SCOTTISH football expert Mr Fixit (@MrFixitTips) previews Tuesday night's Champions League contest between Celtic and Bayern Munich.
Celtic v Bayern Munich | Tuesday 31st October 2017, 19:45 | BT Sport
Celtic haven’t laid a finger on PSG or Bayern Munich – and that trend is likely to continue on Tuesday night, even with the Germans’ injury problems.
When the Group B draw was made third place looked the target for Brendan Rodgers’s men and that’s still the realistic aim. A 3-0 loss in Munich was respectable, compared to the 5-0 humbling at home to the fab French.
Rodgers seems determined to play football against the top guns when he should consider borrowing a bus or two from Jose Mourinho.
Men against Bhoys?
Celtic have been beaten ‘to nil' in four of their last five at home to teams ranked in Europe’s top 10 while Bayern have won 14 of 15 Champions League meetings against clubs outside the top 25 in the past four seasons – keeping 11 clean sheets.
Hitman Robert Lewandowski has been ruled out and that’s a massive boost for Celtic. Bayern are already missing Frank Ribery and Thomas Muller while Kwasi Olyere Wriedt is the only centre-forward in the squad.
Boss Jupp Heynckes could play with a false No.9 and there was such a gulf between the sides in Munich I can’t see past the Germans even with Lewandowski missing.
The betting angles
Arjen Robben terrorised the backline and is 9/2 at Sportingbet to break the deadlock.
Bayern are backable at 2/5 while a Bayern win ‘to nil' pays 22/13 with 188BET. The Germans could win by at least two and that’s 19/20 at Ladbrokes and the recommended play.
There is a chance Celtic will score and they made chances in Munich when they were 3-0 down. Moussa Dembele is back and has netted four in his last two starts. He is 7/2 with Betfred to score and 10/1 to net first.
If you think Celtic can contribute to the scoreboard consider Over 3.5 Goals at 6-5 with Marathon – both to score is short at 7/10 with Bet365. But I'll take the 5/6 from Coral on a Bayern win and Over 2.5 Goals as my second selection.
Best Bets
Celtic v Bayern Munich – Bayern Munich -1 handicap (19/20 Ladbrokes)
Celtic v Bayern Munich – Bayern Munich to win and Over 2.5 Goals (5/6 Coral)
