudiger on a free transfer from Chelsea and paying 80 million with an additional 20 million on future add-ons for talented midfielder Aurelian Tchouameni from Monaco has brought more quality into the star-studded squad. Like Celtic, Carlo Ancelloti’s side has made a perfect start to their defense of the La Liga title. Having won all of their game so far they top the league chart with 12 points two better than their rivals Barcelona in second place. Madrid have failed to keep a clean sheet in five games this season but it hardly will trouble them as they prove themselves to be the master of rescuing games if things are not going well. Their first game in the title defense of the Champions League will be a trip to Glasgow to face Celtic and then welcoming Leipzig at home on either side of a league game against Mallorca and a Madrid derby later in the month. Real wants to obtain maximum points in the fixtures ahead in a congested schedule to be in the best possible place before the World Cup in November.
Recent Form (all competitions)
CEL: WWWWW
RMA: WWWWW
CEL vs RM Team News
Celtic had major doubts over their goal-scorer Kyogo Furuhashi for their first Champions League group stage game in four years after he came off in just the fifth minute of the Old Firm derby. The Japanese was replaced by Georgios Giakoumakis for a shoulder injury but he is expected to start in the midweek again after taking part in the training sessions for the game. Defender Carl Starfelt is the confirmed absentee for the clash. Moritz Jenz, who has got two goals in the Premiership in this season, replaced him in the 33rd minute at the weekend and will start against Real Madrid.
Carlo Ancelloti has no first-team regulars struggling with injuries with Jesus Vallejo and Alvaro Odrizola doubts for the game. The Italian will bring back Toni Kroos into the midfield after being brought off from the bench in the game against Real Betis with Federico Valverde replacing Rodrygo on the right wing. Aurelian Tchouameni will start in his role as the defensive midfield role for the fourth straight game for Real Madrid.
CEL vs RM Predicted Lineups
CEL: Joe Hart; Josip Juranovic, Carter-Vickers, Moritz Jenz, Greg Taylor; Mathew O’Riley, Callum McGregor, Reo Hatate, Liel Abada, Kyogo Furuhashi, Jota
RMA: Thibaut Courtois, Dani Carvajal, Eder Militao, David Alaba, Ferland Mendy, Toni Kroos, Aurelian Tchouameni, Luka Modric, Federico Valverde, Karim Benzema, Vinicius
CEL vs RM Head to Head
Real Madrid made another memorable turnaround last time they met Celtic in a European stage. They lost the first quarterfinal leg of the 1979/80 European Cup, known back then, before sealing a 3-0 win at home to progress to the semifinals.
CEL vs RM Dream11 Team Prediction
GK: Courtois
DEF: Juranovic, Militao, Jenz, Alaba
MID: Valverde, Modric, O’Riley
FW: Furuhashi, Benzema, Vinicius
Thibaut Courtois kept the joint most clean sheets with 5 in the Champions League last season. He made a record 9 saves against Liverpool last season.
Kyogo Furuhashi has scored 6 goals in his 6 matches of the new Scottish Premiership season, two less than he managed for the entirety of the last campaign in the league phase. He also scored 5 goals and delivered 2 assists in the Europa League last season.
Vinicius Jr ended with joint most assists with 6 in the competition last season. He scored 4 goals including the winner in the final last May.
Karim Benzema finished as the top-scorer in the Champions League with 15 goals scoring in every game in the knockout phase of the competition last term.
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