On Thursday, October 17, Real Madrid will host Celtic in the second round of the UEFA Women’s Champions League group stage, with kickoff set for 18:45 Central European Time. The expert team at Sportsmacro has prepared a detailed preview and betting analysis for this matchup.
Real Madrid
The Real Madrid women’s team was established just a decade ago, but they have quickly emerged as one of the top sides in Spanish football. However, they have yet to mount a serious challenge to Barcelona, which has dominated both Spanish and European football in recent years. Last season, Madrid finished second in the Spanish league, trailing Barcelona by 15 points.
In the current season, “Los Blancos” again sit in second place, accumulating 16 points from their first six matches. Their five-game winning streak was interrupted by a 1-1 draw in the Madrid derby against Atlético.
Last season’s Champions League campaign was disappointing for Real Madrid, as they managed only one point in the group stage. This season, their minimum goal is to reach the knockout rounds. Following a 2-3 defeat to Chelsea in the first round, the matches against Celtic and Twente have become crucial for their progress.
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Celtic
Unlike their men’s team, Celtic’s women’s side has not dominated Scottish football. In fact, last season marked the first time Celtic’s women were crowned league champions, making their qualification for the Champions League a significant achievement for the club.
Celtic has had a rocky start to the new Scottish league season, currently sitting in fifth place after nine matches. However, they are only six points behind league leaders Rangers, with a game in hand.
In the Champions League qualifiers, Celtic impressively eliminated Finnish side KuPS, Lithuanian club Gintra, and Ukraine’s champions Vorskla Poltava. Unfortunately, their group stage campaign began with a 0-2 loss to Twente.
Key Facts about the match
- Real Madrid are unbeaten in their last five home matches.
- This marks Celtic’s first-ever appearance in the group stage of the Women’s Champions League.
Probable Lineups
- Real Madrid: Misa; Garcia, Lakrar, Mendez, Carmona; Angeldahl, Abelleira; Del Castillo, Weir, Caicedo; Redondo
- Celtic: Daugherty; Lourenco, Clark, Hayes; Cross, Ross, Ashworth-Clifford; McGregor, Agnew, Noonan
Head-to-Head (H2H)
These two teams have never met before.
Real Madrid vs Celtic Prediction
Real Madrid and Celtic are teams of significantly different calibers, with the Spanish side expected to dominate and potentially score multiple goals in this matchup. I predict there will be over 3.5 goals in the match.
