Bayer Leverkusen v Celtic betting tips: Hosts’ injuries give Hoops hope
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Bayer Leverkusen v Celtic betting tips and odds
Celtic started their Europa League group campaign with defeats by Real Betis and Bayer Leverkusen but back-to-back wins against Ferencvarosi mean they are still in with a chance of qualifying for the knockout stage.
The Hoops are four points adrift of the Germans and one behind the Spanish but they will need to improve massively on their 4-0 drubbing by Leverkusen at Parkhead if they are to stand a chance of finishing in the top two.
The Bundesliga side are understandably 1/2 favourites to get the win they need and put one foot in the last 16, so let’s check out their prospects in our Leverkusen v Celtic betting tips.
Match Odds
Celtic’s heavy defeat in September means they are 11/2 underdogs to spring a surprise but the Germans are missing four key players on Thursday.
Julian Baumgartlinger, Lucas Alario, Mitchel Bakker and Timothy Fosu-Mensah are all sidelined having missed Saturday’s 1-0 victory against Bochum, which ended a four-match winless run for Die Werkself.
So they have issues ahead of the visit of Celtic, who reached the Scottish League Cup final with a 1-0 success against St Johnstone on Saturday.
The Germans are still going well in fourth place and are priced at 17/10 to win to nil once again or evens for a victory and over 2.5 match goals in our Leverkusen v Celtic betting tips.
Our strong man at the back 💪 pic.twitter.com/n5HFglE8N2
— Bayer 04 Leverkusen (@bayer04_en) November 23, 2021
Leverkusen also hammered Betis 4-0 at the start of the month and can be backed at 18/1 to win by that scoreline once more or 7/1 for at least a three-goal margin of victory.
The hosts’ injury problems have at least opened the door for Ange Postecoglou’s side to get a result, with a draw available at 17/5 or goals thrown in priced slightly higher at 4/1.
The Hoops have taken the lead in both of their away games inside the first quarter of an hour, so they are 21/10 to break the deadlock, 29/10 to do so in the first half and 9/1 to be ahead after 15 minutes as they were in Spain and Hungary.
Both teams scored in the first half in the clashes with Betis and Ferencvarosi, so we go 3/1 on that option as one of our Leverkusen v Celtic betting tips.
Talking Tactics
Czech striker Patrik Schick is doubtful with an ankle injury which means Amine Adli is likely to lead the line again but Kerem Demirbay is suspended following his late dismissal against Betis.
Leverkusen went with a 4-4-2 at the weekend where Florian Wirtz accompanied Adli up front, with Moussa Diaby on the right side of midfield.
🎙️ "Coming on to help the team, I'm glad I got a chance and contributed. I'm delighted with that!"
Jamesy 𝒐𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒎𝒂𝒕𝒄𝒉 👏#CELSTJ | #PremierSportsCup | #COYBIG 🍀 pic.twitter.com/ZyhbSvALNX
— Celtic Football Club (@CelticFC) November 20, 2021
Postecoglou prefers a 4-3-3 formation and could keep faith with his front three of Kyogo Furuhashi, Jota and Liel Abada but it remains to be seen whether James Forrest’s match-winning exploits have done enough to earn him a place in the starting line-up.
Goalscorer Odds
Wirtz has scored seven goals in 15 appearances in all competitions this season, three of which came in the Europa League, so we go 5/1 on him breaking the deadlock or 7/5 to score as he did at Celtic Park.
Adli netted the only goal of the game at the weekend and is 13/2 and 9/4 in the two markets while Diaby, who scored the first two goals against Betis, is 11/2 and 15/8.
Furuhashi opened the scoring in both games against the Hungarians and is 13/2 to make it a hat-trick or 23/10 just to get on the scoresheet in Thursday’s Leverkusen v Celtic betting tips.
Jota and Abada are 11/1 and 14/1 to draw first blood or 7/2 and 9/2 in the anytime scorer market while David Turnbull, Nir Bitton and Callum McGregor are 5/1, 20/1 and 12/1 to find the net respectively.
Match Info
Where: BayArena, Leverkusen
When: 17:45, Thursday 25th November
How to watch: BT Sport 3
All odds and markets correct as of date of publication
