CELTIC will set out to secure their first three points in Champions League Group F when they take on Shakhtar Donetsk at Parkhead on Tuesday night.
Ange Postecoglou's side were prematurely eliminated from Europe's premier club competition with two games to spare following a 2-0 defeat at home to RB Leipzig on Matchday 4, in a game that brought up my main play at Celtic Park.
That setback has left Celtic propping up the section and it also means that they must put three points on the board on Tuesday night if they are to stand any chance of pinching a Europa League berth.
The Hoops warmed up for this make-or-break clash with a thrilling 4-3 win over Hearts at Tynecastle on Saturday, a triumph that contributed towards Postecoglou's team moving four points clear of fierce rivals Rangers in the Scottish Premiership table.
As for Skakhtar Donetsk, they have amassed five points from their opening four pool fixtures, and as result they remain firmly in the mix to reach the knockout round for the first time since 2017-18.
Igor Jovicevic's side gave a good account of themselves in their recent double-header with reigning European champions Real Madrid so they certainly won't be fazed ahead of their trip to Glasgow.
Outright Betting
Celtic, who have not won a Champions League group phase game at home since the 2013-14 season, head into their final Group F home game as odds-on 4/5 (PaddyPower) favourites.
September's reverse fixture ended all square and the same outcome here can be backed at 14/5 (Bet 365) while the Ukrainians are 33/10 underdogs with UniBet.
Betting Angles
Celtic will have their backers at the above-mentioned price but I would rather take the 4/5 (Bet 365) on the Hoops to score two or more team goals on Tuesday night.
While Celtic have come up short in all four of their Group F games so far, they have competed to varying degrees in each of those matches.
That was particularly evident when Celtic played out a 1-1 draw with Shakhtar Donetsk in Warsaw, on an evening where Ange Postecoglou and Co can count themselves unlucky to only have picked up a point given that they squandered several gilt-edged chances.
What's more, the Bhoys have overcome a mini-blip domestically to bang in 14 goals across their last three league and cup matches, so they should be brimming with confidence ahead of a visit from a Shakhtar side without a clean sheet in four Group F outings to date.
In fact, the Ukrainian heavyweights have posted just one shutout across their last 11 group phase games, so they could struggle to keep their high-octane hosts at bay.
Given that Celtic are not accustomed to keeping their own sheets clean, as well as the hosts undoubtedly being in greater need of the points, backing the Bhoys to make net bulge twice at 4/5 (Bet 365) makes appeal.
Elsewhere, I'll also head to the anytime goalscorer market and have a speculative punt on Celtic's Josip Juranovic to get one the scoresheet at 9/1 with William Hill.
Admittedly, Celtic have yet to be awarded a penalty this season, but I expect the law of averages to soon balance out for the Scottish champions, and with that in mind, Croatian full-back Juranovic could be worth some interest to strike on a night where the Hoops will look to sign off from their final Champions League home game of the season in style.
This UEFA Champions League match between Celtic and Shakhtar Donetsk will be played on Oct 25, 2022 and kick off at 20:00. Check below for our tipsters best Celtic vs Shakhtar Donetsk prediction. You may also visit our dedicated betting previews section for the most up to date previews.