Champions League | League Stage

Nov 5, 2024 at 8pm UK

Celtic Park

Celtic vs RB Leipzig

Match preview

After a disappointing 7-1 loss to Borussia Dortmund in their first away game, Celtic showed resilience in their most recent Champions League match, holding Italy's most prolific team to a goalless draw.

The Scottish champions managed to keep Atalanta BC at bay in Bergamo. Veteran goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel made seven crucial stops to preserve a point, which was added to three claimed on a memorable opening matchday.

A 5-1 win over Slovan Bratislava saw the thousands packed inside Celtic Park cheer on their team, marking the end of a 12-game home streak without success in UEFA's top club competition between 2013 and 2023. The Hoops have now won both of the last two.

Four points is already the same as the total they got from the whole 2023 campaign. Plus, Brendan Rodgers's side are now in the top 24, which would be enough for a playoff spot at the end of the league phase.

Celtic reached the Scottish League Cup final on Saturday with a 6-0 semi-final victory over Aberdeen, who have been doing well in the league. Daizen Maeda helped himself to a hat-trick.

They've also won nine of their 10 Premier League games so far, with the only exception being a 2-2 home draw with Aberdeen. They've now kept clean sheets in four straight games.

Defeat in Dortmund is the only loss Celtic has suffered in the last 24 games, although German opponents tend to halt their progress. The Glasgow giants' only victory in their last 16 meetings with Bundesliga teams came against Leipzig in November 2018.

These clubs have met four times in European competition before, with Leipzig winning the other three times. The visitors really need to take maximum points from this week's game.

Marco Rose's team has lost all three Champions League matches this season by a one-goal margin. They lost 2-1 against Atlético Madrid, 3-2 at home to Juventus and Liverpool (1-0). Last time out, a Darwin Nunez strike meant they lost.

Maybe they've been a bit too reliant on one guy in particular. All three of Die Roten Bullen's goals have been scored by Benjamin Sesko from just 10 attempts, while his teammates have taken a total of 34 shots without finding the net.

In the Bundesliga, though, it's been a different story. Leipzig's unbeaten start to the season only ended on Saturday with a 2-1 loss in Dortmund. Sesko's goal had given them the lead.

That one loss might have stopped the Saxony side's 19-game unbeaten streak in the German top flight, but it's still their only away defeat in 11 league matches.

On top of that, they've only conceded five goals in the Bundesliga, which is the best in the league. They're also in the last 16 of the DFB-Pokal, but it's unclear if they can carry this form over to the Champions League.

Recent Performance

Celtic Champions League form:WLD

Celtic form (all competitions):WDDWWW

RB Leipzig Champions League form:LLL

RB Leipzig form (all competitions):WWLWWL

Team News

Brendan Rodgers had a lot more options on Saturday thanks to three players returning to the team. Adam Idah came off the bench, captain Callum McGregor started for the first time since hurting his adductor, and Nicolas Kuhn scored his first goal since he was injured.

He should also link up with Celtic's main marksman, Kyogo Furuhashi, in the final third. The Japan international has scored three goals in his last four Champions League appearances at Parkhead.

Just three other goalkeepers have made more saves than Kasper Schmeichel (12) in this season's competition. The hosts' goalkeeper will be hoping to celebrate his 38th birthday by keeping a fifth straight clean sheet.

However, he might have a busy day ahead of him with Leipzig's strong front line: Lois Openda has been involved in six Bundesliga goals this season, while Benjamin Sesko has contributed five, in addition to his three Champions League strikes.

Leipzig's own reliable goalkeeper, Peter Gulacsi, didn't concede a league goal for 510 minutes between the end of August and late last month, setting a new club record.

The visitors are without David Raum (ankle), Xaver Schlager (knee), Castello Lukeba (thigh) and influential playmaker Xavi Simons (ankle) due to injury, but Nicolas Seiwald was back on the bench at the weekend, having recovered from a thigh problem.

Possible starting lineups

Celtic possible starting lineup:

Schmeichel; Johnston, Carter-Vickers, Trusty, Taylor; Engels, McGregor, Hatate; Maeda, Furuhashi, Kuhn

RB Leipzig possible starting lineup:

Gulacsi; Geertruida, Orban, Klostermann, Henrichs; Baumgartner, Haidara, Vermeeren, Nusa; Sesko, Openda