Celtic have had a perfect start to the domestic campaign. So, as far as Brendan Rodgers is concerned, there is no better time to start the European season. First up for the Hoops in the UEFA Champions League is a home game against Slovan Bratislava. The Scottish champions look like favourites going into the match, which is a rarity in this competition.
Last season, Celtic were eliminated from the UEFA Champions League in the group stage. So, Rodgers will have aspirations of making it through to the knockout phase of the new look format.
This season, Celtic will play a minimum of eight Champions League games. It is two more than the previous six group-stage games teams used to play.
Here is the Celtic vs Slovan Bratislava preview. It features key information such as team news, predicted lineups & how to watch the match on TV.
Celtic vs Slovan Bratislava: Preview, Prediction, Lineup & How to Watch
What time does Celtic vs Slovan Bratislava kick off?
Since this is a UEFA Champions League fixture, Celtic vs Slovan Bratislava kicks off on Wednesday 18 September 2024, at 20:00 BST.
- When is kick off? Wednesday 18 September, 2024
- What time is kick off? 20:00 (BST)
- Where is it played? Celtic Park, Glasgow
Celtic vs Slovan Bratislava head-to-head record
This is the first time Celtic will face Slovan Bratislava in the 21st century. So, there is no head-to-head record available going into the game.
Is Celtic vs Slovan Bratislava on TV?
In the UK, Celtic vs Slovan Bratislava will be televised via TNT Sports 2 or discovery+.
In the USA, Celtic vs Slovan Bratislava will be televised via Paramount+.
Country | TV Channel / Live Stream |
|---|---|
United Kingdom | discovery+, discovery+ App, TNT Sports 2 |
United States of America | Paramount+, ViX |
Celtic team news
For Celtic, the best ability is availability. This is primarily why they have started the season in perfect manner.
Currently, Maik Nawrocki is the only Celtic player expected to miss the UEFA Champions League opener, as he nurses an injury to his calf.
Predicted Celtic lineup vs Slovan Bratislava: Schmeichel; Johnston, Carter-Vickers, Scales, Taylor: Engels, McGregor, Hatate; Kuhn, Kyogo, Maeda
Slovan Bratislava team news
Much like the home team, the visiting side have just one injury issue. Lukas Pauschek, their centre-back, is expected to miss this match after a problem sustained at the beginning of the season.
Also, there is great news for Slovan Bratislava, as their manager Vladimir Weiss is expected to travel to Glasgow, despite his recent flu.
Celtic vs Slovan Bratislava score prediction
Celtic do not have the best recent record in the UEFA Champions League. However, their start to the season will raise hopes of victory in this match.
It won't be easy, the Champions League never is. However, a Celtic 1-0 Slovan Bratislava result would suffice in the new group-stage format.