Celtic v Slovan Bratislava Betting Odds & Match Preview

Celtic entertain Slovan Bratislava in the Champions League tonight and as such, now is a great time to register with any of our UK and Irish football betting sites where you can get the best free bets on this match and be guaranteed the very best Celtic betting odds.

Celtic v Slovan Bratislava Betting Odds & Match Preview

Kick-off: 8pm, Wednesday 18th September 2024

The lowest ranked club from pot three in this season’s Champions League goes head-to-head with the top-ranked side when Scottish champions Celtic entertain Slovan Bratislava at Parkhead tonight.

First meeting in six decades

Celtic and Slovan Bratislava meet for the first time in over sixty years when they both open their 2024/25 Champions League accounts in the east end of Glasgow tonight. The Hoops – like most Scottish sides in recent decades – have struggled in European competition, especially in the Champions League. The Parkhead outfit have dropped out at the group stages in each of their last five appearances in the tournament proper and they haven’t made it into the quarter-finals since their defeat to Real Madrid in 1980. The Hoops have struggled to get going in this competition with no wins in any of their opening Champions League matches, losing ten and drawing two.

Strong start

In the Scottish Premiership, Celtic have started extremely strongly with five wins from five and an aggregate scoreline of 14-0, however the Champions League is a million miles away from the domestic competition and Brendan Rodgers’ men will be thankful that they haven’t been paired with one of the stronger sides for their tournament opener.

Four rounds of qualification

Slovan Bratislava will be eager to prove they aren’t a pushover in their first ever appearance in the competition and their aim will be to become the first ever Slovakian side to make it past the group stages. The Slovaks had to make it through four rounds of qualification in order to make it through to this stage of proceedings, beating Struga Trim & Lum, APOEL Nicosia, Midtjylland and Celje along the way.

Shortcomings brutally exposed

Slovan will see this match as their best chance to collect points and get off to a solid start but their last five meetings with British clubs have all ended in defeat and they have failed to win their last nine since beating Derby County in 1975. Nevertheless, despite the fact that the visitors are inexperienced at this level, the Hoops generally have their shortcomings brutally exposed in European competition and this will be a tough encounter for both teams, the most likely outcome being a share of the spoils.

Back a draw at best odds of 11/2