Celtic-Atlético de Madrid | UEFA Champions League 2023/24

 As expected, Celtic have made a strong start to the Scottish Premiership this season, and the same can be said of Atletico Madrid in the Spanish La Liga.

Celtic got their season underway with a comfortable 4-2 win over Ross County. Brendan Rodgers’ side raced to a 3-0 lead at halftime courtesy of goals from David Turnbull (brace) and Kyogo Furuhashi.

However, any hope of a comeback for the visitors was dashed when Mathew O’Riley scored in the final 20 minutes of the game. It was another high-scoring game between Aberdeen and Celtic as O’Riley and Furuhashi scored in back–to–back games in the 3-1 win.

All that fine start came to nothing as Celtic were dumped out of the League Cup by Kilmarnock.

When the Bhoys returned to League action, they could not find a way past St. Johnstone at the Celtic Park as the game finished goalless. In the Old Firm derby with  Rangers, Celtic found a way and defeated their rivals 1-0 away from home. Furuhashi’s late first-half goal made the difference.

Then a comfortable 3-0 win over Dundee FC afterward meant Celtic did not concede a goal in 270 minutes of league action before the UEFA Champions League opener against Feyenoord.

That match was not great as they succumbed to a 2-0 loss while losing Thiago Holm and Lagerbielke to red cards. The run of clean sheets on the domestic front continued as Celtic won 3-0 at Livingston, but they still had a man sent off – goalkeeper Joe Hart – this time.

Atletico Madrid have gone about their business without much noise. Diego Simeone’s men claimed two wins from their opening three games before the international break. The season opener was against Granada, ending in a 3-1 win for the Rojiblancos.

Alvaro Morata, Memphis Depay, and Marcos Llorente got on the scoresheet. The trip to Real Betis for the season’s second game finished goalless.

Just before the international break, the Madrid side put seven past Rayo Vallecano in one of their biggest wins in recent history. Antoine Griezmann, Correa, Depay, and Molina all got among the goals in the one-sided contest.

However, they suffered a shock 3-0 defeat at the hands of Valencia on Saturday. A late goal from Lazio goalkeeper Ivan Provedel denied Simeone’s men a winning start in the UEFA Champions League.

Back to La Liga action, Atletico were brutal and devastating from the flanks as they defeated Real Madrid 3-1 in the Madrid derby. Griezmann and Morata (brace) did the damage as they returned to winning ways.

Another win in Pamplona against Osasuna kept them closer to the top four. A fantastic goal from Griezmann and Riquelme secured the three points.

This is the first time two teams will meet in the UEFA Champions League. Celtic’s record against Spanish opposition is not great as they have lost 11 of their 14 meetings. However, in all competitions, Atletico Madrid have never lost to the Scottish champions, which will motivate going into this game.

Match Tickets

The match at the Celtic Park in Glasgow kicks off on Wednesday, 25th October, at 8 pm UK time, and it will be shown live on TNT Sports, with coverage starting from around 7 PM.

Atletico Madrid may have been excellent in this competition in the past, but they have not shown it in this group yet. Celtic will be relying on their home support in this one. For this course, Atletico Madrid should have their fans drumming their support for them in this game.

Celtic’s performances in Europe have not been consistent enough, but they will try their best to make something happen. Getting tickets for Celtic vs Atletico Madrid tickets should not be difficult, given the game’s standard.

Hence, you are advised to search ticket reselling sites should they be expectedly sold out on each club’s channels. 

Team News

Line-ups

Celtic do have a number of injury worries on their roster. Stephen Welsh, James McCarthy, and Marco Tilio are long-term absentees, while Nathaniel Phillips, Maik Nawrocki, Carter-Vickers, and Liel Abada have missed several games in the past few weeks.However, Furuhashi and Maeda should attack while Thiago Holm is suspended.

Atletico are also missing some members of the first team. Striker Memphis Depay has a thigh injury, while defender Caglar Soyuncu is battling a muscle injury. Former Udinese midfielder Rodrigo De Paul returned to the squad after his time on the sidelines.

Thomas Lemar is not expected to play again this year after he ruptured his Achilles Tendon. Conversely, Griezmann, Morata, and Lino are set to continue their fine start to the season.

Prediction

Celtic have a decent home record while playing at home. Apart from the goalless draw against St. Johnstone, the Bhoys have scored in every home game in 2023 – quite spectacular. Atletico remains one of the Spanish sides they have played three times at the Celtic Park without a win.

Regarding the potential goalscorers, Alvaro Morata and Antoine Griezmann have been excellent this season and could lead the Rojiblancos all the way. Celtic’s Kyogo Furuhashi is also a name to watch out for. The Madrid side’s quality might just win this game for them.