Real Madrid begins their quest to repeat as Champions League winners against Celtic. Both teams stand atop their respective domestic leagues and have not lost a game yet this season. Celtic won their first five games in the Scottish Premiership and already boast a blistering +20 goal differential.
These sides have only faced off twice in Champions League history, with each side winning one leg of a quarterfinal stage matchup in the 1979/1980 season. Real Madrid would go on to win by an aggregate score of 3-2 and advance to the semifinals.
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Let’s look at the betting odds for the first Champions League match of the year between Celtic and Real Madrid.
Ani Sridhar’s 2022-23 Soccer Betting Record: 9-6 (+4.1 units)
Celtic v Real Madrid Odds
- 3-Way Handicap: Real Madrid -175 | Draw +320 | Celtic +450
- Over/Under Goals: Over 2.5 ( -150) | Under 2.5 (+110)
- Both Teams to Score: Yes -130| No -105
Celtic v Real Madrid odds and all stats included in this article are current as of Thursday, Sept. 1. All odds are courtesy of BetMGM Sportsbook.
As the reigning champions, oddsmakers have listed Real Madrid as favorites for this match but not by an overwhelming amount.
The Over 2.5 is juiced to -150, which makes me want to stay away from that number even though I think we will see more than two goals in this game.
Celtic vs Real Madrid Betting Tips
Expect Celtic to keep things close against Real Madrid
Celtic should not go overlooked in this matchup just because they are playing against one of the powerhouses of European football. They are dominating the Scottish Premiership right now and have the offensive prowess to cause problems for any backline.
Kyogo Furuhashi is picking up right where he left off last season for Celtic, scoring six goals in the club’s first five games. He tallied eight goals in 15 games last season after joining from Japanese side Vissel Kobe. Furuhashi is linking up well with fellow countryman Daizen Maeda, who is tied for the league lead in assists (4) with Celtic’s other winger Jota to start the season.
The 2021-2022 Scottish Premiership player of the year Callum McGregor is another player to watch out for, as he is the key piece of the team’s midfield for linking play between the offense and defense.
Meanwhile, Real Madrid are returning almost the same squad that won the Champions League last season, with only a couple of changes. They sold Casemiro to Manchester United, but had already signed his midfield replacement in Aurélien Tchouaméni. Madrid also added Antonio Rüdiger to the backline, but their main attacking core is still intact.
The Madridistas conceded in their first three La Liga contests this season, so their defense can be exposed.
Celtic vs Real Madrid Prediction
Celtic 1:2 Real Madrid
Although I think Celtic are very talented and underrated, Real Madrid just have that extra quality to win this game on the road. The home side will be able to score but as we saw last season, the defending champions always found a way to win regardless of the circumstances or opponent.
Celtic vs Real Madrid Best Bets
➕Both Teams To Score: Yes (-130) at BetMGM Sportsbook
WAGER: 1 Unit
The Celtic attack is off to a very hot start this season. They scored 21 goals in their first five league games and only conceded once. They will have opportunities to find the back of the net in this matchup and have the talent up top to convert those chances.
Karim Benzema, Mr. Champions League from last season, will be the focal point of the Real Madrid attack. Celtic’s defense will struggle to contain Benzema, especially because of his movement without the ball.
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➕ Real Madrid To Win And Both Team To Score (+210) at BetMGM Sportsbook
WAGER: 1 Unit
This is tremendous value for a game I think Madrid wins 2-1. Any Champions League fixture away from home is a tough test, but Madrid should still win this game. Celtic will score a goal in front of their home crowd, but they will have difficulty containing the Madrid attack.
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➕ Any Team To Come From Behind And Win (+575) at BetMGM Sportsbook
WAGER: 0.5 Units
This is strictly based off of what we saw from Real Madrid last season. They were the comeback kings of Europe and often fell victim to conceding early.
They already have a comeback win under their belt this year in La Liga against Almería. It would not surprise me if Celtic scored early, feeding off of the energy of their home crowd before the visitors came back to steal the win.
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