ACRE
Preview: Celtic vs. Club Brugge – prediction, team news, lineups
Sports Mole previews Wednesday’s Champions League clash between Celtic and Club Brugge, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Celtic will host Club Brugge at Celtic Park on Wednesday evening in a pivotal UEFA Champions League clash, as the Scottish champions aim to strengthen their chances of reaching the knockout stages against a Belgian side that have been riddled with inconsistency this term.
The hosts are currently 15th in the table with seven points from four games, while the visitors are placed in 22nd with six points from their opening four outings.
Match preview
© Imago
Celtic have enjoyed a sensational start to the 2024-25 season, losing just once in 19 matches across all competitions while racking up 16 wins and two draws.
That sole defeat came in their 10th outing of the campaign, a humbling 7-1 loss away to Borussia Dortmund on matchday two of the Champions League, which shattered their early-season momentum after nine consecutive wins.
Brendan Rodgers shouldered plenty of criticism for refusing to change from his expansive, open style of play after that humiliating loss, but his side have since silenced the doubters with an impressive run of results.
The Bhoys have gone on to secure seven wins and two draws, highlighted by a historic 0-0 draw against Atalanta for their first European clean sheet away in seven years, a dominant 6-0 win over then-unbeaten Aberdeen in the Scottish League Cup semi-final and a 3-1 victory over Leipzig on matchday four of the Champions League.
Those results in Europe, combined with a club record 5-1 win against Slovan Bratislava, leave Celtic 15th in the table with seven points, and they will be targeting another three crucial points here to boost their chances of qualifying for the Champions League knockout rounds for the first time since 2012-13, when they were eliminated by Juventus 5-0 on aggregate in the last 16.
After failing to win at Celtic Park for 12 successive Champions League fixtures, between 2013 and 2023, they have now won each of their last three home matches in Europe’s most prestigious competition, and the Bhoys will be hoping for a bouncing atmosphere to help them get over the line with the victory on Wednesday.
© Imago
Club Brugge may have been riddled with inconsistency throughout the opening stages of their campaign, but they certainly have the quality to threaten Celtic in this one.
The Belgian champions started their season without a win in their first four across all competitions, losing three and drawing one, before finally putting together a run of four successive wins in the league.
However, a 3-0 loss to Borussia Dortmund saw them slip into a period of struggle, winning only two of their next seven games, losing three and drawing two, but they have since recovered, heading into this match on their strongest run of results this season.
The Blue-Black have won five and drawn one of their last six, including a commanding 7-0 demolition of Sint-Truidense VV in their last fixture, leaving them full of confidence heading into this one.
Nicky Hayen‘s side have already shown their pedigree on the continent, defeating Aston Villa 1-0 in their last Champions League match thanks to a penalty from Hans Vanaken, awarded after a bizarre handball by Tyrone Mings.
Celtic Champions League form:
Celtic form (all competitions):
Club Brugge Champions League form:
Club Brugge form (all competitions):
Team News
© Imago
Odin Thiago Holm is expected to be the only absentee for Celtic, with the midfielder sidelined since early November due to a calf injury that is likely to keep him out until early next month.
Rodgers has assembled a strong squad for this season, enabling plenty of rotation between matches, and with no fresh injury concerns heading into this one, the Bhoys could field the same side that dismantled Hearts on Saturday.
Nicolas-Gerrit Kuhn has made an impressive start to the season for Celtic, with 11 goals and 11 assists in 18 appearances across all competitions, including scoring in each of his last four matches, making him the likely danger man once again here.
As for Brugge, Bjorn Meijer is out until at least December with a thigh injury, while Gustaf Nilsson will be sidelined until the new year due to an Achilles tendon injury.
Elsewhere, Ferran Jutgla and Andreas Skov Olsen were rested for parts of the 7-0 win last time out, while Joel Ordonez was rested for the duration, but all three are likely to return to the starting team here.
Christos Tzolis brilliantly netted four goals in that victory, bringing his season total to eight, and Brugge will likely look to him to make the difference once again in this one.
Celtic possible starting lineup:
Schmeichel; Johnston, Carter-Vickers, Trusty, Taylor; Engels, McGregor, Hatate; Kuhn, Furuhashi, Maeda
Club Brugge possible starting lineup:
Mignolet; Seys, Ordonez, Mechele, De Cuyper; Onyedika, Jashari; Skov Olsen, Vanaken, Tzolis; Jutgla
We say: Celtic 3-1 Club Brugge
Aside from their defeat to Borussia Dortmund, Celtic have been near flawless this season, and with the charged atmosphere at Celtic Park supporting them, they are likely to secure a win in this matchup.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Previews by email
A reitora da Ufac, Guida Aquino, participou da solenidade de inauguração da nova sede da Fundação de Apoio e Desenvolvimento ao Ensino, Pesquisa e Extensão Universitária no Acre (Fundape), da qual ela é presidente do Conselho Curador. O evento ocorreu nesta sexta-feira, 26, no campus-sede, local em que se localiza o espaço administrativo e operacional da fundação.
Guida destacou a importância da Fundape para a Ufac e para outras instituições da Região Norte. Para ela, a fundação passou por um processo de fortalecimento nos últimos anos. “A Fundape hoje nos faz realizar, na verdade, todas as parcerias de formação de docentes, de ensino, de pesquisa, de extensão, de inovação”, afirmou.
Segundo a reitora, a fundação ampliou sua atuação para além do Acre, atendendo também instituições de Rondônia, Amapá e Roraima. “Olha a grandeza disso. E nós, enquanto Universidade Federal do Acre, temos que nos orgulhar”, pontuou.
O diretor-presidente da Fundape, Ismar Bernardo de Araújo, disse que a inauguração da sede própria representa uma conquista construída com dedicação, trabalho em equipe e visão de futuro. “Hoje não celebramos apenas a abertura de um novo espaço físico; celebramos uma conquista construída com dedicação, trabalho em equipe, visão de futuro e confiança.”
Ismar lembrou que a Fundape foi instituída em 22 de junho de 1998 e completa 28 anos em 2026. Atualmente, a fundação conta com 38 colaboradores, representa quatro universidades federais, três institutos federais e um hospital universitário, estando presente em quatro Estados da região Norte.
Membro fundador da Fundape e pró-reitor de Planejamento da Ufac, Alexandre Hid, relembrou a criação da fundação e os desafios enfrentados ao longo da trajetória institucional. “Hoje a fundação está aí forte e firme para maiores e melhores desafios.”
Também participaram da solenidade a reitora da Unir, Marília Pimentel; o procurador-geral adjunto para Assuntos Administrativos e Institucionais do MP-AC, Carlos Roberto da Silva Maia, representando o procurador-geral Oswaldo Lima Neto; o diretor técnico da Fundape, Camilo Gouveia; o diretor administrativo-financeiro da Fundape, Dionel de Araújo; Gemil Júnior, suplente do senador Alan Rick (Republicanos-AC); a pró-reitora de Inovação, Pesquisa e Pós-Graduação do Ifac, Alana Chocorosqui, representando o reitor Fábio Storch; o ex-reitor da Ufac, Minoru Kinpara; além de dirigentes, coordenadores de projetos, colaboradores e representantes de instituições parceiras.
Warning: Undefined variable $user_ID in /home/u824415267/domains/acre.com.br/public_html/wp-content/themes/zox-news/comments.php on line 48
You must be logged in to post a comment Login