RB LEIPZIG will be looking to kick-start their Champions League campaign when they welcome Celtic to the Red Bull Arena on Wednesday evening.
The Bundesliga hosts started Group F with a surprise 4-1 home defeat to Shakhtar Donetsk, a setback that proved to be fatal for Domenico Tedesco who lost his job as Leipzig head coach last month.
The swift appointment of Marco Rose was made and the required new manager bounce was immediately achieved as the German manager guided his side to 3-0 league win over former employers Borussia Dortmund.
However, the Red Bulls were then on the wrong end of a 2-0 reverse at Real Madrid on matchday two, meaning they now have no room for error when they entertain Celtic this midweek.
Ange Postecoglou's side opened with a spirited 3-0 loss at home to Real Madrid and they can count themselves unlucky to have only drawn with Shakhtar Donetsk in their subsequent match-up, on an evening where my main wager in Warsaw copped.
The Hoops have since had their 38-game unbeaten run in the Scottish Premiership snapped courtesy of a 2-0 loss at St Mirren and they were rather laboured in their 2-1 win over Motherwell on Saturday.
Outright Betting
RB Leipzig, who beat Bochum 4-0 in the Bundesliga on Saturday, enter this contest as odds-on 11/18 (SBK) favourites.
Celtic have triumphed in just one of their last six European away games that trend is expected to continue on Wednesday, with the Bhoys big outsiders at 5/1 (BetVictor) while the draw is unfancied 18/5 (UniBet).
Betting Angles
Celtic will have their backers at the aforementioned price but I would rather take the 4/5 on offer with SBK for both teams to score.
While RB Leipzig are worthy favourites here, they are unlikely to have things all their own way against Ange Postecoglou's attack-minded outfit.
Celtic’s attacking intensity is their best form of defence and they are unlikely to sacrifice their principles when they come up against a Leipzig side that are not exactly renowned for being watertight, with the Germans failing to shut out their opponents in seven of their 10 outings across all competitions this season so far.
As already mentioned, the Red Bulls’ backline was breached on four occasions by a Shakhtar Donetsk team that were subsequently outplayed by Celtic, so the high-octane Hoops are certainly capable of carving out scoring opportunities.
That being said, Celtic’s inability to keep the back door shut on the European stage is well-documented, with Postecoglou's team posting just one clean sheet across their last 11 continental clashes, which doesn't bode well given that Leipzig have been scoring freely in their own backyard this season.
With all this in mind, coupled with both teams’ need for maximum points, I’m more than happy to go for goals at both ends at 4/5 (SBK).
One player who could have the quality to exploit Celtic’s defensive weaknesses is Christopher Nkunku who has been priced up at 6/4 with PaddyPower to get on the scoresheet.
The French forward ended his brief goal drought with a brace against Bochum last time out and he could more joy in front of goal in game that could have the potential to turn into a high-scoring shootout.
This UEFA Champions League match between RB Leipzig and Celtic will be played on Oct 5, 2022 and kick off at 17:45. Check below for our tipsters best RB Leipzig vs Celtic prediction. You may also visit our dedicated betting previews section for the most up to date previews.
