Kazakhstan champions Astana prepare to square off against Scottish champions Celtic in the first leg of the third round UEFA Champions League qualifiers at the Astana Arena on Wednesday night and the match is expected to be a very closely contested affair.
Astana Match Betting News
Astana claimed their second consecutive Kazakhstan Premier League title last season and they are currently vying for a place in the UEFA Champions League once again.
The Blue and Yellows made a very good first impression after qualifying for the group stages of the Champions League last season, earning points against the likes of Benfica, Atletico Madrid and Galatasaray, and now Stanimir Stoilov’s men will be looking to replicate the feat during the current campaign as well.
In order to do so though, Astana will have to navigate a very tough looking encounter against Scottish giants Celtic in the third stage of the qualification rounds and the match on Wednesday will surely be a real test of the Kazakhstani side’s mettle.
Celtic Match Betting News
Celtic once again romped their way to the Scottish Premier League title last season but a place in the Champions League has proven to be elusive for the Hoops over the last couple of years.
Much to the relief of new boss Brendan Rodgers, Celtic managed to avoid a real embarrassment by seeing off Lincoln Red Imps in the previous round and the Scottish champions will most certainly have to put in a much improved performance against Astana this time around in order to avoid another European disappointment.
Celtic surprisingly participated in the International Champions Cup clash against Leicester City during the weekend and it will be interesting to see what sort of impact the match will have on the fitness of the players on Wednesday.
Astana vs Celtic Match Prediction
Both teams look very well matched ahead of the clash but given Astana’s home advantage allied by the fact that Celtic have had to deal with a long journey, the Kazakhstan side will perhaps have to be considered favourites.
That being said, Astana do not tend to score a lot of goals and if Celtic are able to remain resolute at the back, they should be able to earn at least a draw from the encounter.
