Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Champions League match.
Celtic last experienced defeat in early spring, so the less formidable Slovan Bratislava, who miraculously made it to the Champions League, are unlikely to earn points in Glasgow. The Slovakian side displayed inconsistent defensive play during the qualifiers, and opponents' attack will exploit these weaknesses.
Celtic
Back in July friendlies, Celtic proved their capability with high-scoring victories over Manchester City (4:3) and Chelsea (4:1). Currently, they are level on points with Aberdeen in the national championship (both with 15 points in 5 rounds) but boast a far superior goal difference (+14 vs +7). On Saturday, the team handled Hearts (2:0), managing 19 shots with a 75-25 possession difference.
Slovan Bratislava
In the Champions League qualifiers, Slovan Bratislava advanced through all four rounds, but they only secured one away victory. In the Slovakian league, the team recently suffered a concerning collapse against Žilina (0-5), with a huge difference in shots on target (2-10), highlighting their defensive instability.
Celtic vs Slovan Bratislava Prediction
A promising sign for Celtic is the excellent start of newcomer Arne Engels, who scored the winning goal in his debut match. Slovan Bratislava will likely concede at least two goals in Glasgow. The Scottish side has much more experience in European competitions, and given the current form of both teams, betting on goals from the hosts is the way to go.
