- Team form: Celtic FC have won four and drawn one of their last five matches, including a 3-0 home win over LASK Linz.
- Opponent form: LASK Linz have won four and lost one of their last five games, losing 3-0 to Celtic in their previous meeting.
- Away stats: Celtic FC average 2.75 goals per game away from home across all current competitions.
A close affair at Raiffeisen Arena
With the stakes of UEFA Champions League qualification so high, this should be a tense matchup at Raiffeisen Arena this Tuesday. The prize of a group-stage berth and the cash that comes with that is nothing to sneeze at for LASK Linz or Celtic FC and both sides will be desperate to get the better of the other.
Celtic are the favorites and rightfully so at 2.87, just ahead of LASK Linz at 2.7, with the draw at 3.0. However, there is a little bit of LASK Linz in the game and at this point, we feel an away win with both teams to score is less likely than a disciplined performance by Martin O'Neill's side.
An interesting stylistic contrast
LASK tactical flexibility
Dietmar Kuehbauer's men have won their last two home matches and they can hurt The Hoops when they get on the front foot. The Laskler are an interesting side tactically in that they can set up in a 3-5-2, a 3-4-3, or even a 4-2-3-1 tweak. They use the wing-backs well in the former two systems and are dangerous on the break when they can get men behind the Celtic line.
Celtic pressing and implications
However, O'Neill's men usually press from a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 shape and will look to win the ball as early as possible and attack at pace. It should lead to some open play on the flanks and half-spaces, but the Celtic press will also be a test for LASK's build-up play.
Bhoys could get the edge
Celtic could get the upper hand in this one but they could be made to work for it. The Bhoys have won two, drawn one and lost just one of their last four away games across all competitions, so they do travel well with a genuine edge.
O'Neill's team have also hit their stride recently, registering a 4-0 win at Dundee United FC and then the 3-0 win over LASK Linz.
Celtic can score enough
We feel that Celtic will win this game at a low odds, but we also feel that LASK's bite at home means that this may still be a close, tactical matchup. An away win with BTTS looks far less likely than a routine Celtic win, although under 2.5 goals at 2.35 is the smart choice from the alternative markets.
- Camilo Duran is Celtic's in-form player with five goals in his last five appearances, so it is no surprise that the Bhoys have notched 15 goals across those same matches.
- LASK have a similarly prolific marksman in Christoph Lang, who has five to his name in their last five.
- Lask have conceded five goals in their five home games across all comps for a 1.00 per-game average, while Celtic have hit 11 goals away from home in the same period, averaging 2.75 goals per-game.
