Champions League 2022-23: Celtic vs Real Madrid match preview
- Celtic will host Real Madrid in their first group-stage match of the Champions League
- The Scottish team will miss two Japanese players in the starting lineup
- Real Madrid is likely to field Tony Kroos in the starting lineup
Real Madrid, the defending champions of the UEFA Champions League (UCL), will be starting their 2022-23 season’s campaign tonight with their Group F match against Celtic F.C. The last time these two clubs met in the European top-flight competition was in the 1979-80 European Cup quarterfinal, an encounter that Los Blancos won with a 3-2 margin over two legs.
This time around, both teams have started in their domestic leagues in fiery fashion. Celtic are perched on the top of the Scottish Premiership with six wins in as many matches. They thrashed bitter rivals Rangers FC 4-0 in the Old Firm Derby on Saturday.
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Real Madrid are also topping La Liga’s table with four wins in four matches after defeating Real Betis with a 2-1 scoreline on Saturday.
Ange Postecoglou, the Celtic manager, has been using the 4-3-3 formation this season and is expected to use the same strategy in tonight’s match. He will miss Kyogo Furuhashi, Celtic’s Japanese winger, who is out with a shoulder injury. Another Japanese player, the midfielder Yosuke Ideguchi, is also nursing a leg injury.
Carlo Ancelotti will be able to field his best squad in the match at Celtic Park tonight. He will likely include Champions League veteran Toni Kroos in the starting lineup alongside Aurelien Tchouameni, who has assured himself a spot in the team after Casemiro moved base to Old Trafford.
Probable lineups:
Celtic: Hart; Juranovic, Carter-Vickers, Jenz, Taylor; O’Riley, McGregor, Turnbull; Abada, Giakoumakis, Jota
Real Madrid: Courtois; Carvajal, Militao, Alaba, Mendy; Modric, Tchouameni, Kroos; Valverde, Benzema, Vinicius Jr.
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Besides Celtic vs Real Madrid, another match fans will be eagerly waiting for is the one between PSG and Juventus. Lionel Messi will take to the field once again as his bitter rival Cristiano Ronaldo missed out on UCL action this time.
Manchester City will take on Sevilla tonight while RB Salzberg will host AC Milan.
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