Celtic to record comfortable Champions League win over Linfield
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Scottish champions Celtic visit Linfield on Friday in the second qualifying round of the Champions League first leg, with Brendan Rodgers major favourites to progress to the next round.
Northern Irish champions Linfield are major underdogs against the visitors. Last time out the home side suffered a 4-1 friendly defeat against Hearts, which was not great preparation to face another Scottish opponent.
David Healy’s side scraped past minnows La Florita of San Marino 1-0 on aggregate in the last round. Celtic will offer the home side a far stiffer test.
Linfield’s Champions League record is not great, as they have won just three of their 22 encounters in Europe’s elite competition. One positive for the home side is that they have kept clean sheets in five of their last six Champions League outings.
Linfield’s games have been low scoring in this competition of late, with 13 of their last 14 games in the Champions League producing under 2.5 goals.
The home side are unbeaten in their last five home games in Europe’s elite competition, although four of those five games have finished in draws. Celtic prepared for this clash with a 9-0 friendly hammering of Shamrock Rovers.
However, the Hoops recent record in the Champions League is poor, as they have failed to win any of their last seven games in the competition. The visitor’s away record in Europe’s primary competition is also understandably poor, as they have failed to win any of their last eight games on the road.
There has also been under 2.5 goals scored in those eight winless games and scored just three goals in the process. However, this clash looks to be their perfect chance to end their poor away run in the Champions League.
Forebet predicts that Celtic will come out on top in this game and secure a good advantage to take into the second leg at Parkhead.
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