Celtic vs Shakhtar Donetsk prediction: EUROPE: Champions League – Group Stage betting tips on match 2022-10-24 19:00.
Celtic know it’s last chance saloon if their European endeavors are to continue into the new year, although their hopes of reaching the knock-out stages of the UEFA Champions League (UCL) are already dead in the water. They’ll have to win their final two matches – including a trip in the final round to Real Madrid – to have any chance of booking a spot in the UEFA Europa League (UEL) preliminary knock-out round, thanks to picking up just one point from their four group outings so far, extending a poor run of form to seven UCL group matches without victory since 2017 (D1, L6).
The Bhoys are particularly struggling in front of goal, losing at home to RB Leipzig and Real Madrid without scoring, a stark contrast to their form domestically, where they have won ten out of 11 games (L1) and scored 39 goals in the process. Manager Ange Postecoglou isn’t about to change his game plan on the continent though, insisting “we won't shy away from the kind of football team we want to be.”
Celtic may therefore be comforted to see Shakhtar Donetsk arrive at Parkhead, given the Ukrainian outfit have lost on their previous two trips to Glasgow, while picking up just one win in 12 away clashes with British opposition (D2, L9). Igor Jovićević’s side, who drew the reverse H2H fixture 1-1 in Poland last month, are in a much stronger position in the group though, sitting in third place with five points from four games (W1, D2, L1).
Indeed, a draw here would, at worst, secure the Miners a place in the UEL preliminary knock-out round, but a win and Leipzig losing against Real would put them in a great position to qualify for the UCL last 16. They should be well prepared for this clash too, given their fixture at the weekend was postponed in order to prepare for the trip to Scotland, meaning their last game was a 3-0 win over Kolos Kovalivka, a sixth successive domestic victory.
Players to watch: Celtic forward James Forrest has netted four times in his last two matches, and has been on the winning side in his last 22 goalscoring appearances. Meanwhile talisman Mykhaylo Mudryk has been involved in 12 of Shakhtar’s 23 goals this year, netting five times and bagging seven assists.
Hot stat: Six of Celtic’s last nine UCL matches have seen more goals in the second half than the first.