Celtic vs Manchester City: Champions League Preview & Prediction

Celtic will be looking to overcome their humiliation at the hands of FC Barcelona on matchday one by picking up a positive result against Manchester City on Wednesday.

Brendan Rodgers’ side found it difficult to progress to the group stages of the Champions League, after only just managing to see off Gibraltar’s Lincoln Red Imps, Kazakhstan’s Astana and Israeli side Hapoel Be’er Sheva.

But then a trip to the Nou Camp on matchday one followed and the Scottish Premier League champions were outclassed.

A hat-trick from Lionel Messi, a Luis Suarez brace and goals from Neymar and Andres Iniesta, resulted in Barcelona running out 7-0 winners.

However, the Bhoys welcome Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City to Celtic Park in good form. A 2-2 draw with Inverness Caledonian Thistle has been followed up by a League Cup quarter-final victory over Alloa and a 6-1 win over Kilmarnock since the demolition in Catalonia.

But Manchester City will still go into this Champions League Group C clash as overwhelming favourites. City have won all ten competitive matches since manager Guardiola replaced Manuel Pellegrini at the Etihad Stadium.

The former Premier League champions have also been in free-scoring form, as they have found the back of the net on 30 occasions in those ten matches, whilst only conceding six times.

Whilst Celtic got their Champions League group stage off to the worst possible start at Guardiola’s former employers, City had to wait 24 hours longer than expected to face Borussia Monchengladbach due to adverse weather in Manchester.

But it was worth the wait for Citizens supporters, as City registered a comfortable 4-0 win.

Celtic boss, Rodgers, will be hoping his side can pick up their first Champions League point(s) tonight – Photo: Marc Atkins / Offside.

Team News:

Craig Gordon will return to the hosts’ starting line-up, after replacing goalkeeper Dorus de Vries in the 6-1 win over Kilmarnock on Saturday. The former Swansea City goalkeeper picked up a chest injury and was replaced by Gordon, the Scotland international, at half-time.

Ex-Manchester City defender Dedryck Boyata will miss the chance to face his former side due to an ongoing thigh problem.

Meanwhile the visitors will be without Belgian international midfielder Kevin De Bruyne. The former Chelsea and Wolfsburg man picked up a hamstring injury in the 3-1 win over Swansea City on Saturday.

Vincent Kompany will miss the trip to Scotland after he pulled up with another injury in the EFL Cup victory over the Swans last Wednesday.

Boss Guardiola has since confirmed that his captain and De Bruyne will be out for up to three weeks.

Plus, Central midfielder Fabian Delph will not feature at Celtic Park after also picking up a muscle injury in the win over Swansea at the weekend. Young goalkeeper Angus Gunn is still nursing an injury in Manchester, while Yaya Toure was not included in Guardiola’s Champions League squad.

Group Positions: Celtic – 4th (0 pts); Manchester City – 2nd (3 pts)
Last Meeting: This is the first competitive meeting between Celtic and Manchester City
Form: Celtic – WWLDWW; Manchester City – WWWWWW
Key Men: Celtic – Mousa Dembele; Manchester City – Sergio Aguero
SHOOT Says: Celtic 1-3 Manchester City