Young Boys have found the challenge of the UEFA Champions League too tough, having lost each of their opening six games, and more misery may follow for them away against Celtic.
The Swiss visitors are only ninth domestically and that form has translated into Europe, where they have lost six on the spin and leaked 22 goals.
Having suffered a 7-1 hiding at Borussia Dortmund on Matchday Two, Celtic have served up the perfect response, drawing with Atalanta, Club Brugge and Dinamo Zagreb while also toppling Bundesliga outfit Leipzig on home soil.
Everything suggests that runaway Scottish Premiership leaders Celtic should inflict a seventh straight UEFA Champions League defeat on Young Boys, who have lost their last two European assignments against Atalanta and Stuttgart 6-1 and 5-1 respectively.
Contents |
Tip | Current Odds |
Celtic to win & both teams to score | |
Nicolas Kuhn to score at any time | |
Filip Ugrinic to be booked |
Celtic to win & both teams to score - 6/4
If Celtic are to have any hope of securing a top-eight finish in the league phase of the UEFA Champions League then this is quite simply a match they have to be winning.
After six games, Young Boys are rooted to the foot of the 36-team competition, having lost every match with 22 goals conceded and only three scored.
Four of their six defeats have been by three goals or more, highlighting their severe lack of top-class talent, and it is hard to see their fortunes changing at a hostile Celtic Park.
That said, the Swiss side have scored in their last three UEFA Champions League defeats against Shakhtar Donetsk, Atalanta and Stuttgart and they may be able to breach Celtic, who have conceded in three straight games, with Ross County, Dundee and Kilmarnock all finding a way through.
Leipzig and Club Brugge were both able to find a breakthrough in Glasgow and, after their sluggish start, there is no point in Young Boys just resting on their laurels.
Nicolas Kuhn to score at any time - 7/4
Former German youth international Nicolas Kuhn has had a dream first year at Celtic Park and has gone from strength to strength this season, firing in 16 goals in 29 appearances.
When Kuhn gets on a roll he tends to stay in scoring form and he has netted five goals in his last seven appearances.
In Celtic’s 3-1 home win over Leipzig in the UEFA Champions League in November, the 25-year-old bagged a brace and he should be pretty confident of adding to his tally against Young Boys, who have shipped 11 times across their last two European defeats.
Filip Ugrinic to be booked - 5/2
Young Boys’ hard-hitting midfielder Filip Ugrinic has picked up seven bookings in 26 appearances in all competitions this season and, in a match which is sure to be played in front of a hostile crowd, he may struggle to escape the referee’s attention.
The 26-year-old has been booked in UEFA Champions League away trips to Barcelona and Stuttgart and he has an important role to play, attempting to break up Celtic’s rhythm and retrieve possession.
But Celtic have some physical midfielders themselves and that means this could turn into a fiery affair, with Ugrinic’s temperament sure to be tested.
Prediction | BetSie Supercomputer % | Odds | Odds % |
Celtic to win | 63.4% | 75% | |
Celtic win 3-1 | N/A | 10% |
Young Boys have lost each of their six matches in this season’s UEFA Champions League
Celtic are unbeaten in 18 home games in all competitions this season
There have been over 2.5 goals in eight of Celtic’s last 10 matches
Celtic | 63.4% |
Draws | 21.5% |
Young Boys | 15.1% |
The odds suggest that Celtic have a 63.4% chance of beating Young Boys on Wednesday night, while the BetSie Supercomputer believes there is a greater chance of that happening at 75%.
The BetSie Supercomputer believes that Young Boys have a 15.1% chance of winning their upcoming game against Celtic.
A 3-1 victory for Celtic has a 10% chance of happening according to the betting odds.
Formation: 4-3-3
Team: Schmeichel; Johnston, Carter-Vickers, Trusty, Taylor; Engels, McGregor, Hatate; Kuhn, Furuhashi, Maeda.
Formation: 4-2-3-1
Young Boys: Keller; Blum, Zoukrou, Camara, Hadjam; Lakomy, Ugrinic; Virginius, Colley, Monteiro; Itten.
Read more football betting tips and predictions on site.
BETSiE is a projection model operated by bettingexpert and owned by Better Collective. The projections quoted are for informational and entertainment purposes only and should not be construed as definitive advice or predictions. The projections and the BETSiE name are the intellectual property of Better Collective. You may not copy, distribute, or modify the Content without prior written permission, except for personal, non-commercial use.
By using this model, you acknowledge and accept that its projections are estimates and subject to inherent uncertainties, and the model owner will not be liable for any loss or damage, whether direct or indirect, arising from the use of this information in connection with sports betting or any other activity.
18+ | Gambleaware.org
Check out the bet365 betting hub for all the latest UEFA Champions League betting odds.
This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.