Celtic vs Celta Vigo Preview

Neither Celtic nor Celta Vigo has a point from the Europa League league phase, and both go to Celtic Park on Thursday night looking for a first win. Celtic lost 3-1 at home to Ferencváros on matchday one and 4-1 away at Benfica on 15 October, which leaves them 33rd with a goal difference of -5. Celta Vigo lost 1-0 away at Omonia and 2-1 at home to Juventus, and sit 28th on -2. Both clubs won at the weekend: Celtic beat Hearts 7-1 at home in the Scottish Premiership, and Celta beat Alaves 2-1 at home in La Liga. The two clubs have met twice on record, both in the Europa League in 2002. Kick-off in Glasgow is at 8pm UK time.

Celtic have won two and lost three of their last five, scoring 11 goals and conceding nine. Sunday’s 7-1 home win over Hearts in the Scottish Premiership is the latest and the biggest margin of the five, a thumping by any scoreline. Before that, Benfica won 4-1 against Celtic in the Europa League on 15 October, the heaviest defeat of the run, and Celtic won 2-0 away at Motherwell on 11 October. Further back, Rangers won 1-0 at Celtic Park on 20 September, and Ferencváros won 3-1 there in the Europa League opener on 17 September. At home, Celtic won one and lost two of their three games in the sample, and they scored in four of the five, failing to score only against Rangers.

Celta Vigo’s last five read W2 D1 L2, with eight goals scored and four conceded. The latest was Sunday’s 2-1 home win over Alaves in La Liga. Before that, Juventus won 2-1 at Celta in the Europa League on 15 October, and Elche held them to a goalless draw on 11 October. Further back, Racing Santander were beaten 5-0 at home on 19 September, the biggest margin of the five, and Omonia won 1-0 against Celta in the Europa League opener on 16 September. Celta failed to score in two of the five games and kept clean sheets in two, the 0-0 at Elche and the win over Racing. They won two and lost one of their three home games in the sample, and drew once and lost once away from home.

The clubs have met twice on record, both in the Europa League in 2002, and the record is level at one win each with no draws. The most recent was Celta’s 2-1 home win on 12 December 2002, and before that Celtic won 1-0 at home on 28 November 2002. Each side won its home game, and the goals are level at 2-2, so the hosts took the only meeting listed at Celtic Park. Celtic’s single goal in the Vigo game was their only one in the record away from home.

Celta Vigo are 28th in the league phase standings on zero points with a goal difference of -2, and Celtic are 33rd on zero points with -5. A win for either side would take them to three points, with their position depending on results elsewhere on matchday three.

In the UK, the match is live on TNT Sports 3, with HBO Max streaming, and Celtic Player carries it internationally. Spanish viewers can watch on Movistar Liga de Campeones 3, with Movistar+ and Movistar Plus+ streaming, while in the USA it’s on Paramount+ and ViX. In Ireland, TNT Sports 3 and HBO Max carry the game.

Possible Lineups

Celtic — Form

Celta Vigo — Form

Head to Head

Where to Watch

Table

Europa League Standings