Celtic v Bayern Munich: Flawed Bayern to concede and a Musiala OddsBoost to consider | OneFootball

UEFA Champions League

Brendan Rodgers' Celtic are still in the Champions League

Celtic have exceeded expectations in the Champions League, and Kevin Hatchard says they can at least score against German giants Bayern Munich.

Celtic v Bayern MunichWednesday 12 February, 20:00

Celtic have earned crack at the best

After Celtic were demolished 7-1 by Borussia Dortmund on Matchday Two, it seemed like it would be another deeply disappointing European campaign for the Glasgow giants. However, the next two Champions League games yielded incredible results.

Bhoys' boss Brendan Rodgers chose pragmatism over attacking principles in a battling 0-0 draw at Atalanta, and then Celtic cut loose in a superb 3-1 win over RB Leipzig. Draws with Club Brugge and Dinamo Zagreb got the Scottish champions to the brink of qualification, before a nervy 1-0 win over Young Boys got the job done.

Celtic are once again domestically dominant (they are a massive 13 points clear at the top of old foes Rangers at the top of the Premiership), but now they get a huge game on home soil and a chance to show they can genuinely compete at this level. They are aiming to reach the Champions League's last 16 for the first time since 2013.

Influential forward Daizen Maeda is available after suspension, following a successful appeal to reduce his ban for a red card against Young Boys to one match. James Forrest is a doubt with injury.

Bayern must prove they aren't just flat-track bullies

There's no doubt that Bayern have the best numbers in the Bundesliga this season. They are eight points clear at the top, they have the best attack, the best defence, the highest xG, the lowest xGA, the most possession and the fewest shots allowed. There's no doubt that Bayern can put the mid-table and relegation candidates to the sword, but can they beat the big hitters?

Bayern have suffered Champions League defeats at Aston Villa, Barcelona and Feyenoord, they have drawn with and lost to Leverkusen, and they have been held to draws in Dortmund and Frankfurt. While the Bavarians have been consistently strong at home, on the road they have failed to win six times across all competitions.

In general, the mood is positive under new coach Vincent Kompany, but progressing to the last 16 of the Champions League is non-negotiable, and failure would be a hammer blow. Away from the pitch, new contracts for keeper Manuel Neuer and left-back Alphonso Davies are welcome developments, and Bayern now hope Joshua Kimmich and Jamal Musiala follow suit.

Davies and Joao Palhinha are struggling with injury, and are unlikely to play a part. Leon Goretzka is battling with youngster Aleks Pavlovic for the midfield slot next to Joshua Kimmich, while Sacha Boey is vying with Konrad Laimer for the right-back position.

Key man Kimmich to come under pressure

I fancy Celtic to at least cause that Bayern defensive line a few issues, and with the backing of a huge Parkhead crowd, the Bhoys can certainly score. They have found the net in six of their eight Champions League matches, including the games against Borussia Dortmund, RB Leipzig and Aston Villa.

As for Bayern, they are strong defensively in the Bundesliga, but in the Champions League they shipped four in Barcelona, three in Rotterdam and they have only managed two UCL clean sheets in eight outings.

I'll therefore back Both Teams To Score, and combine it with Joshua Kimmich to be fouled at 11/10 on the Bet Builder. Celtic will look to press high and put Bayern under pressure, and Kimmich is a huge part of Bayern's build-up play. The German international has been fouled at least once in four of his eight Champions League games, and 13 of his 21 Bundesliga games.

Musiala magic can make a profit

There's also a nice option in the OddsBoost section of the Sportsbook. You can back Musiala to have a shot on target and be fouled twice at 6/4.

Musiala has netted 15 goals in all competitions, and he has hit the target at least once in six of his last eight starts. In the Champions League, he has had at least one shot on target in all five of the games he has started.

Keep an eye on the team news (Kompany has been careful with Musiala in recent weeks), but if the German international playmaker starts, back him to hit the target.

Musiala carries the ball a lot, and has been fouled at least once in four of his five Champions League starts this term. He was fouled three times against Benfica, four times against Shakhtar and twice against Feyenoord.

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