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23.11.2021Europa League

Our next opponents: Ambitious visitors from Paradise

A first attempt to win the group for the Black and Reds: The Werkself entertain Celtic on Thursday night, 25 November (kick-off: 18.45 CET) on the penultimate matchday of the Europa League group stage. A win against the Scots would ensure the team under Gerardo Seoane finish top of Group G. However, the opposition have rediscovered form. Following the home defeat against Bayer 04, Celtic have gone on an unbeaten run up to this match. The lowdown on our next opponents.
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Lukas Hradecky and Co. secured a convincing win in the first clash the top Scottish side at the end of September: after 90 minutes at the legendary Celtic Park – named Paradise by their fans – the game ended in a 4-0 victory. This heavy defeat clearly had an effect on the Green and Whites with Celtic going unbeaten across three competitions up to today. The team under coach Ange Postecoglou have picked up eight wins and one draw since the first game against the Black and Reds. The captain Callum McGregor and Co. clocked up six points in the last two matches against Ferencvaros (2-0, 3-2).

BAck in the title race

Following a patchy start in the Scottish league, Celtic are now back in the title race. Ahead of the first game against Bayer 04, the Postecoglou team were sixth in the table and six points behind arch rivals and league leaders Rangers. The Green and Whites have now made up four points on Rangers and moved up four places, Celtic are currently second in Scotland's top flight.

The last league match brought a 4-2 away win at Dundee. Following the international break, there was a 1-0 home win against St. Johnstone in the semi-finals of the Scottish League Cup.

Meagre returns on german soil

The statistics ahead of the second game between Celtic and Bayer 04 clearly favour the Werkself: The Scots have lost six of their seven away games in Germany in the Europa League or UEFA Cup (one draw). The last game ended in a 2-0 defeat away to RB Leipzig in October 2018.

The BayArena has also become a real fortress in European home games: The Black and Reds have not lost any of the 14 home games in the group stages of the Europa League (11 wins, three draws). No team in the history of the competition has played at home as often as Bayer 04 without losing a single game.

Celtic waiting to pounce

The Seoane team are currently top of Group G with ten points from four games and Celtic are third on six points. Real Betis are second on seven points and Ferencvaros are bottom with no points.

 

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