Celtic vs LASK is the first leg of a Champions League play-off at Celtic Park on Wednesday night, with the Scottish champions strong favourites to take control of the tie.
Celtic have home advantage for the opener and will want a lead to protect in Austria. Andy Francis has the best bets, our score prediction and the head-to-head record below. The game kicks off at 8pm BST on Wednesday, August 19th.
Premium Tips
Andy expects Celtic to lay down a marker at home, with their attacking quality set against qualifying opposition on a big European night.
| Premium Tip | Odds | Why we’re backing it |
|---|---|---|
| Celtic To Win & Both Teams To Score | 11/4 | Celtic are strong favourites at Celtic Park and should create plenty against a LASK side just reaching this stage of qualifying, with Hogh, Duran, Nygren and Kenny all capable of finding the net. LASK are well-organised but arrive with genuine European pedigree and carry a threat on the counter, the kind of side likely to nick a goal even while chasing the game. That blend, a big home shift from Celtic layered with LASK’s incentive to leave with an away goal, makes both teams scoring a sensible companion to the straightforward home win rather than a pure home banker. |
| Kasper Hogh To Score 1st Goal | 9/2 | Kasper Hogh leads the Celtic line and is fancied to get the nod as the focal point of the attack, even with Duran, Nygren and Kenny also sharing the goal threat. Celtic should dominate territory and chances from early on against a LASK side set up to frustrate rather than press high, and as the main central outlet Hogh is best placed to get the first meaningful sight of goal. First goalscorer markets reward being first to react in a game Celtic are expected to control from the start, and at 9/2 that price on their focal striker looks fair value. |
18+ only. Please gamble responsibly. GambleAware — gambleaware.org · Odds correct at time of publishing.
How Celtic go into the game
Celtic cruised to the Scottish Premiership title again last season, finishing top on 82 points with 73 goals scored and just 41 conceded. That kind of dominance, allied to home advantage, makes them clear favourites to take charge of this tie.
Kasper Hogh and Camilo Duran lead the attack, with Benjamin Nygren and Johnny Kenny also among the goals. Celtic Park is a daunting venue in Europe, and a healthy first-leg lead is very much the target.
How LASK go into the game
LASK arrive from the Austrian Bundesliga, where they are a regular European qualifier, and have come through the earlier rounds to reach this stage. They travel to Glasgow as clear underdogs but with genuine continental experience.
The Austrians are well organised and will look to frustrate Celtic before the return in Linz. Keeping the deficit down and staying in the tie would set up an intriguing second leg on home soil.
Celtic vs LASK head-to-head
| Date | Home | Score | Away |
|---|---|---|---|
| — | No previous meetings between the clubs | — | — |
Celtic and LASK have never met in a competitive fixture, so there is no head-to-head record to call on ahead of the first leg.
Celtic vs LASK predictions & betting tips
| Our Prediction | Odds & Bookmaker | Confidence | Why We’re Backing It |
|---|---|---|---|
| Celtic to win | 8/13 | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Champions at home against qualifying opposition. |
| Over 2.5 goals | 8/11 | ⭐⭐⭐ | Celtic chase a first-leg cushion. |
| Kasper Hogh anytime scorer | 6/5 | ⭐⭐⭐ | Fancied to lead the Celtic line. |
| Both teams to score | 5/6 | ⭐⭐ | LASK carry a threat on the counter. |
| Celtic to win 2-1 | 13/2 | ⭐⭐ | Our headline scoreline for a first-leg lead. |
Celtic vs LASK score prediction
LASK are organised and will not make it easy, but Celtic’s quality and the Celtic Park atmosphere should tell over the 90 minutes. We expect the hosts to build a two-goal cushion to carry into the second leg in Austria. Score prediction: Celtic 2-0 LASK.
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